For the fifth consecutive year, Up2Us Sports has received funding from California Volunteers, California’s state service commission. For the 2020-2021 year, the $446,644 grant will support 76 Up2Us Sports coaches around the city of Los Angeles.
This cohort of national service members will serve 4,000 youth and engage them in athletic and mentorship activities that are designed to improve their physical health and develop social-emotional learning skills that will help achieve their potential on and off the playing field.
Since 2015, California Volunteers has provided grants for 197 AmeriCorps service members through Up2Us Sports, who have served 8,263 youth throughout the city of Los Angeles.
“The partnership between California Volunteers and Up2Us Sports and our eleven local community partners provides a meaningful opportunity for caring adult mentors to serve their country and community and make a difference in the lives of young people,” says Hillery Gladden, National Director, Up2Us Coach. “Sports-based youth development is vital to the health and growth of youth in California especially during the era of COVID-19 and in the light of the current social justice movement.”
Led by the state’s Chief Service Officer, Josh Fryday, California Volunteers is the state office tasked with engaging Californians in service, volunteering and civic action to tackle our State’s most pressing challenges while mobilizing all Californians to volunteer and serve in their communities. The #CaliforniansForAll service initiative was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to build on the efforts of California Volunteers to establish a statewide volunteer corps to help with the state’s response to emergencies and disasters. California Volunteers also administers the AmeriCorps programs in California with over 80 programs providing critical services to more than 160,000 Californians annually. Learn more at www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov.
AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges, through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.
We are currently actively recruiting coaches and host sites nationwide. If you are interested in becoming a coach-mentor or hosting a coach in Los Angeles or its surrounding communities, please contact hgladden@up2ussports.org or dlugo@up2ussports.org.
