Sab Singh’s Terrific Sports Doing Good newsletter has some of the best practices from around the globe each week. However they just touch on some of the solid, creative projects that deserve a tip of the hat. Here are three of note that have popped up recently.
DBacks Fulfill Their School Challenge: Last week the Arizona Diamondbacks closed out the nomination process for the “D-backs $100,000 School Challenge,” presented by the University of Phoenix. Twenty local area schools will receive $5,000 each from the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation to improve their school or classroom, as teachers and faculty are encouraged to “make their best pitch” on why they deserve to receive this important funding.
Submissions from teachers and faculty were be accepted until April 15, 2012 at dbacks.com/schoolchallenge The program was open to all Arizona public, private, and nonprofit charter schools, Grades K-12, with up to $100,000 in grants to be distributed in one of four categories: educational programs, innovation and technology, nutrition and fitness and school/campus improvements.
The $100,000 School Challenge is part of the organization’s overall charitable efforts and next month, the team and its charitable arm, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, will surpass $30 million in combined donations since their inception in 1998, including more than $4 million in 2011.
Cal Jr. Keeps Going: During his Hall of Fame career, Cal Ripken Jr. was known for much more than his record consecutive games streak, but that streak brought him together with the Famous Energizer Bunny to create “positivenergy,” a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Working Ripken Jr., Energizer will donate more than $350,000 and 1,500 volunteer hours to Habitat through a 13-city series of volunteer projects to help build new homes and revitalize existing homes with local families in need of improved housing. The volunteer projects began in Missouri-based Energizer’s backyard with a day of revitalization efforts in Joplin, Mo which was devastated by tornadoes last year.
In each community visited, Energizer will demonstrate products designed to help keep families safe and promote energy efficiency. The volunteer series will span coast to coast. In several of the communities, Energizer partners will join as local volunteers and help support their local Habitat for Humanity affiliates. A good way to tie a famous brand and a community conscious athlete, both known for durability, together for a great good.
Yao Continues To Fill Large Shoes: Since his retirement last year, China’s former NBA All-Star center has refocused his energy from the court to his charity. The six-month program is a joint initiative led by the Yao Foundation, China Youth Development Foundation and the Chinese Basketball Association to improve physical-education manpower and facilities in 47 schools in rural regions across the country. The campaign will draft college volunteers nationwide, train them to become PE teachers and send them to instruct children on basketball skills in those schools.
In addition, a forum will be held to discuss improving physical education on campus, and an exhibition basketball game will be staged. Yao’s interest in charity began in 2007, when he teamed with NBA stars including Steve Nash and Carmelo Anthony to stage the inaugural Yao Ming-Steve Nash charity game in Beijing to raise money for poor children.
So far, the foundation has brought in 44 million yuan in donations and set to work building 14 schools, seven of which are finished, that will educate more than 9,000 children.
