The Athletic Club Foundation, an all-volunteer non-profit organization that supports youth by investing in amateur athletic programs in Indiana, is pleased to announce it has awarded its annual grants to four local organizations to help fund youth sports programs.
The Foundation has allocated grant funding to the following organizations: IMPD Youth Mountain Bike Project (IMPDYMP), Kids Tri for Kids Triathlon Series (KTFK), Notre Dame ACE Academies (NDAA), Wolkoff Foundation.
IMPD Youth Mountain Bike Project
IMPD Youth Mountain Bike Project (IMPDYMP) was established in 2015 by two IMPD bike patrol officers to introduce urban youth to mountain biking, and help them build technical bike skills, self-confidence and communication skills as well as promote healthy living, respect for nature and utilization of Indianapolis’ parks. Grant funds will cover expenses related to the upkeep of the 100 mountain bikes utilized by 1,600 Indianapolis youth annually.
Kids Tri for Kids Triathlon Series
Kids Tri for Kids Triathlon Series (KTFK) improves the health of children in Indiana by getting them involved with physical fitness in the form of triathlons. The organization was founded in 2008 and now funds five to seven triathlons, with 800-1,000 kids participating each year. The grant from The Athletic Club Foundation will be used to purchase shirts, water bottles and participation trophies.
Notre Dame ACE Academies
Notre Dame ACE Academies (NDAA) is an inner-city five-school cooperative that provides a high-quality Catholic education to children in under-served communities. Funds received from The Athletic Club Foundation will cover costs associated with “Better Student Health,” a program designed to increase levels of physical activity in students.
Wolkoff Foundation
Wolkoff Foundation strives to increase accessibility to youth sports programs and create more opportunities for young Hoosiers to experience the value of athletic participation. The Foundation will apply its grant funding to expenses related to the construction of a grass football field at the Martin Luther King Center at Tarkington Park in Indianapolis. This field is used by the 38th Street Football League, a program that approximately 165 underprivileged children participate in each year.
"We are honored to award the 2021 Athletic Club Foundation Grants to four very deserving organizations," said The Athletic Club Foundation President Robert V. Welch, Jr. “Athletics positively impact the lives of young Hoosiers and we are proud to support these programs in their efforts to make youth sports more accessible.”
Each year, The Athletic Club Foundation organizes events for the community including the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. The festivities were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the dates have been set for the 2022 events. The Athletic Club Foundation, in partnership with the Hoosier Lottery, will host the 24th Annual Hoosier Lottery Greening of the Canal on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Tent Party will take place on March 17, 2022, and the Shamrock Run & Walk is scheduled for March 19, 2022.
