The Athletic Club Foundation, an all-volunteer non-profit organization that supports youth by investing in amateur athletic programs in Indiana, is pleased to announce it has awarded its annual grants to eight local organizations to help fund youth sports programs. The Foundation has allocated grant funding to the following organizations: Mother Theodore Catholic Academies (MTCA), Providence Cristo Rey High School (PCRHS), Indy Public Safety Foundation (IPSF), United Elite Sports Academy (UESA), IMPD Youth Mountain Bike Project (IMPDYMP), Wolkoff Foundation, Special Olympics Indiana and Indianapolis Gaelic Association.
Monies to help cover costs associated with the Better Student Health Program, which endeavors to help students to become more physically active. The funds will cover participation fees, uniforms, equipment, and league fees, and will impact 350 children.
The MTCA includes: Central Catholic, Holy Angels, St. Philip Neri, and St, Andrew. These schools provide a Catholic education of the highest quality to as many children as possible in the city’s under-served communities. Their vision is to serve these families in the Catholic Identity, striving for academic excellence, and to be financially sustainable in their PreK-8 schools. Their great desire is to do whatever it takes to educate children to live lives that make God known, loved, and served.
Monies to cover a portion of the costs to purchase new soccer goals, field maintenance, and a portable scoreboard at PCRHS. These projects will have an impact on approximately 200 children.
Monies to fund a portion of the costs to provide healthy snacks for participants in the Indy Police Athletic League, which benefits approximately 750 children. This will allow kids and families to not have to worry about food insecurity while participating.
The mission of the Indy Public Safety Foundation is to enhance the quality of life and public safety in Indianapolis. Indy Police Athletic League (PAL) is one of several youth-serving programs powered by the Indy Public Safety Foundation, including the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Explorers, Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) Explorers and IMPD Cadets. Indy PAL’s mission is to involve the at-risk or under-served youth of Marion County in educational, cultural and fitness activities that will deter crime, increase self-esteem and promote a positive relationship with police.
Monies to be used to help cover equipment costs and transportation expenses to allow underprivileged children to participate.
The UESA uses sports, mentorship, and education to identify and develop talent in youth from inner-city families where young people are forced to face challenges due to societal and financial constraints. They seek to develop and train adolescents in the necessary skills to be successful in athletics, but more importantly in their overall lives. UESA fosters positive reinforcement, discipline, and character development.
Monies to help cover expenses related to the development of new mountain bike trails in Washington Park in Indianapolis.
IMPDYMBP was established in 2015 by two IMPD bike patrol officers. The goals of the organization are: 1. To introduce urban youth mountain biking, 2. Build technical bike skills, 3. Build self-confidence and communication skills, 4. Promote healthy living. 5. Promote respect for nature and utilization of Indy’s vast parks. Future goals for the organization include bringing the program into neighborhoods that are experiencing significant violent crime in order to build community relations and draw people together to build crime prevention efforts. The organization serves approximately 4000 youth annually and has ongoing relationships with the Indy Parks Foundation and Indy Public Safety Foundation.
Monies to cover a portion of the expenses related to the construction of a grass football field at the Martin Luther King Center at Tarkington Park in Indianapolis. The entire construction cost is estimated to be $65,000. This field is used by the 38th Street Football League, which provides a football league for approximately 165 underprivileged children each year.
The mission of the Wolkoff Foundation is to continually strive to enhance local youth sports programs for underprivileged girls and boys. They endeavor to create more accessibility to these programs and at the same time create more opportunities for Indiana youth to experience the joy and value of athletic participation.
Monies to cover a portion of the expenses related to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Games, which are named in honor of the Special Olympics’ founder. The expenses will go toward funding tournaments throughout the state. In addition to providing competitions for the participants, it also brings together volunteers (the vast majority of whom are high school students), coaches and spectators. Altogether, more than 2000 people will benefit from the games.
The Special Olympics Indiana is part of the global Special Olympics movement, which uses sports, health, education and leadership programs to end discrimination against, and empower people with intellectual disabilities.
Monies to be used to purchase equipment (helmets and sticks) for the youth program.
The IGA is a sporting and social club that exists to promote Irish culture through the traditional Gaelic games of hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football. The club has had a youth program since 2011 and has sent kids to the National Gaelic Games each year to represent Indianapolis.
"We are honored to award the 2023 Athletic Club Foundation Grants to eight very deserving organizations," said The Athletic Club Foundation President Robert V. Welch, Jr. “Athletics positively impact the lives of young Hoosiers and we are proud to support these programs in their efforts to make youth sports more accessible.”
Each year, The Athletic Club Foundation organizes events for the community including the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration and Old Oaken Bucket Luncheon.