Today on Giving Tuesday, Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation, announced a $6 million commitment to support youth sports teams in need. Since 2014, Dick’s and the Dick’s Foundation have committed over $55 million and have supported more than one million young athletes through its Sports Matter initiative.
Additionally, Sports Matter raises awareness for the youth sports funding crisis as the fight to save youth sports continues across the U.S.
As part of this announcement, The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation has renewed its existing partnership with DonorsChoose.org by pledging $5 million over the next three years to fund sports programs in public schools across the U.S.
“At Dick’s, we believe that sports matter and it’s our Foundation’s goal to ensure that all kids have the chance to play,” said Lauren Hobart, president of Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation. “Sports provide the opportunity for kids to learn lifelong lessons like teamwork, leadership and sportsmanship. This holiday season, we’re thrilled to renew our partnership with DonorsChoose.org to ensure public schools continue to be able to provide their students with access to these critical sports programs.”
Since 2015, The Dick’s Foundation has partnered with DonorsChoose.org helping more than 650,000 student athletes across all 50 states stay involved in sports with more than $10.5 million in donations. This recommitment of an additional $5 million will more-than double the Foundation’s already-impactful support and ensure that more than a million kids have access to youth sports through their public school programs through 2021.
“The support from The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation has helped bring team sports dreams to life for coaches, teachers and students all over the country,” said Charles Best, DonorsChoose.org founder and CEO. “Our partnership will continue to make a difference for students on and off the field, and helps further our mission of ensuring students in every community have the tools and experiences they need to succeed.”
In addition to the recommitment to DonorsChoose.org, The Dick’s Foundation also announced the launch of a new $1 million Sports Matter Community Grant Program that will benefit high-poverty, local youth sports teams, leagues or schools. Store associates at the company’s more than 860 Dick’s Sporting Goods, Field & Stream and Golf Galaxy stores nationwide will have the ability to nominate local teams to receive a cash grant this holiday season.
“Our stores play a critical role in helping us to give back to our local communities,” Hobart added. “Through this new grant program, our in-store associates will help our Foundation identify local teams in need and assist with the distribution of $1 million of funds for teams in their communities to do things like purchase equipment, subsidize participation fees for families or repair local fields.”
Throughout the holiday season, Dick’s will be collecting donations for the Foundation’s Sports Matter program at registers in stores nationwide. Customers will have the opportunity to donate following their purchase.
In addition, Dick’s plans to host nearly 20 in-store shopping events this Holiday season where professional athletes such as Patrick Mahomes II, Nigel Bradham, Devin Bookerand many others will take underserved kids shopping in local Dick’s Sporting Goods stores. These events will benefit more than 300 kids by providing them with a once-in-a-lifetime experience and giving them the gift of sport this Holiday season. Information on these local events will be distributed at a later date.
For more information, visit SportsMatter.org.
