If you felt like you saw an influx of mustaches throughout the month of  November, you weren’t going crazy—chances are it had something to do with Movember.

Founded in 2003, Movember is an annual fundraiser that encourages men to “change the face of men’s health” by ditching their razors for 30 days to raise money and awareness for issues such as anxiety, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and suicide. 

While it began with a small group of friends pushing the limits of facial hair fashion, Movember has grown into a global phenomenon and a fundraising powerhouse. To date, the month-long event has amassed nearly six million male and female supporters and helped fund more than 1,250 innovative men’s health projects across 20 countries. 

At WP Engine, Movember is among the many fundraisers our employees take part in throughout the year and it’s taken very seriously. This year, we had participation from all of our global teams, who together raised more than $4,000. Since 2015, WP Engine has raised nearly $30,000 for this awesome cause!  

Here’s a look at a few of our enthusiastic Movember participants and their thoughts on why they chose to take part:  

I wanted to raise awareness for the different aspects of men’s health. Movember goes beyond cancer and helps with mental health initiatives as well. The best part was being part of an amazing team who always does a tremendous job of supporting this cause.” 

– Alex Barrera, Sales Manager

I began participating in Movember a few years ago as a fun way to get involved with a work fundraiser, but quickly learned the purpose of the movement. Men’s health is an important issue that many don’t take seriously until it’s too late.

– Marvin Washington, Sales Development Manager

Movember is compelling because it provides a platform to talk about difficult topics like depression and suicide. While November is a month characterized by eating too much on Thanksgiving and spending too much on Black Friday, I get excited about directing people’s focus towards something truly impactful.

–  Kevin Walker, Partner Account Executive

Movember was a great excuse to give my ‘stache a test run, but more importantly, it’s a great opportunity to raise awareness and have fun doing it. Having lost a close friend to mental health in October, Movember was a great opportunity to participate in raising awareness for the cause.” 

– Jason Lanthier, Sales Account Associate

At WP Engine, we’re guided by our core values both inside and outside of the office, and we’re deeply committed to giving back. Raising funds and awareness for important causes like Movember and others helps us build up the local communities we live and work in. We’re honored to have taken part in Movember 2019 and can’t wait to ditch the razors again for next year’s event!