Super Bowl Legacy Grants

 

 

NFL’s big game has far-reaching effects statewide. Grants benefit

27 community projects, from providing new athletic shoes to young people

to teaching Native American games and sports.

 

The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee in partnership with the NFL Foundation have announced $2 million in Super Bowl Legacy Grants benefiting 27 community projects. The NFL Foundation contributed $1 million, and the Arizona Super Bowl host Committee raised an additional $1 million from local partners, bringing the total awarded to $2 million. The Arizona Community Foundation provided the fund management and grants administration to make these Legacy Grants possible.

A few days before the Super Bowl, representatives from the NFL, Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee and the Arizona Cardinals gathered to recognize the grant recipients. Funding was awarded in the areas of education, health and wellness, sustainability and overall community enhancement to improve the lives of local youth and their families.

Arizona Cardinals President Michael Bidwill, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee Chairman David Rousseau made the announcement at ASU Preparatory Academy School, one of this year’s grant recipients. Before its Super Bowl makeover, the field at ASU Prep was in subpar condition for the thousands of youth who utilized it for organized sports and intramurals.

The event also recognized the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s support of USA Football’s Heads Up Football program. Following the press conference, high school athletic directors and football coaches from around the state attended an education session and football clinic as part of the Heads Up Football program, with participation from Arizona Cardinals players Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Patrick Peterson, Justin Bethel and Calais Campbell. As part of the event, ESPN announced their support of Heads Up Football by donating $30,000 towards the initiative to help Arizona-based high school coaches become Heads Up Football certified in 2015.

 

 

(above, left) Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill

(left) David Rousseau, Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee chairman

 

GRANT RECIPIENTS

1. Arizona Foundation for Women

Implementation of the Raising Arizona’s Boys into Men program for coaches and male student-athletes, ages 13-23, in schools located in urban and rural areas of Arizona, including Native American populations. The program is a partnership between the Arizona Foundation for Women and the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence.

2. Arizona Science Center

Support of two projects at the Arizona Science Center, including a state-of-the-art inflatable and portable planetarium and related programs; and implementation of focused Field Trips – one of ASC’s signature student/teacher-engagement programs that provides free field trips experiences, teacher workshops and classroom materials for Title 1, K-8 schools in Arizona.

3. Assistance League of Phoenix

Distribution of a new pair of athletic shoes to more than 5,000 youth in need through the Operation School Bell Program.

4. ASU Foundation for a New American University

Implementation of a forum and workshop for up to 100 adults who work with local student athletes from middle school through college. The program will focus on the importance of teaching ethics, values and leadership, as well as techniques to effectively achieve this goal.

5. ASU Preparatory Academy

Refurbishment of the school’s athletic field and installation of a new scoreboard, benefiting K-12 students and the local community.

6. Balsz Elementary School District

Purchase and installation of a high-quality, ADA-compliant play structure, shade cover, security fence and security cameras for the school’s playground.

7. Barrow Neurological Institute

Support of two projects at Barrow, including the placement of certified athletic trainers at several thousand Arizona Interscholastic Association tournament events, ensuring the safety of more than 100,000 high school student-athletes; and direct services for victims of domestic violence.

8. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale

Support of the L.E.A.N. (Lifestyle, Education, Activity and Nutrition) Program at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale to serve youth through organized sports, diabetes education and nutrition programming.

9. Challenger Learning Center of Arizona

Purchase of a software system for two state-of-the-art mission scenarios with advanced technological capability, providing a critical component in its two-year overall simulator upgrade project. Additional upgrades include interactive labs, electrical work, labor, supplies and teacher training materials.

10. City of Phoenix FitPHX

Physical activity and nutrition education for children, ages 10 to 14, at Phoenix libraries and parks in several underserved neighborhoods. ASU interns studying health will teach nutrition curriculum and lead physical activities.

11. City of Tempe

Construction of a fitness path in Tempe’s Escalante Park.

12. Crisis Nursery

Refurbishment of playgrounds at Crisis Nursery, which supports vulnerable children and families throughout the Valley.

13. The Ecological Restoration Institute and Northern Arizona University

Protection of water supplies and restoration of forest health in Arizona.

14. Elevate Phoenix

Education program that provides 4,000 mentor hours to teach, tutor and transport students at five Title I elementary and high schools.

15. Esperanca, Inc.

Implementation of the “Health with a Latin Flavor” program for youngsters, 8 to 14 years old, focusing on lessons about nutrition, physical activity and making healthy snacks.

16. First Things First Foundation

Support of former NFL Kurt Warner’s foundation, which is dedicated to impacting lives by encouraging everyone that all things are possible when people put “first things first."

17. Florence Crittenton of Arizona

Support for young women in need through college preparatory courses, a Student Success Liaison, sports programs and transportation to sporting events, educational outings and tours of local colleges and universities.

18. The Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund

Support of Arizona Cardinals player Larry Fitzgerald’s foundation, which helps kids and their families in crisis and supports health-related organizations that work with families.

19. Phoenix Indian Center

Implementation of Forward Promise: A Community Partnership that Empowers American Indian Young Men. This unique education module focuses on physical fitness and health, grounded by teaching about traditional American Indian games and sports.

20. Phoenix Public Library

Implementation of a summer reading program to combat low literacy rates and provide community-based early literacy programming in high-need areas of the city.

21. Playworks Arizona

Provision of a full-time coach in 18 Title I elementary schools, engaging more than 13,500 youth in daily physical activity at recess and throughout the day.

22. Positive Coaching Alliance

Two-year Legacy of Positivity program for the Phoenix Union High School District will aim to transform the youth sports culture for the 16-school district and includes 100 live, interactive character-education workshops.

23. Read On Arizona

Literacy program will allow every preschool to third-grade student at 40 high-need elementary schools to have access to a digital library for an entire school year. Volunteers also will place books and bookshelves in early child-care sites across the Valley.

24. Rodel Foundation of Arizona

Creation of interactive electronic versions of approximately 1,500 mathematical problems across six grade levels of materials. Teachers utilizing the materials will have the flexibility of ordering lessons in multiple formats to maximize opportunities for interactivity.

25. Special Olympics Arizona

Support of healthy-lifestyle programming through the purchase and distribution of sports equipment, health-screening materials and Healthy LEAP educational manuals that include Healthy Weight and Obesity, Sports Nutrition and Hydration, Exercise and Injury Prevention, Personal Hygiene and Prevention of Tobacco and Alcohol Use.

26. St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance

Procurement and distribution of 700,000 of nutritious food that will provide more than 58,333 meals for hungry children each month.

27. UMOM New Day Centers

Provision of case management, food, medical care and other services to help homeless families residing in its Emergency and Extended Shelter overcome their barriers to attaining and maintaining housing.