Sports events provide both physical and psychological health benefits, which is why charities devoted to supporting sport are so crucial. Top sports charities focus on issues related to equitable access for inner city children to athletic programs as well as funding global unity through sports.
PeacePlayers International uses basketball programming to bring students from historically opposing religious backgrounds together through basketball, while Women Win empowers girls globally to combat violence and poverty through sporting leadership. You can support both initiatives by making a donation or becoming one of their partners.
Laureus Sport for Good
In an industry dominated by athletes and events, Laureus stands out by taking an altogether different approach to its mission of changing the world through every day action taken to fulfill it. Their pledge of “transforming lives” goes well beyond being mere slogan or advertisement; it represents their daily work in that pursuit.
Laureus Sport for Good’s global and national operations harness the integrative power of sports to meet charitable goals through an unprecedented brand platform and purpose network, which makes an incredible difference both globally and locally.
The Foundation works in tandem with the Laureus World Sports Awards and Academy, an exclusive group made up of sporting legends from diverse sports disciplines like football, tennis, skating, motor racing and athletics. Their Patron is Nelson Mandela who famously said: “sport can break down barriers of race, religion or culture and bring people together”. Academy members visit Laureus projects annually to meet young people and share their experiences; IWC also partners with them and their beautiful timepieces — such as 2021 Laureus Sport for Good Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Laureus” IW328101 — are designed to raise awareness of their charity.
Good Sports
Football and baseball games provide children around the globe with more than just fun physical activity; they provide an invaluable opportunity for teamwork lessons as well as healthy competition and physical exercise.
Good Sports is a nonprofit that assists children who may otherwise go unnoticed to experience youth sports leagues by providing equipment and resources needed. They also work closely with families of children diagnosed with ALS or cancer to provide financial support during treatment, to alleviate some of the associated stress.
Good Sports has provided more than $99 million worth of new equipment, apparel and footwear to youth organizations that qualify based on financial need. They’ve also assisted clubs become more welcoming places by helping them develop policies on topics like alcohol management, smoke-free areas and mental health support – creating these policies is free if you sign up with Good Sports; creating it at your own pace with their help is even possible; plus they’ll connect your club with volunteers who can assist with policy making efforts!
Playworks
Playworks is one of the leading sports charities that enhance children’s social and emotional well-being through meaningful play. Trained coaches travel to low-income schools with trained full-time coaches in tow to transform recess and class game times into enjoyable opportunities that enable children to feel safe, be physically active and gain essential life skills.
Play is essential to learning, giving children a physical outlet, mental reset and opportunity to build prosocial skills like sharing, conflict resolution and teamwork. Unfortunately, too often schools restrict or interfere with children’s play due to bullying, conflicts and injuries.
Good Sports was established by athletes including Muhammad Ali, Warrick Dunn and Mia Hamm in 2006 with a mission of leveling the playing field for youth sports. Their efforts include providing brand new equipment donations to schools and sports programs to provide children more opportunities to be active and thrive – you can support this work either with donations or volunteering opportunities! You can support Good Sports through donations or volunteering!
DREAM
DREAM gives young inner-city kids access to life-transforming experiences that empower them to lead in their communities. Their innovative program blends sports with academic and character-development programming – so if you’re inspired by what DREAM does, please donate, volunteer or join their team – it would make a huge difference!
At a time of national reckoning with racism and inequities, many athletes are rallying behind organizations fighting discrimination. Numerous charitable donations have been made; LeBron James donated $2 Million to I Promise School while Colin Kaepernick pledged millions over 10 years to social justice causes.
While many charities deserve our support, before making your donation it is wise to conduct thorough research on them first. A reputable charity should be open about its mission and achievements with an easy-to-use website that showcases these details. Also watch out for any charity that requires fees from participants for participation or events as this could indicate misuse of funds from donors – Charity Navigator and GuideStar are helpful tools in evaluating a charity’s transparency ratings as an indication.
Women Win
Women Win is widely recognized as a pioneer in using sports to advance gender equity. Through research and collaborations that generate innovative strategies and tools that support women’s movements around the globe, Women Win connects global sport, development and women’s movements while sharing best practice from within their field.
Women Win is convinced that sport provides an invaluable platform for equipping girls with life-long skills and knowledge, such as leadership. These benefits extend into their lives beyond sport – such as gender equality, healthy living, economic empowerment and social justice. Women Win has its sights set on reaching over 580 million adolescent girls and young women worldwide who live in poverty – this population forms part of its focus group.
Organization driving equitable access to sports for children in the US through financial assistance. Their programs are supported by donors, sponsors and corporate partners; Charity Navigator has awarded this organization 4-star status, while Rana Nawas hosts an educational podcast called When Women Win featuring female role models discussing their success stories and strategies for success.