6 beach stars in on Athletes for Hope campaign
By: AVP Staff, on 01/05/2010

AVP athletes are seeking support to raise money and awareness for a worthy cause, and you can help.

Current pros Nicole Branagh, Brittany Hochevar, Angela Knopf, Jenn Snyder and Chrissie Zartman and legend Eric Fonoimoana are competing with other professional athletes in an online fundraising challenge entitled “Racing for a Cause,” a virtual race for charity.

Today is a bonus day in the fundraising effort, meaning the foundations that recruit the most unique donors and raise the most money until 11:59 p.m. ET will each earn a $500 bonus. For the overall competition, donations will be accepted through Jan. 15.

Charities can win a bonus donation in two ways: they can either attract the most donors or raise the most money. Prizes range from $10,000 for first place to $5,000 for second place to $2,500 for third place, with the prize money going to each athlete’s respective charity. Especially in the competition for most donors, please remember no donation is too small.

To view and support AVP athletes' causes, click their names below or follow the race live at www.globalgiving.org/athletes-for-hope.

Nicole Branagh -- The Home Field Advantage: This project will build volleyball and soccer facilities, along with clean water sources, for disadvantaged children in rural areas outside Johannesburg, South Africa.

Eric Fonoimoana -- Dig 4 Kids: Dig 4 Kids is an afterschool program committed to providing youth in low-income communities with increased opportunities for academic and athletic achievement.

Brittany Hochevar -- Teens Turning Green: Teens Turning Green is a teen-led campaign to inform and empower teens to protect their health from toxic chemical exposures in their lives, schools, and communities.

Angela Knopf -- Using Horses to Help Kids: This targets at-risk youth, altering difficult behaviors learned from an early age through the use of equine-assisted therapy.

Jenn Snyder -- Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley: Snyder is supporting the building of a new expanded preschool on the campus of a community college in Huntington Beach.

Chrissie Zartman -- KEEN LA: KEEN LA provides one-on-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with physical and mental disabilities.

About Athletes for Hope:

Athletes for Hope is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization founded by an elite group of 12 professional athletes with a shared passion for philanthropy. Its mission is to educate, encourage and assist athletes in their efforts to contribute to community and charitable causes, to increase public awareness of those efforts, and to inspire others to do the same.

Athletes for Hope’s 12 Founding Athletes are Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken, Jr.

Courtesy of AVP.com. The article can be viewed here.