admakp, Author at All Kids Play

Help get Chicago Refugee Kids in the game!

As the Olympics have gotten underway, the Olympic Refugee Team is a great example that sport is a global unifier of people. All Kids Play is proud that one of our largest youth sports grant programs is our Refugee Soccer Program and we are working hard to grow the Program through a silent auction and golf outing. Please check out these silent auction items and consider bidding on items of interest to you leading up to the finale of the silent auction on August 16 at Harborside International Golf Center and consider joining us and Chicago City Soccer Club on the course! Register here!

Golfer hitting a golf ball off a golf tee on a green for a charity golf outing event

Getting the kids of Rochester, PA in the game!

All Kids Play is excited to have awarded a grant to the Rochester Area Softball Association, a non-profit recreational softball league in an area of Pennsylvania in which 23% of the population falls below the poverty line. Our support of this softball association ensured that over 40 girls were able to play the sport this season. Happy to see these kids back in the game!

Rochester Area Youth Softball Association girl player athlete at bat on softball field with catcher ready to catch with All Kids Play financial assistance grant

Getting the kids of East Bridgeport in the game!

All Kids Play was approached by the non-profit Newfield Little League Baseball in East Bridgeport, Connecticut for support in connection with their inaugural little league season in their financially disadvantaged community. East Bridgeport has some of the state’s highest unemployment and lowest per capita income. Newfield’s short-term goal was maximum participation since there are hundreds of kids in East Bridgeport that have either not been exposed to baseball or haven’t had the financial means to play. All Kids Play was able to step up to the plate to help launch the inaugural season which has been a great success. Now that the league has been launched, All Kids Play and Newfield Little League Baseball are focused on sustaining the league long-term to provide a high-quality little league baseball program with coaches that are not only teaching the game of baseball but are also equipping the student-athletes with life skills that will benefit the kids far beyond the baseball diamond.

Youth sports baseball player ready to field ball on baseball field for Newfield Little League in East Bridgeport Connecticut with the All Kids Play financial assistance grant

Youth sports baseball player at bat ready to hit a baseball on a baseball field for Newfield Little League in East Bridgeport Connecticut with the All Kids Play financial assistance grant

Keeping these kids on the track!

Athlead Indy track and field team runners and throwers on track with All Kids Play financial assistance youth sports grant

This is All Kids Play’s first grant in Indiana, and the organization we are supporting is nothing short of amazing. AthLead Indy, a youth track and field organization that primarily serves a financially disadvantaged community, has a mission to enact community change through the youth of Indianapolis. AthLead Indy is designed for children to excel in track and field and as leaders in their communities, and as part of the program, the student-athletes are required to participate in monthly community service projects. With All Kids Play’s support, AthLead Indy was able to provide the facilities the kids needed for their season.

Getting this young soccer player in the game!

Male youth soccer player in California with ball, water bottle and in uniform on soccer field with All Kids Play financial assistance youth sports grant

Karim really wanted to try soccer, and with All Kids Play’s help, he got to play in a great local recreational program focused on development and fun. He had such a great time that he is now playing another season this summer. We were so happy to help Karim find a great program that supported his love of soccer!

Keeping this cheerleader competing!

Youth competitive cheerleader cheering in practice with team with All Kids Play youth sports financial assistance grant

Dakiyah began living with her grandmother after her mom passed away. Competitive cheer has been a very positive influence in Dakiyah’s life. Due to her grandmother’s health issues, Dakiyah’s cheer coach picks her up for practice. The cheer program also arranges tutoring when Dakiyah needs help with school work.

The family reached out to All Kids Play for assistance paying for Dakiyah’s cheer program due to the family’s limited financial resources. All Kids Play was happy to help. Dakiyah continues to be on the right track in school and in her cheer program.

Getting Hmong College Prep students back in the game!

Hmong College Preparatory Academy Badminton Team with All Kids Play youth sports financial assistance grant

The Hmong College Preparatory Academy is a public charter school in St. Paul, Minnesota in which 81% of students come from low-income families, many of them immigrant families working extremely hard to overcome financial setbacks created by the pandemic. After the loss of their badminton coach and the pandemic impacting sports, HCPA was not able to field a badminton team the past few years. Badminton is an extremely popular sport among the HCPA community and is a source of pride among the student population and their families. With a resurgence of interest from the student body, the school worked hard to get this program back up and running. However, due to much of the athletic department’s budget being diverted to help with COVID-19 measures, the team couldn’t afford uniforms for the season, nor could the students gather to conduct fundraising due to the pandemic. All Kids Play was thrilled to be able to help this school restart their badminton program by providing funding for uniforms. We are so happy to see these kids be able to play again and provide a source of immense pride within the community at a time when they needed it most.

All Kids Play is proudly supporting Aris in her gymnastics program!

Aris had always wanted to try gymnastics, and with All Kids Play’s help, her mom found an amazing program focused on age-appropriate development, positive reinforcement, and strict health and safety measures. Unfortunately, being a single-parent household with limited income, the costs were out of reach. All Kids Play was happy to jump in and help this family participate in a great program. We’re also pleased to announce that after the first trial month, Aris fell in love with gymnastics, and with All Kids Play’s help, she is now enrolled for a longer term session to keep learning new skills and having fun while doing it!

Young female gymnast athlete at gymnastics class with All Kids Play's youth sports financial assistance grant

All Kids Play helped keep these hockey twins on the ice!

Massachusetts loves their ice hockey. These twin girls have also developed a huge love for the game. The girls are particularly proud of their mixed culture on the ice. Hockey and team friendships have been especially helpful to the girls as they have navigated some extremely difficult family circumstances in the past year.

Like many families across the U.S., this family has endured financial setbacks and other personal challenges recently that have left the twins’ single mom struggling to afford keeping the girls in hockey. All Kids Play was happy to be able to assist the family and help keep the girls on the ice. The girls continue to do what they love and are excelling in school and in hockey.

Girl youth hockey player goalie on ice guarding goal

Two twin girl youth hockey players in hockey uniforms and gear

All Kids Play helped the Pullman Community Center Bounce Back!

As part of our We Will Bounce Back Sports Ball Giveaway Campaign, All Kids Play was at the Pullman Community Center giving away soccer balls to student-athletes from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. All Kids Play’s sports ball giveaway events have kept kids active during the pandemic when youth sports activities were suspended. Happy to help keep these Chicago kids active!

All Kids Play helped get this talented swimming family back in the pool!

All Kids Play was contacted by an extremely talented swimming family in Columbia, South Carolina. The six children love to swim and their parents believe sport is important in the proper development of young people. The kids have had fun and great success swimming competitively in their high-quality swim program. Unfortunately, the parents experienced significant financial difficulties during the pandemic which has made continued participation in their swim program very challenging.

All Kids Play was happy to help ensure that the kids were able to stay engaged in their swim program, and now they continue to thrive in the pool and the classroom.

Female competitive swimmer with medal on podium with All Kids Play youth sports financial assistance grant

Six competitive swimming siblings from South Carolina with All Kids Play financial assistance youth sports grant

All Kids Play helped bring archery to North Chicago!

North Chicago is a community in which 89% of students qualify as low income and has been hit hard economically during the pandemic. It is difficult for families to pay for more mainstream sports like basketball and football, so trying something new and different is often times financially out of reach. One of All Kids Play’s initiatives is to encourage kids to sample multiple sports. When one of the Foss Park District staff members called to say they were trying to launch the sport of archery for kids in North Chicago, but most couldn’t afford the class, All Kids Play was thrilled to help bring this unique sports offering to the community.

The program was led by a nationally-recognized archery instructor. Archery requires focus and patience. It also facilitates a growth mindset and boosts self-confidence. The archery mindset applied to the classroom setting for young archers can have tremendous positive synergistic effect leading to greater scholastic success. With ongoing limitations and restrictions related to the pandemic, archery can also be done safely with social distance and minimal athlete interaction.

Youth athletes trying archery shooting a bow and arrow at a target at Foss Park District in North Chicago with All Kids Play youth sports financial assistance grant

Youth athletes trying archery pulling arrows out of a target at Foss Park District in North Chicago with All Kids Play youth sports financial assistance grant

All Kids Play co-founders, Jasmine Hodari and Jason Schmitz, were honored to participate in the Greater Than Zero Percent Podcast Series, in which they discussed our mission, the benefits of youth sports, and our work as well as shared some great stories. Check it out to learn more about All Kids Play!

https://youtu.be/ekTdoyvK8jA

Keeping a young hockey player on the ice!

Michael Piasecki playing hockey at Tamo Shanter Youth Hockey with All Kids Play financial assistance youth sports grant

Michael loves the game of hockey. However, coming from a single income household with a decrease in employment hours due to COVID, paying for him to continue in his hockey program was difficult for the family. All Kids Play was happy to help!

With schools shut down for much of the winter, the hockey program allowed him to continue to stay active and work on social skills by providing a safe and positive environment with strict COVID protocols. Michael loved the program so much, he has decided to continue on with the assistance of All Kids Play. We’re excited to see that he has sustained engagement in the sport due to great coaches, teammates and an overall fun program!

All Kids Play is proudly supporting these sisters!

Emilee and Chloee Piasecki at DazzleMeDance competitive cheer and gymnastics program with All Kids Play youth sports grant financial assistance

Chloee and Emilee have a strong passion for competitive cheer and gymnastics, and their parents are very supportive of the girls following their passion. However, due to COVID and health issues, the family is living on one income with a reduction in employment hours. With the expenses that come with competitive cheer and gymnastics, the family struggled to afford keeping their girls in the program. All Kids Play was happy to help keep these sisters active and fully engaged in a great competitive program with certified coaches and strict COVID protocols by helping with registration, competition and uniform fees.

All Kids Play Refugee Soccer Program Silent Auction