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