It was recently announced that Up2Us Sports has received funding from California Volunteers, California’s state service commission, for the seventh consecutive year. For the 2023-2024 year, the $552,361 grant will support 63 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 301 AmeriCorps service members through Up2Us Sports, who have served 9,116 youth throughout the city of Los Angeles.
“Up2Us Sports is thrilled to continue our partnership with California Volunteers,” says Jack Callahan, Senior National Director of AmeriCorps Programs. “We know the value and impact that Up2Us Sports coaches bring to their communities and youth as AmeriCorps service members. Together, Up2Us Sports and AmeriCorps will continue to highlight the power that sports and coach-mentors have in communities throughout Los Angeles."
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.
“Together, Up2Us Sports and AmeriCorps will continue to highlight the power that sports and coach-mentors have in communities throughout Los Angeles.”
AmeriCorps State and National engages more than 65,000 Americans in intensive service each year. Full-time AmeriCorps members in the AmeriCorps State and National program receive a modest living allowance, health care and childcare. At the successful completion of each service term, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. 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 Addie Fargason at afargason@up2ussport.org.
