Funding to provide expansion of Fit Family Challenge and i play! afterschool
San Antonio Sports has received a $350,000 grant from the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation to expand two free youth and community programs. It is the largest single-year grant award the organization has ever received. Funds will allow San Antonio Sports to expand Fit Family Challenge from a 12-week summer program to year-round, adding sites, classes, community runs and a mental health component. It will also be used to expand i play! afterschool into new school districts, potentially adding a new sport and providing a similar mental health component.
“This funding will impact thousands of children and families in our community,” said Jenny Carnes, San Antonio Sports president and CEO. “Our mission is to transform our community through the power of sport, and this grant is transformative for the future of our organization and those we serve.”
Fit Family Challenge was established in 2010 and provides opportunities for families to learn about health and fitness, eat right and stay active with free weekly fitness classes and health assessments. Free 5K runs are also offered. Available to anyone living in Bexar County, Fit Family Challenge specifically targets San Antonio neighborhoods identified as high risk for ongoing health problems. Research shows that participants increase physical activity, and the program positively contributes to their mental health.
i play! afterschool is San Antonio Sports signature youth program for children in third through fifth grade. It provides skill-based instruction in soccer, basketball, volleyball and tennis to 1,500 kids in 50+ Title I schools in six school districts. Research shows that children in the program have significantly less absenteeism, fewer disciplinary referrals and a high academic outcome in reading and math than children not in the program.
To learn more, visit SanAntonioSports.org.