Golden, CO (July 21, 2026) — Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), in partnership with Hand & Stone, is proud to announce that Bene’s Career Academy in Florida is the first school winner in ABMP’s annual Massage Is for EveryBody contest.
Now in its 31st year, ABMP’s Massage Is for EveryBody is a campaign born from grassroots efforts to ensure that hands-on work is not seen as a luxury for the few, but a powerful therapeutic opportunity for all. This yearlong campaign includes a massage awareness week designed to bring massage to marginalized communities (this year held July 19–25, 2026) and a contest to shine light on the powerful work being done by schools and practitioners in their communities.
As part of the Massage Is for EveryBody contest, ABMP awards 10 practitioners with $1,000 prizes based on the ways in which they fulfill the inclusive campaign’s guiding principles. In 2026, with Hand & Stone support, ABMP added a $2,500 award for schools that do the same, either through their student clinics or community outreach efforts. Nearly 400 entries from schools and individuals were submitted this year, with judges whittling those down to our 11 winners, which were officially announced on July 19.
Darren Buford, vice president of ABMP, says the generous gift from Hand & Stone helped us expand ABMP’s reach this year to schools during the Massage Is for EveryBody campaign. “We know schools are doing amazing things in their communities and we wanted to provide a platform for that good work. We’re grateful to Hand & Stone for partnering with us on this important mission.”
To celebrate during Massage Is for EveryBody Week, massage therapy practitioners in every state find ways to bring their work to those who may never have experienced therapeutic massage before, all while working to broaden awareness of the benefits of massage therapy and sharing the value of self-care. Whether offering chair massage at Pride Fest, providing services to a women’s shelter or veteran’s support group, or advocating for a local nonprofit through donations collected during the week, massage therapists pour their philanthropic, heart-centered spirit into this celebration each year.
This annual July event is part of ABMP’s bigger Massage Is for EveryBody mission—a year-round campaign built on the guiding principles of inclusion, serving the underserved, self-care, and community education.
To learn how Bene’s Career Academy is supporting ABMP’s Massage Is for EveryBody mission, visit www.abmp.com/massage-week-awards.
About ABMP
Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) has been a leading national membership organization for
massage and bodywork professionals for 40 years. ABMP exists to provide support to its members
through benefits, discounts, education, legislative advocacy, and more. ABMP members practice more than 300
modalities in a variety of settings, and their continued education allows them to be experts in the latest trending
modalities. The organization provides a variety of resources for its members, including free education, Massage & Bodywork magazine, and The ABMP Podcast.