end of year Archives - Athletes for Hope

As we conclude our 11th year at Athletes for Hope, we are grateful for the amazing athletes and organizations that continue to support us daily. We owe much of our success to our passionate supporters such as Nike, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gordon & Llura Gund Foundation, the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation, the Bender Foundation, our Board of Directors and so many others – thank you for everything that you do!

Since our launch, AFH has grown from its original 12 Founding Athletes to a network of over 4,000 professional, Olympic and college athletes. AFH member athletes have positively impacted tens of thousands of people across many charities and causes, and we feel lucky to work with such dedicated people on a daily basis.

In 2017, AFH deepened the reach and impact of existing programs in addition of announcing exciting new partnerships with amazing organizations., A few of these highlights include:

Expanded reach of Athletes for Hope University to 36 college teams from University of Southern California, Southern University, Louisiana State University, Tulane University, Michigan State University, and University of Virginia.
We announced a partnership with Starlight Children’s Foundation to bring joy and comfort to hospitalized children and their families. AFH athlete members visited over 40 different hospitals in 2017 and frequently distributed Starlight Brave Gowns – special hospital gowns designed with fun characters and themes.
In coordination with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and HIVE, AFH expanded our footprint overseas to Kenya and Tanzania where we launched an initiative to address gender equality through the lens of economic empowerment.

On behalf of all of us at Athletes for Hope, we offer our best wishes and happiness to you and your families as we all look forward to a successful 2018.

As Athletes for Hope concludes its 9th year of existence, we are humbled by the many amazing people and organizations who have joined us in our journey. AFH has now grown from its original 12 Founding Athletes to a powerful network of over 2,000 athletes from across 20 different sports.

This year AFH facilitated 31 Causeway workshops, which was more than any other year on record. We conducted our workshops for more than 600 professional, Olympic, and college athletes such as the Washington Wizards (NBA), the Washington Mystics (WNBA), the U.S. Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team, the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team, and many others.

In 2015, AFH expanded many of its programs and deepened our footprint. Here are a few notable examples:

AFH facilitated Causeway workshops for 20 varsity sports teams from the University of Virginia, Louisiana State University, Tulane University, and Southern University.
AFH partnered with pro basketball player Awvee Storey and KIPP Schools to create Power Up with the Pros DC (#PowerUpDC), an after school physical fitness initiative featuring monthly visits from Washington D.C-area professional athletes.
AFH member athletes led 70 Let’s Move! Active Schools visits focused upon improving physical fitness in 42 different communities throughout the U.S.

AFH member athletes broadened their impact on the global stage as they became advocates for impactful Gates-grantee organizations such as 1,000 Days, Nothing But Nets, Every Mother Counts, and the Universal Access Project.

Contributions from our partners such as Nike, the Gates Foundation, the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation have enabled us to change the lives of tens of thousands of people across many charities and causes. We owe much of 2015’s success to our passionate and dedicated group of supporters, so thank you for everything that you do!

Please consider making a donation to Athletes for Hope this holiday here every dollar counts.

Happy Holidays,

Ivan Blumberg
CEO, Athletes for Hope

A Year in Review 2017

Tag: end of year

A Year in Review 2017

Athletes for Hope Impact: 2015