United States
Sports Gift has distributed thousands of items of sports equipment to youth programs in the United States serving disadvantaged children. There are millions of children in America living in poverty with many families homeless. Below are some of the stories from America:
2013
California, 29 Palms
Partner Organization: Winterfest – J Serra High School
Items Donated: 403
Children Impacted: 400+
This gift of sports equipment included new sports equipment including soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, volleyballs, baseballs and baseball mitts, sportswear and other items. The sports equipment was donated to military families stationed in 29 Palms. Many of these families have a parent who is serving in an overseas deployment and many earn a very modest living at or below the poverty line.
California
Partner Organization: Going To Bat
Items Donated: 273
Children Impacted: 300+
This gift of sports equipment included baseballs, baseball gloves and other baseball equipment. Going to Bat supports disadvantaged communities in Southern California by supplying baseball equipment for organized baseball.
Arizona / New Mexico
Partner Organization: Like Christ Ministries
Items Donated: 74
Children Impacted: 45+
This gift of sports equipment included soccer balls, footballs, playground balls, Frisbees, cones, practice pennies, and jump ropes. This is an organization served the Navajo Nation Reservation providing sports camps.
Arizona / New Mexico border
Partner Organization: Saddleback Church
Items Donated: 69
Children Impacted: 200+
This gift of sports equipment included basketballs, playground balls, practice pennies, frisbees and other sports equipment. The area in which this equipment was used is along the Arizona/New Mexico border, on the Navajo Indian Reservation. This area is lower income families with a high unemployment. There are those who still follow the old traditional ways of life. When there is an event that takes place anywhere on the reservation, it normally becomes a family event. This program’s event targeted the children and also the rest of the family who come and spend the day watching. The program members were there to lead, serve, coach and teach boys, girls, men and women.
2011
Arizona / New Mexico border
Partner Organization: Christian Missionary Pilots
Items Donated: 58
Children Impacted: 100+
This gift of sports equipment included soccer balls, basketballs, Frisbees, cones, practice pennies, and jump ropes. This is an organization made up of pilots and non-pilots working to further the kingdom of God through the use of light planes. Christian missionary pilots are used to transport skilled craftsmen to assist at mission construction sites and fly medical personnel to remote areas for weekend clinics.
Arizona / New Mexico border
Partner Organization: Navajo Indian Mission
Items Donated: 268
Children Impacted: 100+
This gift of sports equipment included basketballs, clipboards, cones, t-shirts, running shoes, practice pennies, whistles, socks, shoelaces, basketball jerseys, playground balls, sump ropes, stop watches and training pads. The goal of this organization is to promote reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick and educate the next generation. This equipment is going to the Navajo Indian reservation. This area is full of low-income families and has a high unemployment rate. This program goes and interacts with children and families through sports and activities in an attempt to convert them to Christianity.
Arizona / New Mexico border
Partner Organization: Saddleback Church
Items Donated: 503
Children Impacted: 100+
This gift of sports equipment included basketballs, shorts, jerseys, running shoes, t-shirts and other sports equipment. The area in which this equipment was used is along the Arizona/New Mexico border, on the Navajo Indian Reservation. This area is lower income families with a high unemployment. There are those who still follow the old traditional ways of life. When there is an event that takes place anywhere on the reservation, it normally becomes a family event. This program’s event targeted the children and also the rest of the family who come and spend the day watching. The program members were there to lead, serve, coach and teach boys, girls, men and women.
Aliso Viejo, California
Partner Organization: Boys and Girls Club of Capistrano Valley
Items Donated: 296
Children Impacted: 250+
This gift of sports equipment included pumps, footballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, playground balls, ping pong balls, badmitton, cones, Frisbees, referee uniforms, flags, bike helmets, tennis rackets, tennis balls, volleyball jerseys, basketball jerseys, basketball shorts, basketball warm ups, soccer jerseys, a bike and a scooter. This program targets its efforts towards Iglesia Park Community, which is comprised of moderate to low-income families. They spread their message through parent meetings, community forums, bulletin news articles, and word of mouth.
Anaheim, California
Partner Organization: Calvary Chapel Spanish Ministry
Items Donated: 244
Children Impacted: 125+
This gift of sports equipment included soccer uniform sets, balls, whistles, pumps, and a first aid kit. These sports supplies will be used to reach Hispanic communities with the gospel and connect them with services of recreation and nourishment. The primary audience is low-income neighborhoods of west Anaheim. The children in this area have very little in the way of sports equipment.
Bakersfield, California
Partner Organization: United States Tennis Association
Items Donated: 447
Children Impacted: 200+
This gift of tennis equipment included tennis balls, tennis rackets, bags, tennis cloths, and running shoes.
Beaumont, California
Partner Organization: San Gorgonio Middle School
Items Donated: 82
Children Impacted: 1,000+
This gift of tennis equipment included tennis balls, racquets and related tennis supplies. Beaumont is in a low socio-economic area. The population of San Gorgonio Middle School is 1,010 students, and 71% of the student body qualifies for free/reduced lunches. The goal of this program is to provide the best program, which allows for the social, mental and physical development of the whole person.
Coachella, California
Partner Organization: Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa/Festival of Life
Items Donated: 330
Children Impacted: 300+
This gift of sports equipment included soccer balls, baseballs, basketballs, t-shirts and other sports equipment was given to support the outreaches of this church. The trip to the Coachella Valley is designed to serve and reach out to the poorest of the poor in California-primarily migrant workers. One of the outreaches was in an area called Las Chiquinitas, a trailer park with up to 10,000 people. The federal government has listed it as an area of extreme poverty. The program also worked in other parts of Palm Desert/Indio, including a juvenile hall outreach, etc.
Los Angeles, California
Partner Organization: Cathedral of Lady of Angels
Items Donated: 166
Children Impacted: 160+
This gift of sports equipment included volleyball nets, basketballs, volleyballs, basketball jerseys, basketball shorts, t-shirts, volleyball shorts, volleyball shirts, softballs, baseball mitts, batting helmets, catchers masks, baseballs, wiffle balls, batting gloves, and an equipment bag. The mission of this organization is to welcome all people and serve them with the love of Jesus. The equipment and uniforms will be going to a school in a small town in the Philippines. They don’t have any sports programs. Some equipment will also be going to parts of Los Angels.
Los Angeles, California
Partner Organization: LAPD Southeast Police Activities League
Items Donated: 1,655
Children Impacted: 500+
This gift of sports equipment included basketballs, baseballs, soccer balls, uniforms and other sports equipment was given to a community-based crime prevention program. This community is located in the South Central area of Los Angeles, which is a very poor community within the city of LA. Through interaction with police officers in recreational, educational, athletic and fine arts activities, young people are given the opportunity to form healthy, positive attitudes toward the police, the society and the laws they represent. Sports can keep the children occupied and keep them from getting lured into the gang/drugs lifestyle. Sports gift has donated to this organization on multiple occasions.
Los Angeles, California
Partner Organization: Soccer without Borders
Items Donated: 360
Children Impacted: 40+
This gift of sports equipment included practice pennies, soccer balls, soccer jerseys, shin guards, soccer cleats, ball pump, cones, and an equipment bag was donated to Venice, Los Angeles.
Los Angeles, California
Partner Organization: United States Tennis Association
Items Donated: 139
Children Impacted: 100+
This gift of sports equipment included jerseys, tennis rackets, running shoes, Frisbees, sunglasses, backpacks, tennis clothing, footballs, and a flag football set.
Orange County, California
Partner Organization: Harvest Christian Fellowship
Items Donated: 568
Children Impacted: 500+
This gift of new sports equipment including sportswear, soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, baseball equipment and playground items was given to children and families to share God’s love during the holidays.
Orange County, California
Partner Organization: Camp Fise USA
Items Donated: 338
Children Impacted: 250+
The gift of basketballs, pumps, basketball jerseys, basketball shorts, and warm ups was donated to Camp Fise USA Orange County Council.
Riverside, California
Partner Organization: Harvest Christian Fellowship
Items Donated: 495
Children Impacted: 450+
This gift of new sports equipment including sportswear, soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, baseball equipment and playground items was given to children and families to share God’s love during the holidays in the Spanish ministry.
San Clemente, California
Partner Organization: Marines Helping Marines Program
Items Donated: 166
Children Impacted: 150+
This gift of baseball equipment included baseballs, mitts, bats and related baseball supplies. The mission of this program is to provide support to all military families. It also provides school supplies, refurbished computers, Easter baskets, Christmas holiday toys and a whole lot more. The community where this sports equipment went to is a unit of Marines who are putting together a baseball team in order to improve the morale amongst their peers. These Marines are the ones who live in the barracks away from their normal home lifestyle.
San Diego, California
Partner Organization: Brian M. Zubia
Items Donated: 323
Children Impacted: 30
This gift of sports equipment included batting helmets, catcher’s gear, equipment bags, catcher mask, bats, mitts, baseball jerseys, bike helmets, roller blades, baseballs, softballs, first aid kit, basketballs, playground balls, pumps, footballs, and many other various items. This program is aimed at keeping underprivileged youth of barrio Logan active and involved in sports. This income is low income and children are often unsupervised with nobody to lead them in the right direction. This program wants to involve the children in sports to keep them off the streets.
San Diego, California
Partner Organization: Border View Family YMCA
Items Donated: 118
Children Impacted: 1,440+
This gift of sports equipment included soccer balls, softballs, catcher gears and other sports equipment was given to youth sports programs. They are dedicated to serving youth and their families by providing affordable sports programs in a non-threatening environment, improving children’s athletic skills while emphasizing fun, sportsmanship, teamwork, and the development of positive self-esteem. This community includes the border crossing to Mexico, and there is a great amount of crime, gang, and drug related violence. The teenage pregnancy rate is also one of the highest in San Diego County. The impact of sports for girls is significant in this community. By participating sports, girls gain life skills such as commitment, teamwork, and dedication.
San Juan Capistrano, California
Partner Organization: Saddleback Church
Items Donated: 101
Children Impacted: 500+
This gift of sports equipment included bags, Frisbees and wristbands. The goal of this organization is to serve, respond and resource the Saddleback PEACE plan in the areas of justice. Specifically, it focuses on proactively protecting and responding to concerns regarding the physical, emotional and spiritual health of local at risk kids. There is a severe need for shoes for the children living in San Juan Capistrano. Children either wear shoes that are too big, too small, or in need of major repair.
Santa Ana, California
Partner Organization: Community Day
Items Donated: 32
Children Impacted: 100+
This gift of sports equipment included a volleyball net, lacrosse sticks, soccer balls, baseball mitts, and tennis rackets. The goal of this organization is to work with at-risk students in a credit recovery educational program. This is a small community of students with limited resources and facilities. The objective is to help students with an educational program that helps students get credit recovery in order to return to a traditional school setting.
Santa Ana, California
Partner Organization: First Serve
Items Donated: 278
Children Impacted: 250+
This gift of tennis equipment included racquets, balls, clothing and other related tennis supplies. The goal of this program is to establish Santa Ana as a tennis playing community, and to make kids confident through tennis. This community is 95% Latino with 75% students on free or reduced lunch program. The focus population is grades 1 – 5 in the existing district after school program. There are around 250 kids at two school sites presently.
Santa Ana, California
Partner Organization: Pure Game
Items Donated: 87
Children Impacted: 100+
This gift of sports equipment included practice pennies, cones, clipboards, first aid kids, bags and goals.
Tarzana, California
Partner Organization: The Work of Angels Group, Inc.
Items Donated: 138
Children Impacted: 25+
This gift of basketball equipment included basketballs, jerseys, shorts and related basketball supplies. This organization hosts a drop in center for transitional aged foster youth in the San Fernando Valley. Most of the young people have spent the majority of their lives in the state of California foster care system, and they have not learned (or been taught) basic life skills, so this program aims to provide a basic for such learning through sports as well as mentorship, career exploration and academic tutoring. The donated basketball equipment is used as an activity encouraging healthy group dynamics, interaction and learning of mature sportsmanship qualities.
Tustin, California
Partner Organization: Orange County Rescue Mission Village of Hope
Items Donated: 47
Children Impacted: 50+
This gift of sports equipment included basketballs, playground balls, soccer balls, hacky sacks, and Frisbees. This program uses BBQs, worship and chapel to minister to the residents of this village. The sports items will be used on the group playground.
Watts, California
Partner Organization: Hope Central
Items Donated: 316
Children Impacted: 100+
This gift of sports equipment included basketballs, ball pumps, baseballs, footballs, tennis balls, tennis rackets, basketball jerseys, basketball shorts, t-shirts, and running shoes. This organization focuses on the dangerous area of Watts, and provides a safe place for kids to eat, play sports, and enjoy their childhood. This region contains the largest concentration of projects west of the Mississippi, and is very dangerous and has very few options for recreation because of the poverty, low income, and low resources. Children are often raised by a single parent and typically have no activities or games. This organization aims to feed the people of Watts both spiritually and literally.
Woodland Hills, California
Partner Organization: Junior League of Los Angeles
Items Donated: 85
Children Impacted: 70+
This gift of sports equipment included soccer balls, footballs, basketballs and playground balls was given to a program called Kids in the Kitchen (KITK) hosted by Junior League of Los Angeles (JLLA). This program focuses on educating children on the importance of good nutrition and exercise to prevent obesity and its associated health issues. KITK has partnered with Meet Each Need with Dignity (MEND), the largest poverty agency in the San Fernando Valley. With dignity and respect, MEND’s mission is to break the bonds of poverty by providing basic human needs and a pathway to self-reliance. The program provided children, who come from highly impoverished families, with their own ball to inspire them to maintain healthy eating and exercise after the event.
Hawaii (Moloka)
Partner Organization: Mariners Outreach
Items Donated: 41
Children Impacted: 175+
This gift of sports equipment included volleyballs, basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, Frisbees, cones, and a badminton set. The goal of this organization is to inspire and develop youth into becoming Christians. Sports equipment will be used at Molokai Baptist Church facilities, which are shared with a high school and a middle school. 80% of students participate in free/reduced lunch programs and 45% of families are below federal poverty levels.
Montgomery County, Maryland
Partner Organization: Leveling the Playing Field
Items Donated: 93
Children Impacted: 250+
This gift of sports equipment included soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, practice pennies, and soccer jerseys. The purpose of this organization is to allow underprivileged children to have the opportunity to have athletic involvement through the donation of sports equipment. This sports equipment will be distributed to impoverished families through the initiation of sports programs.
South Dakota
Partner Organization: Baseball Oyate
Items Donated: 58
Children Impacted: 210+
This gift of sports equipment included baseballs and baseball mitts. This organization aims to bring baseball and friendship to the Native Americans of South Dakota. Bringing baseball opportunities to the tribal youth can blend lines and open doors. Baseball can teach sportsmanship and build a community. This program ultimately aims to instill virtues and values in the Indians by sharing a passion for baseball. This sports equipment went to Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservations in South Dakota. These children have troubled lives, full of physical, emotional, drug and alcohol abuse. They have been forbidden to speak their language, practice their spirituality and awaken their tradition for decades. Baseball is used as distraction from the trauma that occurs in these kids everyday lives. Therefore, the overall goal of this organization is to teach these kids how to play baseball and embrace their culture.