SEATTLE, Wash. – Mariners Care, the Seattle Mariners nonprofit foundation, today announced the awarding of the next round of Community Impact Grants to five Washington organizations working to provide advocacy, mentorship, and mental and physical health support for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
The $1 million Seattle Mariners Community Impact Grant program was announced July 2020 as part of a broad set of commitments to advance social justice and racial equity. This round of grants awards organizations focused on changing the systems — in athletics, education and beyond — that have historically impacted the ability of BIPOC communities to thrive.
“Since this program began, our goal was to help make a difference in the lives of the people in the Pacific Northwest and support organizations working towards systemic change. The groups selected for this year’s grants are all working towards positive health outcomes for youth and accelerating equitable outcomes for BIPOC communities across our region. We couldn’t be more honored to support these deserving organizations,” said Fred Rivera, Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President.
Community Impact Grant Awardees
- $10,000 – Hopes and Dreams Foundation
- $25,000 – Rainier Athletes
- $15,00 – Southeast Youth and Family Services
- $15,000 – Sustainable Seattle
- $25,000 – Your Money Matters
Hopes and Dreams Foundation
Hopes and Dreams Athletics (HAD Athletics) plans to use the $10,000 grant to help provide BIPOC youth with nutrition guidance and access to competitive and recreational sports. Through these activities, coaches and mentors provide lessons to build mental resilience and self-confidence.
HAD Athletics supports youth from frontline communities who often struggle with low self-esteem, depression, behavioral issues, negative academic outcomes, lack of support in their social and emotional development, and oftentimes have difficulty transitioning from adolescence into adulthood.
Rainier Athletes
Rainier Athletes (RA) plans to use the $25,000 grant to provide mentorship support for students from 4th and 5th grade through high school graduation. To help address systemic barriers that exclude BIPOC and low-income youth from equitable access to athletics, RA fully sponsors students to participate in sports/summer camps year-round.
Southeast Youth and Family Services
Southeast Youth and Family Services plans to use the $15,000 grant to provide comprehensive mental health treatment and prevention services through the Strong Connections–Powerful Futures program, which is a culturally informed, non-traditional therapeutic affinity space that creates space for healing through intergenerational connection. This program integrates family workshops, facilitated discussion during family dinners, and shared experiences to create community, bridge the cultural divide between parents and their children, and decrease social isolation for families while providing ongoing support.
Sustainable Seattle
The Sustainable Seattle Interweave Coalition is a collaborative and supportive coalition consisting of a peer-to-peer network of more than 100 community organizers—working towards environmental sustainability in diverse ways. It is a frontline and BIPOC-led coalition that plans to use the $15,000 grant to weave together resources, support, collaboration, and capacity to build sustainability in the Coast Salish Region.
Your Money Matters
Your Money Matters Financial Mentoring Program plans to use the $25,000 grant to help provide youth with financial education and mentorship. The organization’s goal is to put youth on the path to financial security by providing culturally relevant financial education and mentorship necessary for participants to become responsible and productive adults through financial independence.
For more information, visit Mariners.com/CommunityImpactGrants.