Tag: donation

Freddie Freeman Clubhouse unveiled at El Modena after star’s $500k donation to alma mater

El Modena’s new Freddie Freeman Clubhouse was unveiled after the Dodgers star donated $500,000 to his alma mater’s baseball program.

On MLB’s opening week ahead of the 2024 season, the alma mater of Los Angeles Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman also got a new beginning.

El Modena High School (Orange, Calif.) unveiled its new Freddie Freeman Clubhouse, courtesy partly due to a $500,000 donation from the 2020 MVP to the program.

The 1,440-square-foot building includes a locker room, a team meeting area with monitors, a coaches’ office, and larger batting cages.

The Dodgers and Freeman posted pictures to Instagram, where you can see inside the locker room and the large mural of Freeman in El Modena’s Vanguard uniform. The mural includes a list of Freeman’s accolades, according to the Orange County Register.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Los Angeles Dodgers (@dodgers)

The project cost $1.6 million, according to the OC Register. Freeman’s donation of $500,000 was the largest in Orange Unified School District history from an individual private donor, the district said in the original press release, and was confirmed to the Register. The district covered $1.1 million.

Freeman played two seasons of varsity baseball for El Modena, according to MaxPreps. He was an elite batter and pitcher, hitting .417 with five home runs and 10 stolen bases while posting a 6-1 record on the mound with a 1.27 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 44 innings. A pitcher/third baseman, Freeman was named the Orange County Register’s 2007 Player of the Year. He was a second-round selection by the Atlanta Braves that summer.

El Modena went 14-12-1 last season after a 22-10 season the year before.

Chiefs S Justin Reid makes donation to Kansas City Public Schools STEM, Robotics programs

#Chiefs S Justin Reid made a significant contribution to the education of teens in the Kansas City area on Monday. | from @TheJohnDillon

Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid cemented himself as a key part of his team’s defense last season and is proving to be an equally crucial member of the community after making a significant donation to a local school on Monday.

Reid’s foundation, JReid Indeed, invested significantly in the STEM and engineering departments at Kansas City Public Schools, donating $15,000 to their robotics team as part of an outreach effort. A Standford graduate, Reid is known to be a firm believer in the value of education and seems poised to inspire a new generation of thinkers with this latest good deed in the Kansas City area.

“Technology is the game changer for our students to succeed,” Reid said in a statement, via KSHB. “Everyday technology is changing the future and it is changing how we live. I want to give children who look like me a fighting chance to have a better education, and to compete in life. That’s my ultimate goal.”

During his appearance at KC Central High School, Reid posed for pictures with the promotional check provided by his foundation and members of the robotics team who stand to benefit greatly from this kind gesture. The mission of his foundation is as follows:

 JReid InDeed is a charitable organization founded by Justin Reid that focuses on equipping and funding disadvantaged youth and communities through interactive programs, community engagement, and technology access. The foundation focuses on children in underserved communities of Houston, Baton Rouge, and Kansas City. 

Heading into his second year with the Chiefs in 2023, Reid is sure to become a fan-favorite in Kansas City’s secondary as he further ingrains himself both in his community and on the gridiron.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

2023 PGA Show: Lt. Col. Dan Rooney and Folds of Honor

The foundation collects donations that goes towards scholarships to military families.

At 12 years old, Dan Rooney had dreams of being a golf professional and a fighter pilot.

Fifteen years ago above Lt. Col. Dan Rooney’s garage, Folds of Honor was born. The goal was to give back to military families who has had someone killed or disabled in combat through the power of the PGA of America and the sport everyone loves.

The foundation collects donations that goes towards scholarships to military families. Since the foundation started, it has granted 44,000 scholarships or $220 million worth of education.

Our Averee Dovsek sat down with Lt. Col. Dan Rooney to learn more about what Folds of Honor does. Take a look below.

[mm-video type=video id=01gsgbepqsbacvxm0a18 playlist_id=none player_id=01f5k5vfbhv59szck1 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gsgbepqsbacvxm0a18/01gsgbepqsbacvxm0a18-12bb0946bb6d8c3a11f0952cce2115a8.jpg]

If you love golf, your country and want to thank the 1% that has fought for this country visit Folds of Honor’s website here to learn more or make a donation.

Saints win appeal for allegedly faking an injury, Dennis Allen donates fine money anyway

The Saints won their appeal for allegedly faking an injury, with head coach Dennis Allen and his wife Alisson donating the money he was fined anyway:

Here’s a great gesture: the New Orleans Saints won their appeal for steep financial penalties after the NFL alleged that defensive end Cameron Jordan faked an injury in their late-season game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. Among the fines was a $100,000 hit for head coach Dennis Allen — whose wife Allison gave him the idea to donate that money to charity anyway.

Allen shared their story with NewOrleansSaints.com’s John DeShazier: “It all started when we got the fine letters from the league. We said, ‘We shouldn’t be fined for this, we didn’t do anything wrong.’ And then, it got Alisson and I to thinking, ‘Well, we win this appeal, let’s take that money that we would have given the league and let’s do something good with that money.'”

Second Harvest Food Bank is active in 23 parishes across South Louisiana, estimating that they serve 32 million meals each year to more than 210,000 people. The Allens’ donation is going to do a lot to support their efforts.

Allen continued, “And so, Second Harvest Food Bank is an organization that Alisson has taken an interest in. I think there’s like one in five households in Louisiana that deal with lack of funds for foods and vital things in terms of living. And so, we wanted to do something to help out in the community and felt like that was a good place to start.”

Good for them in taking something that was roundly a negative and turning it into a big positive. Jordan’s injury was well-documented — he was limited on the weekly injury report while managing an ankle issue, and the Saints were able to knock down the NFL’s claims with MRI scans and other proof of treatment. It’s a shame that the league cast a shadow on the team like this, but it’s great that the Allens found a silver lining in it.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”jdKCGtvrlk-2541782-7618″ type=”float”]

Chiefs RB Ronald Jones donates funds for new playground at Morse Early Childhood Center

#Chiefs RB Ronald Jones hasn’t been in Kansas City for that long, but he’s already giving back to the community.

Ronald Jones hasn’t been part of the Kansas City community for long, but he and his foundation are making a big impact on a local public school.

Earlier this week, Jones and his foundation along with Patrick Mahomes’ 15 and the Mahomies foundation made an $80K donation to the Morse Early Childhood Center in Kansas City, Kansas. That donation will allow for the construction of a new playground for the kids next year, among other things.

“We were able to donate a check for a new playground for the kids going into next year,” Jones said. “It always warms my heart to be able to give back and bless others because God has blessed me with so much.”

“We came to K.C. and we leave the community better than how you found it,” Jones’ mother Jacque said.

Jones signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs back in March. He’s been active for just four games this season with five carries for 18 yards and one reception on one target for 22 yards. His impact off the field, however, is immeasurable in the hearts and minds of those at Morse Early Childhood Center.

You can find out more information about The Rojo Foundation here.

[listicle id=143038]

Broncos donate $100K to support Colorado School of Mines transport

The Broncos donated $100,000 to the Colorado School of Mines in order for students to cheer on their team in the Division II championship game.

Before the Walton-Penner ownership group even was a figment of imagination, the Denver Broncos had a history of giving to Colorado communities, through both individual players and the organization as a whole.

The Walton-Penner group just added to that generous history with a huge gift to the Colorado School of Mines.

The Orediggers were on the receiving end of a $100,000 donation by the Broncos to transport students to the Division II championship game in McKinney, Texas. This is the first appearance by the school in the championship game in the football program’s 131-year existence.

“It’s absolutely fantastic what our organization has done for the students,” said Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett. “I played D-II football, so I absolutely love that whole playoff and the whole system. It’s their first national championship, and they’re scoring all the points. Coach [Brandon] Moore has done a great job and very excited to see them go there and the students to be able to go and support.”

The Colorado School of Mines will play Ferris State on Saturday, December 17, at 11 am on ESPNU.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

One of the most powerful players in the women’s game set to race a half Ironman to raise money for Jane Park’s daughter Grace

Anne van Dam is hoping to finish a half ironman race in less than six hours

Last week, Anne van Dam placed 10th in the LET’s season-ending Andalucia Open de Espana. This week: She’s hoping to finish a half Ironman race in less than six hours.

Players last week in Spain told her she’s crazy. The triathlon’s total distance is 70.3 miles, and it begins with a 1.2-mile swim, followed by 56 miles of biking and a 13.1-mile run.

Players, however, also believe the inspiration behind van Dam’s decision is pretty amazing. She’s racing for Grace Godfrey, the 2-year-old daughter of LPGA player Jane Park and husband Pete, a long-time caddie on tour.

In the summer of 2021, during the Volunteers of America Classic in Dallas, Grace was hospitalized with seizures and brain swelling.

As van Dam noted in her social media post last month, Grace is still having seizures and undiagnosed epilepsy. Some of the needed equipment, hospital treatments, specialized therapies and accessibility features in the family’s home are not covered by insurance.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkoaXkwPdb8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The Dutch player set a goal of raising $50,000 and many in the golf community have already stepped up to donate. Even players who aren’t in van Dam’s close circle have done what they can.

“That’s special,” she said.

A five-time winner on the LET and a member of the victorious 2019 European Solheim Cup team, 27-year-old van Dam first began competing on the LPGA in 2019. While she often runs during the season and takes long bike rides to clear her head, swimming, she said, messes up the feel that she needs for golf. She got back in the pool this week to train.

The race is slated for Dec. 4 in Indian Wells and La Quinta, California.

“So far this week I’ve done two 1,500 meter swims,” she said, “which were a little tougher than I expected.”

One of the longest players in women’s golf,  the ultra-athletic van Dam said she got into racing triathlons when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the tour for several months in 2020. Nothing quite like this though.

Certainly nothing that carried so much meaning.

“She called me and told me her plans and, of course, I burst into tears,” Park told lpga.com. “I can’t imagine doing any of those things (in a triathlon) but to do them all in a row is just mind-boggling. And to do them in California when you played in a tournament in Spain last week, it’s insane. But we are so grateful. For her and for everyone.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkEgMgbj7TF/?hl=en

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Cowboys, Texans announce major donations to support Uvalde community

The two Texas teams will contribute a combined $800,000 to programs supporting the families and community impacted by last week’s tragedy. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Dallas Cowboys are showing their support for the families coping with the aftermath of the tragedy in Uvalde as well as the larger community around the small Texas town.

The team, along with the NFL Foundation, has announced a $400,000 donation, with $200,000 going to the Robb School Memorial Fund and the remaining $200,000 being directed to the Uvalde Strong Fund. The funds will be directed to community recovery in the areas of mental health and trauma and will support the families of the victims, the survivors of the school shooting, and the Uvalde community.

Nineteen students and two teachers were murdered inside their elementary school by a teenage gunman last week. Funerals for the victims began Tuesday in the town located about 350 miles to the southwest of Dallas.

“Our hearts are broken for the families affected by the senseless tragedy that occurred in Uvalde, Texas on May 24th, 2022,” said Charlotte Jones, Cowboys executive vice president. “There are simply no words to describe the pain and sorrow that we feel for the Uvalde community. We hold them tight in our thoughts and continued prayers.”

The Houston Texans, who are based approximately 300 miles to the east of Uvalde, have also organized a sizable donation that was pulled together by the team’s players and then matched by owner Cal McNair. Texans head coach Lovie Smith made that announcement Wednesday.

DeMarcus Lawrence and Dak Prescott were among the Cowboys players who spoke openly about the tragedy last week.

Lawrence called on Texas governor Greg Abbott to do more to protect schoolchildren and appealed to NBA superstar LeBron James with a proposal to work together to provide better security to schools that need it.

Prescott admitted that the shooting made him fearful about the prospect of having children. He also helped lead a town hall bringing together Dallas-area youth, community groups, law enforcement officials, education leaders, and mental health experts for some much-needed, if difficult, conversations.

[listicle id=698203]

[listicle id=698199]

[listicle id=698192]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Austin-based Tito’s Vodka invests $20 million to UT athletics

Tito’s Vodka is giving back to the University of Texas.

The famous Austin-based Vodka company, Tito’s, has pledged a $20 million leadership gift to University of Texas athletics.

The university issued a statement regarding what the money will help fund:

The impact of this $20 million investment reaches across multiple sports by assisting with the construction of new practice facilities for men’s and women’s basketball, rowing, and football. These new facilities will elevate the experience of UT student-athletes, providing them with world-class training environments necessary to achieve at the highest level. Tito’s investment also allows Texas Athletics to remain highly competitive in the recruitment of elite student-athletes, coaches, and staff.

The founder of Tito’s Vodka, Bert “Tito” Beveridge, is a University of Texas alumni. His donation will continue the massive facilities upgrades Texas has done since the arrival of Athletic Director Chris Del Conte in 2017.

Texas has upgraded its football stadium, added new baseball and softball indoor practice areas and it is in the process of finishing the Moody Center.

The athletic facilities at Texas are becoming some of the best in the country.

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions. 

Notre Dame receives incredible donation from alumnus

Beyond generous.

Financial aid at the University of Notre Dame just received a massive boost after a more than generous donation from distinguished alumnus, Harry Fath, and his wife, Linda.

The Fath’s gifted the University $50 million, the largest donation of its kind in the long history of the institution, to be used exclusively for undergraduate financial aid.

“This extraordinarily generous gift will provide much-needed flexibility in offering financial aid packages tailored to the needs of our students and their families,”

-Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

Fath hopes to better several lives with this donation.

“Linda and I are honored to be able to make this gift to the University of Notre Dame, a place that is run with integrity and espouses the right kind of values…It is our hope that this gift will change thousands of lives for the better.”

-Harry Fath

Raised in Cincinnati, Fath followed an older brother to Notre Dame and graduated in 1963. He served in the U.S. Army, then returned to his hometown to earn a law degree from the University of Cincinnati.

To learn more about the Fath’s and their tremendous philanthropic efforts, check out this piece from the Cincinnati Enquirer back in 2018.

Related: Notre Dame’s wildly-successful sports weekend