The Challenged Athletes Foundation announced the result of Giving Tuesday and a holiday campaign to help people with physical challenges gain access to sport and fitness.
With the holidays approaching, CAF is fundraising goals for the upcoming 2022 grant. Donations to CAF will provide challenged athletes needed resources.
“By providing vital and life-affirming grants we can provide adaptive athletes with the opportunities they need to play, compete, and move,” said Kristine Entwistle, Associate Executive Director of CAF. “Participation in sports and physical activity creates connection, community, and friendship.” CAF will, once again, provide grants in 2022 to challenged athletes for adaptive equipment, coaching, and competition expenses.
According to the CAF, a challenged athlete is an individual with a permanent physical disability pursuing an active lifestyle through physical fitness or competitive athletics. The individual’s permanent disability must impair mobility, affect the neuromuscular system, impair balance or motor control.
The organization took part in the global movement GivingTuesday on Nov.30 to build upon shared humanity and radical generosity. The CAF asked the community to actively participate in the “Do 30, Give $30” holiday campaign to empower individuals with physical challenges through sport. Social media aided the campaign to exceed $42,000 in donations.
The Holiday fundraiser also received a donation of $50,000 Sue and Pat O’Connell to match towards holiday donations. As the Executive Vice President of Ameriprise Advisor Group & Ameriprise Financial Institutions Group, Pat O’Connell supports CAF’s mission that stems from his commitment to the sport of triathlon.
The organization utilizes guidelines from the International Paralympic Committee’s classification structure. All qualifying individuals must provide supporting documentation from a medical professional to explain how their physical disability affects their activities of daily living. According to CAF, hearing impairments, Intellectual and developmental disabilities do not qualify for support.
Individuals may support CAF through the following:
- An all-new Holiday Gift Box comes ready to present and includes a premium CAF-branded Nike long-sleeved, athletic top for adults or kids.
- The Gift Guide of active brand partners who share the belief in the power of sport to heal individuals. These partners include Nike, 100%, Headsweats, Sock Guy, EOS Fitness, Designer Protein, Equator Coffees, ZYM, Xterra and Nonaste.
- The CAF Online Store where all proceeds support the CAF mission.