Ninth Annual giveSPORTS Equipment Drive Saturday, Sept. 12

The ninth annual giveSPORTS Equipment Drive presented by Brannan Companies will be held at Pepsi Center on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in the Rav4 Parking Lot (located between 9th and 11th streets between Chopper Circle and Auraria Parkway).
Kroenke Sports Charities, A Precious Child and Brannan Companies invite the public to support local disadvantaged families in their desire to participate in sports by dropping off new and gently-used sports equipment and monetary donations to support sports scholarships at the event. Now, more than ever, it is important to provide opportunities to keep kids active as families spend increased time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participation in extracurricular sports significantly impacts short and long-term educational, emotional, behavioral and physical outcomes for disadvantaged, poverty-stricken youth.

A Precious Child's giveSPORTS program gives children in need the opportunity to get involved in organized sports by providing gear and participation free scholarships. In addition to encouraging fans to drop off goods at the in-person event, Patch My PC will provide $15,000 in matching funds to support giveSPORTS scholarships that help cover registration costs and other sports-related fees. Representatives from the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rapids and Colorado Mammoth will be in attendance to help unload donor vehicles and thank the community for their contributions. In addition, all donors will receive a tax letter and a coupon for 25% off regularly-priced merchandise at AltitudeAuthentics.com (some restrictions apply).
This year's drive will look a little different than it has in the past due to COVID-19. Enhanced social distancing protocols will be in place to protect both volunteers and donors, and donors will stay in their cars for the entire time that they drive through to drop off their goods. All volunteers unloading vehicles will be wearing masks and gloves, and there will be a designated area for donors who do not wish to have volunteers touch their vehicle at all. This area will have carts and bins that donors can use to unload their equipment. Hand sanitizer will also be provided.
A Precious Child's giveSPORTS program was started by 12-year-old Dustin Martin in 2011. Knowing the powerful impact sports had on his life, Martin sought to ensure all children regardless of circumstance had the opportunity to play sports. Another exceptional young person, Jessica Redfield Ghawi, an aspiring sports journalist for Altitude Sports & Entertainment had a similar dream to provide children who were victims of the Colorado wildfires with equipment that they lost. Unfortunately, Ghawi lost her life in the Aurora Theater tragedy in 2012.
Together, Kroenke Sports Charities and A Precious Child have combined efforts to fulfill both Jessica and Dustin's dreams in a community-wide equipment drive to help put kids in the game. Since its inception in 2012, the giveSPORTS Equipment Drive has collected nearly 200,000 pieces of sports equipment and over $80,000 in sports scholarships to benefit more than 25,000 local children in need.
Learn more about giveSPORTS
Purchase items directly from A Precious Child's Amazon Wishlist
Click here to make a monetary donation to A Precious Child online
All sports equipment is accepted but donors are asked not to bring clothing. The following items are the most highly requested in both youth and adult sizes:
Baseball and Softball - Balls, Gloves, Catcher's Gear, Bats, Batting Gloves
Basketball - Balls, Nets, Shoes
Bicycles - Bicycles, Helmets
Boxing - Gloves, Head Gear
Football - Balls, Pads, Helmets, Cleats
Golf - Clubs, Shoes, Bags
Hockey - Pucks, Skates, Pads, Goalie Gear, Helmets, Sticks
Lacrosse - Balls, Sticks, Pads, Helmets
Roller Hockey - Skates, Helmets, Pads, Sticks, Balls
Roller Skating/Blading- Skates, Helmets, Pads
Ski/Snowboard - Skis, Snowboards, Poles, Helmets, Gloves, Jackets
Soccer - Balls, Cleats, Shin Guards
Tennis - Balls, Rackets, Shoes
Volleyball - Balls, Nets, Pads
Other - Scooters, Skateboards, Sports Jerseys, Athletic Cups (New Only), Mouthguards (New Only)
About Kroenke Sports Charities - Kroenke Sports Charities is committed to improving lives through the spirit and power of sports. We strive to serve our community through education, health and fitness initiatives, athletic programs and direct aid, with the particular purpose of helping families, children, veterans and the disabled. Kroenke Sports Charities provides relevant programs and support, directly and with other nonprofit organizations, to ultimately assist, encourage and enrich the lives of those in need. To learn more, visit
www.pepsicenter.com/arena-information/kroenke-sports-charities
.
About A Precious Child, Inc. - A Precious Child is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides children in need with opportunities and resources to empower them to achieve their full potential. In 2018 alone, A Precious Child served nearly 49,000 disadvantaged and displaced children. A Precious Child provides impoverished Colorado children and families with basic essentials such as clothing, shoes, baby formula, diapers, coats, backpacks and school supplies, sports equipment, and gifts for the holidays. We work to assist children and families facing difficult life challenges such as abuse, neglect, crisis situations and poverty. Our core initiatives help build the whole child, in addition to providing basic essentials, we help children and their families navigate community resources, working with schools to strengthen attendance initiatives, and providing services and resources to agency partners to strengthen their impact.
Since 2008, A Precious Child has provided opportunities and resources to more than 240,000 children and their caregivers. A Precious Child serves eight counties surrounding the Denver Metro area, including Arapahoe, Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson and Weld. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 303.466.4272, or visit
APreciousChild.org
.