ATHLETES UNLIMITED UNVEILS CIVIC LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES FOR INAUGURAL SOFTBALL SEASON
- Voter Engagement Programming and Partnerships with Give Lively and others highlight Athletes Unlimited Civic Leadership Initiatives
- Players’ Charities of Choice will receive funding equal to 50% of Player’s Season Ending Bonus
- Inaugural Season to take place August 30-September 29 and Includes 56 of the World’s Best Softball Players
Athletes Unlimited today announced the launch of its civic leadership initiatives as part of its mission to showcase its athletes and elevate them as role models for the next generation of athletes and fans. The program will include a partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), voter engagement programming, and an Athletes Causes program that will provide funding to charities of the players’ choosing equal to 50% of their season bonus. The Athletes Causes program is powered by Give Lively and includes 26 player-selected community organizations.
From its inception, Athletes Unlimited has prioritized civic leadership as core to its mission as an organization. “Our mission is to develop and support our athletes as civic leaders and create a community of athletes and fans who recognize that the qualities that lead to excellence on the field are the same qualities that create strong civic leaders and participants in civic life,” said Athletes Unlimited Co-Founder Jonathan Soros.
Athletes Unlimited will work with Girl Scouts of the USA to develop storytelling and digital content around the Girl Scout’s five athlete badges—Fair Play, Practice with Purpose, Good Sportsmanship, Cross Training and Coaching—and the values and activities that underscore them. Current Girl Scouts will be featured on Athletes Unlimited digital channels throughout the softball season to share their stories of earning athlete badges and what the process has meant to them. In addition, several Athletes Unlimited softball players who are Girl Scouts alumnae will discuss their unique experiences and how it shaped their careers and impacted their lives.
“We are thrilled to partner with an organization like Athletes Unlimited that is committed to empowering female pro athletes and prioritizes civic leadership as part of their mission,” said GSUSA Director of National Outdoor Strategy, Amanda Daly. “As an organization which has enabled girls to learn, lead and take action in their communities for more than a century, we look forward to collaborating with Athletes Unlimited and its world-class players to raise the profile of our athletic badges and provide valuable insight that will help our young women earn them.”
Athletes Unlimited is also teaming up with fundraising technology company Give Lively to administer grants to 26 501(c)(3) charitable organizations that players have individually selected to support during the course of the softball season. Each charity will receive a contribution equal to 50% of the player’s season-ending bonus, and players will have the opportunity to create their own fundraising pages to support the organizations of their choice.
“As athletes, we have the power to support and bring attention to so many important causes and I am thrilled that Athletes Unlimited is committed to civic leadership,” said Gwen Svekis, Athletes Unlimited softball player and member of the Player Executive Committee.
Athletes Unlimited will also be promoting a number of nonpartisan voter participation actions between now and election day with the goal of inspiring civic participation of professional athletes and catalyzing voter participation of fans, who can in turn engage their own networks to turn out to vote.
“We are proud to be working with Girl Scouts of the USA and Give Lively to support so many meaningful organizations around the country during our inaugural softball season, and to be working with our world-class athletes to inspire others to participate in the democratic process and in civic life,” said Athletes Unlimited Co-Founder and CEO Jon Patricof.
Athletes Unlimited Civic Organizations Supported By Players Via Give Lively
4MOM
4MOM is to unite athletes, coaches and fans across all professional sports through dedicated, community effort in the fight for the world’s first survivor of Alzheimer’s.
Amazon Conservation
The Amazon Conservation’s mission is to protect the world’s most diverse landscapes, train the next generation of Amazonian conservationists, and partner with communities to support livelihoods that sustain biodiversity.
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society’s mission is to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.
American Lung Association
The American Lung Association’s mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. We do this through education, advocacy, and research.
Awareness Ties
Awareness Ties™ is the ‘Official Symbol of Support for Causes.’ Our mission is to support social change by elevating awareness and providing sustainable resources for positive social impact. Through our campaigns, publications and ties, we raise awareness for causes and funds for nonprofits.
BENCHS (The Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society)
BENCHS finds a home for all adoptable cats and dogs – animals that are healthy and free of serious behavior problems. In addition, each year we save thousands of dogs and cats that need medical or behavioral treatment before they are ready for adoption.
Black Girls Code
Black Girls CODE (BGC) is devoted to showing the world that black girls can code, and do so much more. By reaching out to the community through workshops, hackathons and after-school programs, Black Girls CODE introduces computer programming and technology to girls from underrepresented communities in technology areas such as web design, robotics, gaming, mobile app development and more. By cultivating the next generation of developers, we hope to grow the number of women of color in technology and give underrepresented girls a chance to become the future leaders in technology and the masters of their technological worlds.
Boys and Girls Club of the Golden Triangle, Inc.
Boys and Girls Club of the Golden Triangle’s mission to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens.
Community Action Network
Community Action Network partners with children, youth, and families from under-resourced Washtenaw neighborhoods to create better futures for themselves and improve the communities in which they live.
Concussion Legacy Foundation
The Concussion Legacy Foundation supports athletes, Veterans, and all affected by concussions and CTE; achieve smarter sports and safer athletes through education and innovation; and to End CTE through prevention and research.
CURE Childhood Cancer
CURE is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through funding targeted research while supporting patients and their families.
Hawaii Foodbank
The people of Hawaii are one ‘ohana. Hawaii Foodbank provides food so that no one in our family goes hungry. Our mission is from the heart, and we will fulfill our mission with integrity, humanity and aloha.
Help One Now
Help One Now is an international nonprofit organization devoted to creating local solutions to end extreme poverty around the world.
The Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States fights all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind our name: A humane society—for all animals. We take on the biggest transformational fights to stop large-scale cruelties, such as puppy mills, factory farms, the fur trade, trophy hunting, animal cosmetics testing and other cruel industries. We and our affiliates rescue and care for thousands of animals every year through our Animal Rescue Team’s work and other hands-on animal care services.
InterAction
InterAction’s mission is to activate and advance Young Black, Indigenous, People of Color and their counter-narratives to build a more just, inclusive, and equitable society.
Jill’s House
Jill’s House is a Christian non-profit that provides families raising children with intellectual disabilities with short-term, overnight respite care in the DC metro area and around the country.
Kim’s Open Door
Kim’s Open Door equips a diverse group of volunteers who teach life skills to local at-risk kids, through education, the arts and community events.
King Wolf Animal Sanctuary
The King Wolf Animal Sanctuary provides a forever home for animals who have been neglected, severely abused, or need a safe-home.
Laureus USA
Laureus USA is a non-profit, grant-making organization that works to improve the lives of youth and unite communities through the power of sport.
Leukemia Research Foundation
Leukemia Research Foundation is dedicated to conquering all blood cancers by funding research into their causes and cures and enriching the quality of life of those touched by these diseases.
Lone Survivor Foundation
Lone Survivor Foundation provides support for wounded service members, their spouses, children, and care partners by empowering them with helpful techniques and tools addressing Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), Chronic Pain, and Care Partner Stress. Lone Survivor Foundation restores, empowers, and renews hope for our wounded service members and their families through health, wellness and therapeutic support.
Luv Michael
Luv Michael produces high quality organic, gluten-free, and nut-free granola without all the harmful chemicals and toxic allergens. The organization was founded in 2015 by Lisa Liberatore, MD and her son Michael with the goal of providing meaningful employment and on the job training to those diagnosed with Autism.
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans.
Natasha Watley Foundation
The Natasha Watley Foundation (NWF) was founded by two-time Olympic medalist Natasha Watley to create opportunities for girls in under-served communities to learn and play the game of softball. NWF uses the medium of sport to inspire young women to reach their full potential while fostering character development and awareness of social issues that affect women.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
With nearly 25 years at the front lines of the effort to end domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is the nation’s leading resource for those impacted by relationship abuse.
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
The Foundation is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, working with communities to conserve and expand those special places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. Working together, we safeguard species and the places they call home and preserve America’s maritime history.
Operation Underground Railroad
Operation Underground Railroad is an organization that exists to eradicate children sex trafficking. It has gathered the world’s experts in extraction operations and anti-child trafficking to rescue children and place survivors on a path to recovery. Since inception in 2013, O.U.R. has rescued over 4,000 survivors and assisted law enforcement in over 2,200 arrests of traffickers and child predators.
Polaris
Named after the North Star, a historical symbol of freedom, Polaris works to reshape the systems that make sex and labor trafficking possible and profitable in North America.
RBI Austin
RBI Austin exists to engage and develop inner-city Austin youth athletically, academically, and spiritually, empowering them to lead the transformation of their communities.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana exists so families can get better together.
Step Up For Mental Health®
Step Up For Mental Health®’s mission is to support, educate and provide services to empower families living with the challenges of mental health disorders.
Susan G. Komen
Susan G. Komen®’s mission is to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer.
The OUT Foundation
The OUT Foundation’s mission is to remove the barriers that block LGBTQ+ individuals’ access and participation in health, wellness, and fitness to ensure their success. We are dedicated to nurturing, empowering, and celebrating LGBTQ+ bodies and minds to guarantee that our community thrives.
Together Rising
Together Rising transforms collective heartbreak into effective action. Together Rising identifies what is breaking the hearts of our givers as they look around their world and their community, and then we connect our givers’ generosity with the people and organizations who are effectively addressing that critical need.
Well Beings
Well Beings is growing a next-gen movement that elevates and unites animal welfare and environmental protection by shining a spotlight on new models and helping to scale the most promising solutions.
Wigs for Kids
Wigs for Kids provides complimentary hair replacement systems to children who have suffered hair loss as a result of chemotherapy, radiation, Alopecia, burns or other medical conditions. Wigs for Kids aims to support and empower children experiencing hair loss due to various medical conditions.
Women in Sports Tech
Women in Sports Tech’s mission is to drive transformative growth opportunities for women at all stages of their careers, and introduce high school girls to careers throughout the sports tech and innovation landscape.
