It started with a donation of 500 basketballs in 2003 that got 2,000 kids in the game. Since then, Good Sports has donated over $10 million of equipment to over 900,000 children in need.
Good Sports is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that helps to lay the foundation for healthy, active lifestyles by providing athletic equipment, footwear and apparel to disadvantaged young people nationwide. By partnering with sporting goods manufacturers, Good Sports is able to provide that equipment to a number of youth programs across the country. These partnerships and donations lower program costs which helps keep fees affordable, create more scholarships, enhance the quality of the programs’ activities, and introduce new sports to the programs’ schools or organizations.
Georgia SHAPE and Good Sports first partnered in 2012 with the shared goal of providing children across the state of Georgia with the tools they need to lead active, healthy lifestyles. Through the partnership, Georgia SHAPE and Good Sports have supported over 180 schools in the state with valuable donations of brand new sports equipment, footwear, and apparel to benefit their physical education programs.
Sports and fitness are powerful tools in shaping the lives of youth. Studies show that, in addition to the obvious benefits of regular activity, kids who participate in sports enjoy better nutritional awareness and improved self-esteem. What’s more, these kids are 57% less likely to drop out of school, 49% less likely to use drugs, and 37% less likely to become teen parents. To date, Good Sports has impacted community organizations in a number of different ways through donations and donation events.
To learn more about Good Sports and the application process for an equipment grant, visit www.goodsports.org. Help give kids a chance to be active by getting them in the game!
