In teams of eight, more than 1,000 Edward Jones financial advisors and branch office administrators will complete the 3,100-mile journey relay-style, taking at least 5.7 million steps across America – one step for every person in the U.S. living with Alzheimer’s disease. The teams will traverse cities, towns and open country and cross the desert, plains, river valleys and rolling hills.

“This four-month Walk Across America is one more way to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s and the resources available to deal with it,” said John Beuerlein, the Edward Jones principal who leads the firm’s Older Adult Council.

Walk Across America began in the oldest city on each coast: San Diego on July 9 and St. Augustine, Fla., on Aug. 25. It will culminate in St. Louis on Oct. 28 as the final team crosses the stage at Enterprise Center during this year’s annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraising event, chaired by Beuerlein.

Each team will carry a hand-carved walking stick harvested from the farm of Ted Jones, son of the firm’s founder, Edward Jones Sr.

In January 2016, Edward Jones entered a historic strategic alliance with the Alzheimer’s Association, committing $4.7 million over two years to enhance the Association’s care and support programs, provide educational materials on brain health, and fund critical Alzheimer’s research and grassroots awareness efforts.

Edward Jones signed on as the first national presenting sponsor of Walk to End Alzheimer’s (which is not affiliated with the Walk Across America) and created the Edward Jones Alzheimer’s Research Fund.

The firm extended the alliance in 2017 to a five-year, $12.5 million commitment. In return, the Alzheimer’s Association provides services, support and education on brain health and Alzheimer’s to Edward Jones clients and associates.

Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm’s business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of its branch offices, caters to individual investors.

The firm’s 16,000-plus financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients and care for $1 trillion in assets under management.