PITTSBURGH (March 2, 2021): The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Sports Matter Giving Truck is hitting the road again, giving sports equipment to 10,000 more youth athletes in need. The Giving Truck will travel to eight cities across the U.S. – Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Mobile, Houston, El Paso, Phoenix and Los Angeles – throughout the month of March.
The challenges impeding access to sports for many kids have increased significantly due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. First launched during the 2020 holiday season, the Giving Truck is The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s latest way of honoring its ongoing commitment to enable sports participation for young athletes in underserved communities. In December 2020, the Giving Truck’s first tour provided 10,000 gifts to children from sports organizations in under-resourced communities across the country. Continuing to its second tour, The Giving Truck will deliver much needed equipment to an additional 10,000 children of youth baseball and softball organizations so they have the gear needed to stay on the field.
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DICK’S Sporting Goods and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Provide Equipment To 10,000 Baseball and Softball Youth Athletes On 8-City Tour
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DICK’S Sporting Goods and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Provide Equipment To 10,000 Baseball and Softball Youth Athletes On 8-City Tour
The Giving Truck will make a special stop in Houston where The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation will partner with Little League Baseball and Softball to provide additional equipment to two deserving leagues. In 2017, The DICK’S Foundation partnered with Little League for a five-year, $500,000 commitment. Since the inception of the partnership, Little League has provided grants and supported programs for over 400 leagues, helping more than 22,000 youth athletes. In 2021, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation also provided individual equipment kits to more than 3,500 Little Leaguers across the country.
“We’re excited to get the Sports Matter Giving Truck back on the road and positively impact the lives of many more young athletes in need,” said Aimee Watters, Executive Director of The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. “These tour stops will help gear up 10,000 deserving young baseball and softball players ahead of their spring season.”
Professional athletes Walker Buehler, Cat Osterman, Andrew McCutchen, Haylie McCleney, Kyle Tucker, and Joey Gallo will help The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation virtually surprise kids at select stops along the Giving Truck route. Using video technology that has been built into the Giving Truck, kids will have a chance to talk to athletes who are helping inspire the next generation. The DICK’S Foundation also enlisted the help of artist and Atlanta-native George F. Baker III to design the colorful and eye-catching artwork displayed on the Giving Truck. The artwork is softball and baseball-themed and communicates the importance of sports for young athletes.
To help lessen the risks of COVID-19, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation pre-selected a number of young athletes from youth sports organizations to distribute gifts to from the Giving Truck in the eight cities it’s visiting. Foundation Partner Good Sports has prepacked bags for each individual child at these organizations, ensuring each young athlete has their own equipment to safely enjoy the sports they love.
Since 2014, DICK’S and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation have committed over $145 million to support young athletes through its Sports Matter initiative. Sports Matter raises awareness for the youth sports funding crisis as the fight to save youth sports continues across the U.S.
For more information on how your team can apply for funding or to donate to Sports Matter, please visit SportsMatter.org.
About DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Founded in 1948, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of January 30, 2021, the Company operated 728 DICK'S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a blend of dedicated teammates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Lodge/Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications and live scorekeeping. DICK'S offers its products through a dynamic eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides customers with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront. For more information, visit the Investor Relations page at dicks.com.
About The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation
The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports participation. It was created by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. as a private corporate foundation to support DICK’S charitable and philanthropic activities
Contact: DICK’S Sporting Goods and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation – [email protected]
DICK’S Sporting Goods and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation provide equipment to 10,000 baseball & softball youth athletes on 8-City Tour Tweet