WHEREAS, The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation launched the Sports Matter campaign, which seeks to address the growing issue of underfunded youth sports teams. This initiative will raise awareness and match community donations up to $2 million on a new crowd-funding platform to save teams facing financial challenges; and
WHEREAS, Sports Matter is focusing resources on entire teams disappearing or never competing at all due to severe financial challenges. Additionally, the program aims to strengthen and expand community support for high-quality youth sports available for young people nationwide; and
WHEREAS, In March, DICK'S Sporting Goods and The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation announced a $25 million multi-year commitment to support the Sports Matter campaign and help hundreds of schools and athletic programs throughout the Country; and
WHEREAS, In 2013 The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation partnered with Tribeca Digital Studios and director Judd Ehrlich to create
We Could be King
, a documentary film that chronicles the 2013 football season of the Martin Luther King High School Cougars. The film has garnered rave reviews, and after the initial viewing of the film during the Tribeca Film Festival, The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation presented School District Superintendent William Hite with a check for $250,000 as a donation to keep athletics funded in schools throughout the District; and
WHEREAS, While Sports Matter is a national campaign, several local schools and organizations have taken advantage of the program. Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School (FACTS) based in Chinatown is raising funds to support their basketball team. Belmont Charter School in West Philadelphia is raising funds to support their intramural girls' volleyball team. Squashsmarts is a free out-of-school program that works with 5th-12th grade students on academics, Squash instruction, fitness and nutrition, personal achievement and leadership. Squashsmarts operates two programs at the Lenfest Center in North Philadelphia and Drexel's
Daskalakis Athletic Center. The Kensington Soccer Club (KSC) is raising money to support their boy's and girl's travel soccer teams. Based at Casiano Field at 3rd and Cumberland Streets, KSC
works with youth and families to organize positive, healthy, and fun youth soccer activities while building teamwork, leadership, and community. All of these programs are still raising funds to meet their individual goals; and
WHEREAS, DICK'S Sporting Goods has made a significant efforts to support youth sports while funding cuts at the national, state, and local levels have decimated many programs. Our local schools and programs are extremely lucky to have such a supportive and giving corporate partner in DICK'S Sporting Goods; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby recognize, honor and commend The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation for their recent donation of $250,000 to the School District of Philadelphia and for their commitment to support sports programming through their Sports Matter campaign.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Edward W. Stack, Chairman & CEO of DICK'S Sporting Goods.
End