Thanks to the generous support of The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Sports Matter Program, South Little League out of Winston Salem, North Carolina, has received a $25,000 Sports Matter grant to support the league’s operations and help provide additional opportunities to the children within the community.
“We are extremely grateful to our friends at The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation for providing this grant to South Little League, which will support league operations and the overall experience for kids playing baseball and softball in their community,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Business Relationship Officer. “Through this financial support, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation is continuing to help us create more opportunity for children to participate fully in the Little League experience and furthering our commitment to community around the world.”
Since 1965, South Little League has been a chartered Little League program and today offers opportunities in baseball, softball, and the Little League Challenger Division®. The league also recently became involved with the Little League® Urban Initiative, which provides opportunities for underserved communities to reap the benefits of having local Little League programs in their neighborhoods, and currently has 16 teams chartered for the 2024 season, including a pair of softball programs.
“We are proud to support South Little League with this Sports Matter Grant as they are an organization that fosters teamwork and resilience for young athletes in their community,” said Kristen Garmey, Director of Sports Matter and Community Relations at The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. “We at The DICK’S Foundation believe that sports have the power to change lives and serve as one of the most effective tools for youth development and helping kids on and off the diamond.”
In coordination with the Girls with Game 50 Celebration, the check for the grant was presented to the league during the opening game of the 2024 AU Pro Games at the LLSWS, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, on August 7 before play was suspended due to Tropical Storm Debby.
“Our league started in 1965 and we had old wooden light poles that were outdated, so in 2021 we had to take one of them down and started fundraising because 80-90% of our league is served are on those younger kids’ fields. We’ve gotten to about $300,000 but the quotes we have are right around $330,000 so this does it,” said Kevin Stogner, South Little League Treasurer. “This opportunity helps us to launch this project and give the kids a safe place to play at night. Without this, the league wouldn’t make it, so this pushes us past the finish line.”
In 2017, DICK’S Sporting Goods partnered with Little League for a five-year, $500,000 commitment, and since becoming the Official Sporting Goods Retailer of Little League, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation has provided grants and supported programs for hundreds of leagues since the inception of the foundation a decade ago.
About The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation
The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports participation. It was created by DICK’S Sporting Goods as a private corporate foundation to support DICK’S charitable and philanthropic activities. Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, The DICK’S Foundation champions youth sports and provides grants and support to under-resourced teams and athletes through its Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about The DICK’S Foundation can be found on sportsmatter.org and on Instagram, Facebook and X.