Caps Care Year in Review: MSE Foundation

During the 2023-24 season, the Washington Capitals, its players, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation (MSE Foundation) continued to give back to the community and grow participation in hockey throughout the region. Through fundraising and programming efforts, the Capitals and MSE Foundation supported numerous organizations in an array of missions. The organization's efforts resulted in $1,768,584 raised for charity.

Over five weeks, WashCaps.com is taking a look back at highlights across the following categories:

Caps Care Community Programs and Initiatives
Theme Nights and NHL Platforms
Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation
Capitals Player Programs
Youth Hockey Development

This week, WashCaps.com recaps Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation:

KABOOM! Playground: In the fall, children and families in Southeast D.C. celebrated the creation of a new kid-designed playground at SOME Independence Place. Following a months-long collaboration between So Others Might Eat, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation and KABOOM!, more than 150 volunteers including Capitals player Connor McMichael, Casey Carbery and Sydney Kuemper built a new playspace.

The new playspace was a collaborative effort by community members, including kids, who presented creative ideas for their dream playground during a design day in July. Volunteers from the organizations built the space over several days and helped cut the ribbon alongside staff from Monumental Sports & Entertainment and players, coaches and mascots for the Capitals and Wizards. Since 2011, MSE Foundation has invested nearly $1 million and partnered with KABOOM! to build 11 playgrounds across the region with the volunteer support of more than 1,300 employees and fans.

Capital Impact Fund: During the 2023-24 season, the Washington Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment awarded $75,000 across nine Capital Impact Fund beneficiaries.

Black Girl Hockey Club, Bowie Hockey Club, Every Kid Sports, Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena, George Mason University Ice Hockey Alumni Foundation, Reston Raiders Hockey Club, Tender Bridge (Baltimore Banners), Titans Youth Hockey and the Tucker Road Parent Hockey Organization were the nine nonprofits that received a combined $75,000 in funding.

The organizations were selected by the Capitals based on their missions and impact toward diversity in hockey, as well as on their plans to use the funding to further advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the sport in the Washington, D.C., area.

Stars & Spirits: The Washington Capitals Alumni Association hosted the fifth annual Stars & Spirits rooftop event benefiting the Capitals Alumni Community Fund on Sept. 29 at The View of DC in Rosslyn, Va. The cocktail event featured alumni, fans and Capitals partners alongside a variety of tastings, custom drinks, and premium hors d'oeuvres. Guests were able to mingle with former Capitals players and select current players while taking in 360-degree panoramic views of Washington, D.C.

A live and silent auction raised proceeds for the Capitals Alumni Community Fund to grow the game of hockey within the D.C. area and support local charities.

Garage Sale: A September ‘Garage Sale’ featuring Capitals items and prior giveaways raised nearly $22,000 for Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. The sale featured Capitals bobbleheads, T-shirts, posters, hats and additional Capitals items.

LAYC Grant: In honor of September’s Hispanic Heritage Month, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation allocated a $10,000 grant to Latin American Youth Center (LAYC). The funds were presented to LAYC through a check presentation in October in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Fort Dupont Ice Arena Grant: In October, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation and the Washington Capitals announced the designation of a previously raised $435,275.55 donation as well as an additional $64,725 for a total of $500,000 to Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena in support of its Kids On Ice® Program. The grant is being distributed over a five-year period, with Fort Dupont Ice Arena receiving $100,000 per year. In April, the Capitals hosted a skate with Kids On Ice® participants.

Hockey Fights Cancer: November’s Hockey Fights Cancer campaign raised $104,625 for the team’s Hockey Fights Cancer beneficiaries. Proceeds were split between Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. A Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation fundraiser featured Hockey Fights Cancer themed jerseys worn by players upon arrival to the arena on Nov. 18.

The auction also included autographed Hockey Fights Cancer pucks as well as player portraits drawn by children affiliated with the nonprofit Tracy’s Kids, which uses art therapy to help young cancer patients and their families cope with the emotional stress imposed by the disease and its treatment. The artwork was displayed on the jumbotron during the game, and the related portrait proceeds directly benefited Tracy’s Kids.

Proceeds from the Nov. 18 50/50 Raffle benefited the Capitals Hockey Fights Cancer beneficiaries.

Caps Canine Calendar: The 2024 Caps Canine Calendar raised funds for Wolf Trap Animal Rescue and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. The calendar featured photos of Capitals players with their dogs, as well as dogs available for adoption through Wolf Trap Animal Rescue.

Gr802 Auction: A December Gr802 Auction raised $45,165. Proceeds benefited Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation and will be used to fund an Alex Ovechkin legacy project to build a ball hockey rink at a to be determined location in Virginia, Maryland or Washington, D.C.

Family-To-Family: During the holiday season, several Capitals families participated in Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation’s Family-To-Family initiative. The Capitals shopped for 10 Salvation Army families, purchasing clothing, toys, electronics, books and other items from their wish lists to spread joy and cheer during the holiday season. Three of the families were invited to the Caps game on Dec. 23, where they were given their presents, got to meet several of the Capitals players’ wives and mascot Slapshot, and were treated to dinner in their suite.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation also provided a $25,000 grant to Martha’s Table for their Winter Wonderland, which provides gifts and holiday supplies for families including toys, books, clothing, gift bags, stockings, wrapping paper and decorations.

Hockey Talks: Proceeds from Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation’s 50/50 raffle on Jan. 13 – the Capitals’ f ourth Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness Game in partnership with MedStar Health – benefitted the organization Shoulder Check.

Black History Month Auction: A Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation auction featuring special jerseys designed by Washington, D.C., based illustrator and art director J. Freeman Robinson raised $41,450 for the Capital Impact Fund. The auction also featured six pairs of game-worn autographed skates and four pairs of autographed sneakers designed by local artists. One pair of game-worn autographed skates and one pair of autographed sneakers were painted by Cory Bailey, also known as Sierato; two pairs of game-worn autographed skates and two pairs of autographed sneakers were painted by Lloyd Ferguson, also known as SwaggyPicasso; and three pairs of game-worn autographed skates and three pairs of autographed sneakers were painted by David Zambrano, also known as Dez.

Caps Fore Charity: In February, the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation hosted Caps Fore Charity presented by TVAR Solutions and Dell Technologies at Topgolf – National Harbor in Oxon, Hill, Md. It was MSE Foundation's second Topgolf fundraiser, as players and alumni participated in two rounds of tournament play and interacted with numerous partners. Proceeds are used to support MSE Foundation's efforts throughout the community.

Star-Spangled Baby Shower: In February, the Capitals and Operation Homefront hosted the Capitals Star-Spangled Baby Shower in Washington, D.C., for expectant military moms. Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation presented Operation Homefront with a $10,000 donation during the shower. Four expectant moms were celebrated by the significant others of Capitals players and coaches. Guests of honor included an active duty Navy mother, an active duty Army spouse, a Marine Corps veteran mother and a transitioning Army veteran mother.

PVAHA: During the Capitals’ March 9 Women in Hockey Night presented by General Dynamics Information Technology, the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation presented a check for $25,000 to the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association (PVAHA) and the Reston Raiders, who organized the region’s first area-wide Girls' Try Hockey Event last September. MSE Foundation donated this funding to PVAHA for its 2024 DMV Girls Try Hockey for Free Day, where girls ages four through nine are introduced to the sport of hockey at no cost. In addition, MSE Foundation made a donation to PVAHA from the funds raised through the Capitals 50/50 Raffle on March 9.

Military Auction: A Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Military Night auction benefiting United Heroes League and MSE Foundation raised $34,604. In addition, proceeds from the Capitals and MSE Foundation's 50/50 Raffle on Feb. 20 benefited United Heroes League.

Pride Auction: A Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Pride auction featuring autographed player-used sticks wrapped in rainbow-color ‘Pride Tape’ raised $27,375 for SMYAL (Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders), with a portion of funds allocated for Team DC, as well as MSE Foundation. In addition, Giant presented a $5,000 check to SMYAL to officially launch the fundraising efforts on Pride Night. Proceeds from the Capitals 50/50 Raffle on March 20 also benefited SMYAL.

TJ1K Auction: Capitals players wore #77 jerseys during warmups on March 24 in honor of T.J. Oshie reaching the 1,000 career NHL games milestone on March 16. The jerseys were signed and auctioned off in a Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation TJ1K Jersey Auction benefiting the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. The auction raised $41,582.

Carly1k Auction: Capitals players wore #74 jerseys during warmups on April 7 in honor of John Carlson reaching the 1,000 career NHL games milestone on March 30. The jerseys were signed and auctioned off in a Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Carly1K Jersey Auction, with $24,446 raised for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.

Cherry Blossom Auction: Cherry Blossom jerseys, designed by Washington, D.C., based artist Taylor Kampa Olson of TKOPaintings, were auctioned off with proceeds benefiting Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. The fundraiser resulted in $80,825 for future foundation programming.

Jersey Sweepstakes: The Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Jersey Sweepstakes raised $32,710 for charity. One grand prize featured four glass tickets to the Capitals’ April 15 game versus the Boston Bruins, including a slot in the Capitals annual “Jerseys Off Our Backs” ceremony. Additional prizing included various specialty jerseys signed by Capitals players.

Go Green Auction: A Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Go Green Auction presented by BioSafe featuring green jerseys autographed by Capitals players raised $37,300. Proceeds benefited Anacostia Riverkeeper and MSE Foundation. In addition, proceeds from MSE Foundation’s April 4 50/50 Raffle also benefited Anacostia Riverkeeper.

Nameplate Auction: The Washington Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation 2024 Nameplate Auction raised $15,325. Proceeds benefited MSE Foundation. Auction items included specially designed nameplates autographed by Capitals players. The nameplates were displayed above the players’ stalls at Capital One Arena during the 2022-23 season and featured the Capitals cherry blossom logo and women in hockey logo.