The Finish Line Youth Foundation  announced the award of $160,100 to grant recipients in the third quarter of 2012. The 22 grants also went to organizations that place an importance on youth development and an active lifestyle in 15 states. Among these was a $65,000 grant awarded to Camp Joy of Clarksville, Ohio.

Were proud to award our Legacy Grant this quarter to Camp Joy, said Marty Posch, executive director of the Youth Foundation. The camp has been providing active outdoor programming since 1938 and continues to change the lives of youth in the Clarksville community.
The Youth Foundation supports qualified, non-profit organizations that provide community-based access to athletics for kids, as well as camps that provide services to those who are disadvantaged or disabled.

LEGACY GRANT

Camp Joy (Clarksville, Ohio) – $65,000 for the camps new Challenge Course, designed to complement the camps other high ropes courses to provide progressive options for the many youth participants to become physically fit in a more fun, exciting way. Camp Joy provides outdoor programs for inner-city youth from the Greater Cincinnati area.

CAMPS

  • American Diabetes Association (Nashville, Tenn.) – $2,500 for the ADAs annual summer camp for children with diabetes.
  • Catch the Stars Foundation (Indianapolis, Ind.) – $5,000 for the foundations Youth Holiday Basketball Camp.
  • Happy Hollow Childrens Camp (Indianapolis, Ind.) – $5,000 to go toward camp programming for underprivileged children in Indiana.
  • Kidpower (Castro Valley, Calif.) – $5,000 to fund Kidpowers camp for kids who are disadvantaged or have special needs.
  • Recovery Resource Council (Fort Worth, Texas) – $5,000 to fund a camp for children who are homeless or victims of domestic violence.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

  • A Place Called Home (Los Angeles, Calif.) – $5,000 for funding a youth fitness program for underprivileged children in South Central Los Angeles.
  • Bike Works (Seattle, Wash.) – $5,000 for building a cycling program for underprivileged children.
  • Childrens TherAplay Foundation (Carmel, Ind.) – $5,000 for their outpatient rehabilitation clinic for children with special needs. TherAplay incorporates the movement of horses into physical and occupational therapy sessions.
  • Courage Center (Minneapolis, Minn.) – $3,500 for funding a new youth wheelchair basketball program.
  • Dance 4 Peace (Alexandria, Va.) – $4,000 to support a dance fitness program in Washington, D.C. and New York.
  • Figure Skating in Harlem (New York, N.Y.) – $5,000 to support the organizations mission to provide figure skating opportunities for underprivileged girls in Harlem.
  • Forest Manor Multi-Service Center (Indianapolis, Ind.) – $5,000 to provide youth fitness programs that supports healthy living.
  • Girls on the Run (Asheville, N.C.) – $2,100 for the organizations after-school running program for underprivileged girls in western North Carolina.
  • Green Hill Therapy (Louisville, Ky.) – $5,000 to fund Green Hills therapeutic horseback riding program for children with special needs.
  • Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Program (Lincoln, Mass.) – $5,000 for Lovelanes therapeutic horseback riding program, whose goal is to achieve occupational, physical, speech, cognitive and other therapeutic gains, focusing on children with special needs.
  • Outreach, Inc. (Indianapolis, Ind.)-$5,000 to provide CrossFit fitness classes to underprivileged children and their families.
  • Playworks (Boston, Mass.) – $5,000 to provide fitness programs for children in schools around Boston.
  • Sports Society for American Health (Beaumont, Texas) – $5,000 for a physical fitness club that introduces children to marathon running.
  • Think Detroit Police Athletic League (Detroit, Mich.) – $5,000 for their soccer for success program targeted to children in low-income, urban areas of Detroit.
  • YMCA of Columbia (Columbia, S.C.) – $5,000 for the YMCAs Play to Win project, which supports fitness and healthy lifestyles and combats childhood obesity.
  • Youth Emergency Services & Shelter of Iowa (Des Moines, Iowa)- $3,000 for basketball, football and volleyball programs for children living in the emergency shelter.

The Finish Line Youth Foundation strives to make a difference in the lives of youth in the communities where employees and customers live, work and play. The Youth Foundation funds non-profit organizations that provide opportunities for kids to participate in community-based youth athletic programs and camps that emphasize sports and active lifestyles, especially programs that serve disadvantaged and special needs kids. In partnership with The Finish Line, Inc., the Youth Foundation has pledged multi-year support of Special Olympics as a part of its ongoing mission to celebrate the everyday achievements of athletes everywhere. For more information about the Youth Foundation, please visit www.finishline.com/youthfoundation.