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AFH News

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Athletes for Hope Unites in Service on MLK Day 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Athletes will step up to serve as volunteers on the annual Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King and improve their communities. Athletes for Hope University (AFH University) student-athletes from Georgetown University, Howard University, and Bowie State University will hold food drives for their on-campus food pantries and volunteer with local food organizations as they tackle the disparities of food insecurity, joining hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country in volunteer service.

Observed each year on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King and improve their communities. AmeriCorps has been charged with leading this effort for more than a quarter century. While much work remains to fulfill Dr. King’s dream of creating the Beloved Community, AmeriCorps remains committed to showing that joining together in service can unify Americans of different backgrounds and experiences to transform unjust systems through a fierce urgency of now.

AFH University student-athletes at Georgetown University and Howard University will collect pantry items for their respective on-campus food pantries, Hoya Hub Food Pantry, and the Store@HU. Volunteers will also participate in a pop-up market on MLK Jr. Avenue hosted by Martha’s Table in collaboration with the Annual MLK Day of Service Parade in Downtown, D.C.

“Today we answer Dr. King’s call to serve and are making a difference in the lives of D.C. residents,” said Sara Keane, Assistant Director, AFH University at Athletes for Hope. “Let’s honor Dr. King’s legacy by working toward a more just and equitable society, where everyone is valued and respected, regardless of their race, religion, or background. By participating in service projects, we can bridge divides, heal wounds, and create lasting change that will benefit our communities for years to come. Together, let’s unite across differences, serve with our neighbors, and transform our communities as we strive toward a brighter future for all.”

AFH University student-athletes at Bowie State University will be participating in an event in conjunction with their on-campus food pantry, the Nutrition Lounge. In addition to the pantry event, the University is partnering with RISE Against Hunger to prepare and package up to 20,000 meals for those in need across the greater Washington, D.C. community.

“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve,” Dr. King said. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” Whether you plan on cleaning up a public space, mentoring a young person, training tutors, or assisting those who are food insecure or unhoused, what you do makes a world of difference. Find opportunities to volunteer for MLK Day of Service and engage with your community while honoring the legacy of Dr. King at AmeriCorps.gov/MLKDay. 

For media inquiries please contact Diana Venezia, dvenezia@athletesforhope.org, (908) 462-4189

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About Athletes for Hope

Founded by Muhammad Ali, Andre Agassi, Mia Hamm, and nine other elite athletes in 2006, Athletes for Hope (AFH) is a cause-neutral non-profit that educates, encourages, and empowers athletes to find their passions and use their time to positively engage with their communities. Over the past 16 years, AFH has educated more than 12,000 professional, Olympic, Paralympic, and collegiate athletes through its Causeway workshop series, and helped athletes volunteer with hundreds of underserved schools and impactful community organizations through core programs that focus on helping underserved children become more physically active, changing the public stigma around mental health, and brightening the lives of children in hospitals. Through their dedication and passion for doing good, AFH athletes have positively impacted the lives of millions around the world.

About AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteerism and national service, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.

Athletes In Action

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

Student-Athletes Serve Up Joy In Baton Rouge

Written by: Kenya Warren-Hollins, MPA, Program Manager, AFH University

For our AFH University student-athletes, the weeks before Thanksgiving are often met with studying for finals, trips back home, and winter workouts. Amidst all of the hustle and bustle, something our Baton Rouge campuses look forward to each year is their week-long service project Baton Rouge Serves With Purpose.

During the second annual service project, our Baton Rouge student-athletes focused on tackling the disparities of food insecurity by volunteering at various community organizations that routinely provide food, warmth, and friendship to those less fortunate.

Thursday, November 9

Southern Bowling and Southern Soccer kicked off our AFH Baton Rouge Serves With Purpose initiative at Baton Rouge Food Bank. Student-athletes checked expiration dates, sorted, and packaged food boxes for families ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank is a nonprofit organization that solicits, procures, inventories, and warehouses donated food and other products. This food is then distributed to a variety of community agencies such as pantries, meal sites, homes, shelters, and soup kitchens that serve the people in need.

Today I helped Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank package food to help feed over 600 families. I served today in hope to give families better access to food and to give back to a community I am grateful to be able to support myself in.

Gia Johnson, Southern Soccer

Tuesday, November 14

During the second day of Baton Rouge Serves With Purpose, Southern Baseball contributed to closing the food insecurity gap in Baton Rouge. They assisted with the Metro Council District 6 Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway hosted by Councilman Cleve Dunn.

After passing out turkeys to families in need, they continued their day of service at St. Vincent de Paul where they served over 100 dining room guests in need of a hot meal.

It’s not only about strikeouts and home runs. It’s about giving back and serving in the community

Coach Crenshaw, Southern Baseball

Thursday, November 16

Southern Bowling visited Louisiana Key Academy after going 8-0 in competition at the Sonic Boom Invitational. They led students through stretches, warm-up exercises, and bowling techniques. To close out their field day, students were able to put their skills to use with a game!

On the same day, Southern Soccer volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul’s annual donation drive held at Hi Nabor grocery store. Student-athletes assisted with collecting donations and educating grocery shoppers about the special event’s cause with some shoppers donating cash on the spot. At the end of their volunteer time, the student-athletes collected over $200 and baskets full of items for the food drive. 

Today a couple of my teammates joined me in asking for donations for St. Vincent de Paul’s annual food drive. It brought me great joy to be able to help because I have experienced both sides of the cause, receiving and giving. We accepted monetary donations as well as items requested by St.Vincent de Paul. One family even donated a hundred dollar bill! It was amazing to experience the compassion that comes with doing this type of service

Ashanté Gatlin, SU Women’s Soccer

Friday, November 17

To close out our week-long service event, LSU Beach Volleyball players and coaches visited Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital to spend time with youth who will be spending their holidays in the hospital. There was no shortage of joy as our student-athletes were just as excited as the patients to visit rooms and read books during story time!

Volunteering at the children’s hospital was a very fulfilling experience. The kiddos were so engaging and full of giggles!

Gabi Bailey, LSU Beach Volleyball

The holiday season is a time when we can reflect on all that we are grateful for and this year our student-athletes haven’t stopped saying how grateful they are to be able to give back to their communities. Our student-athletes are already looking forward to our third annual Baton Rouge Serves With Purpose event, and until then, they are looking forward to positively impacting their community at the start of the new year.

AFH University Service Recognition

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

October 2023 | Student-Athlete & Team of the Month

Each month we ask our AFH University campus liaisons for nominations of student-athletes and teams who excelled in service. Through our monthly nominations, we are able to acknowledge all of the good our student-athletes and teams are doing in their communities.

During the month of October, our Student-Athlete and Team of the Month challenged the status quo on what it means to serve as they created a holistic community with their peers and engaged in regular service in their North Carolina community.

Student-Athlete of the Month

Our October Student-Athlete of the Month is Erin Junkmann from Georgetown University. Erin is a community builder across the Georgetown campus, connecting others with mental health resources and creating other holistic ways to engage with peers.

“Erin has worked to connect the Georgetown female student-athletes in her role as president of the SAAC with opportunities to speak about mental health and connect with the brand SPRHA to unpack the shared aspects of the female student-athlete experience that impact performance, such as uniforms impacting the way we feel and care about our bodies thus limiting the way we play.

Erin has done a tremendous job creating a community and opportunities to connect with one another in a meaningful way, promoting our holistic well-being. Erin is also someone who consistently shows up to every athletic game she can watch on campus and unconditionally cheers on her fellow Hoyas.“

Team of the Month

The October Team of the Month is the Davidson field hockey team. Together the team has positively impacted their community in North Carolina through regular visits to Continuing the Mission.

“For the past three weeks, Davidson Field Hockey has been regularly visiting Continuing the Mission, an organization that trains dogs for veterans. They have been going 3-4 times a week to help with the animals and spend time training and playing with the puppies.

Their consistent service with the organization has been a tremendous help by exposing the dogs to different scenarios and aspects of life so that they make great partners to the veterans they will be adopted to.”

We are so proud of all of our AFH University campuses for the work they are doing to better their own communities each day!

Athletes & Philanthropy 101

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

Four Tips for Student-Athletes To Start Giving Back

As the 2023 fall semester approaches, student-athletes from across the country are heading back to their college campuses and are wondering how they can get involved in charitable work for their community. Athletes for Hope is here to help you get started, set goals, and support you through this semester and beyond! All athletes, no matter what level, can lead from where they are and make a difference in their community- and no, you don’t need to be verified on social media to make an impact.

Here are four tips to help you give back this semester:

Join Your Schools SAAC

A student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight into the student-athlete experience. Currently, there are separate national SAACs for NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, alongside SAACs on individual campuses.

While the SAAC helps to generate a student-athlete voice within the institution and on a national level, it also supports the campus and conference community through community outreach efforts.

Examples of SAAC community events include:

  • Toy Drives
  • Team Visits to Childrens Hospitals
  • Special Olympic Events
  • Team Visits to Schools

Donate Your Time

The most valuable thing you can give as a student-athlete is your time. Throughout the school year, there are countless organizations in your community that need volunteers. Whether you volunteer your time at a local nonprofit or charity, walking a dog who has been placed in a shelter, writing a note to a child in the hospital, or cleaning up after an event at a senior center, any time spent positively impacting your community makes a lasting impact.

Use Your Platform For Good

In the new age of digital media, your platform as an athlete has the ability to change the world. Remember when we mentioned that you didn’t need to be verified to make a difference? We meant it! Student-athletes from all conferences and divisions are using their social media to become game changers.

Things that may seem small such as resharing a post, tagging an organization on social, or engaging with an organization’s post goes a long way in terms of visibility and advocacy.

Get Involved With Athletes for Hope

Athletes for Hope created the AFH University program to provide guidance to student-athletes on how to be effective volunteers as they learn what community causes they may align with.

AFH University provides student-athletes the opportunity to:

  1. Engage in meaningful, impactful community service
  2. Experience the benefits of engaging in student leadership and student self-governance
  3. Collaborate with student-athletes from other sports
  4. Increase their involvement with the rest of the University community and the local community

If you are a student-athlete or collegiate team wanting to get involved in community service during the 2023 fall semester, please contact AFH University Assistant Director, Sara Keane, at skeane@athletesforhope.org.

We would love to help connect you to service opportunities in your area!

AFH Community Hero

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

Serving Her Community Selflessly

As Clark Atlanta student-athlete Zion Walters left school and arrived at the Boys and Girls Club in her Arizona hometown, she sprinted over to the Xbox Connect to try and get in on the XX game. Becoming a mentor, a teacher, and a friend to kids of all ages and walks of life was something Zion had envisioned for herself from a young age. It is for these reasons and more that she is Athletes for Hope’s August Community Hero of the Month. 

Walters was a passionate child, so when she saw all of the older kids in her way, she dreamed of one day being able to play all the games she wanted after school. As the art and gym rooms transformed into the collegiate classrooms and basketball stadiums that she plays in today, she never forgot where she came from, and the dreams she once had. 

Zion Walters teaching a dance clinic at the Boys and Girls Club.

“When I was in the club, I never had anybody to do the things I wanted to do with,” Walters said. “You had the sports and the football and the gaming, but I was like ‘I just want to dance.’ There are kids that want to do what you have to offer, but nobody is coming to help them.”

Some of Walters’ main passions in life are dance, basketball, and giving back. During the course of the past few months, she has combined these passions into an opportunity for her dreams to become a reality. 

Children at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta have had the opportunity to participate in dance and basketball clinics, an opportunity Walters was not afforded. 

“Just seeing the smile on their faces and seeing how excited they were when I came in,” Walters said. “Seeing how much they practiced when I wasn’t around, their excitement made me want to keep doing it.”

The Clark Atlanta University basketball player has worked alongside Athletes for Hope to make a difference week in and week out. Despite a busy schedule that includes practices, games, rehab, study sessions, and classes, Walters always seems to find a way to hold clinics for the Boys and Girls Club. 

Zion Walters teaching a basketball clinic at the Boys & Girls Club.

Walters had a vision for how she can better the area around her, and is doing everything in her power to help shape the future generations of Atlanta. 

It is not for the recognition, either. She works without a spotlight on her actions, yet continues to transform the dreams of the children she helps. 

“When I went to Arizona, after three days this little girl came up to me and she’s like ‘Hey, I just wanted to let you know your classes are so much fun. I’m usually sad throughout the day, but when you come I’m genuinely happy and I have so much fun,’” Walters said. 

Zion Walters poses with dance clinic participants at the Boys & Girls Club.

Moments like these keep Walters coming back in her free time and provide a reason for her fellow athletes to support their community as well. Whether it’s the cause or the area, Walters is living proof that an athlete can use their platform for so much more than sport. 

With time and effort, it can change lives. 

“We are, in a sense, role models for a lot of people,” Walters said. “If you have people consistently watching you, why not show them what they can do in the community? As an athlete, I know I have a lot of younger people watching me and I want to tell them that doing community service is great.”

AFH University Service Recognition

Posted: Updated: by jbelinkie

April Student-Athlete & Team of the Month

Each month we ask our AFH University campus liaisons for nominations of student-athletes and teams who excelled in service. Through our monthly nominations, we are able to acknowledge all of the good our student-athletes and teams are doing in their communities.

Student-Athlete of the Month

Our April Student-Athlete of the Month is Zion Walters from Clark Atlanta University. Zion is a leader in service on her team with a passion for kids. She is always eager to be involved in service projects in the Atlanta community and will often help find new opportunities for her and her teammates.

“Zion has been going into the Harland Boys and Girls Club twice a week for the last couple of weeks and will be doing so until the school year ends in May. Every Monday she puts on a dance clinic for the group and every Wednesday she puts on a basketball clinic for the kids.

She has been incredibly proactive about finding volunteer opportunities in the Atlanta community and is incredibly passionate about spreading her love of basketball and dance to the children at the club.”

Team of the Month

The April Team of the Month is none other than the Davidson football team. Together the team has positively impacted their community in North Carolina through dedicated weekly service visits and fundraising efforts.

“The Davidson Football team has been hard at work on the field and in the community. They have been active weekly volunteers at the Ada Jenkins Center, playing with the children after school and keeping them company.

On April 21st they had their annual Lift for Life event where they raise money and awareness for rare disease research. It is an event that the entire team participates in and they have so far raised over $9,000.”

We are so proud of all of our student-athletes who continue to go above and beyond the call of service in their communities.