P&G announce Athletes for Good for Beijing 2022
P&G, the IOC and the IPC established the program ahead of Tokyo 2020 to recognise the accomplishments and charitable endeavours of athletes both on and off the field of play.
A selection of global athletes competing at the Olympic Winter and Paralympic Games Beijing 2022 have been awarded grants courtesy of the Athletes for Good program, a joint initiative established by Worldwide Olympic Partner P&G, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
A total of 16 athletes, 11 Olympians and five Paralympians, from nine different countries have each been awarded a share of $400,000 to be used to support charities close to their hearts.
The causes range from helping in the fight against climate, to raising awareness to the LGBTQ+ community and much, much more.
The confirmed recipients of the Athletes for Good program are:
- Cynthia Appiah (Bobsleigh) and Fast and Female
- Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Freestyle skiing) and FitSpirit
- Sini Pyy (Para Cross-country skiing) and Protect Our Winters Finland
- Gus Kenworthy (Freestyle skiing) and Worthy Foundation
- Brendan Doyle (Skeleton) and MyMind
- Ella Cox (Luge) and Cystic Fibrosis Association of New Zealand
- Simidele Adeagbo (Bobsleigh) and LeadMinds Africa
- Sara Hurtado (Figure skating) and Fundación Ecomar
- Brittney Arndt (Luge) and Protect Our Winters
- Dan Cnossen (Para Biathlon) and Classroom Champions
- Arlene Cohen (Para Snowboard) and Adaptive Action Sports
- Kendalll Coyne Schofield (Ice hockey) and Schofield Family Foundation
- Christopher Mazdzer (Luge) and Classroom Champions
- Danielle Umstead (Para Alpine skiing) and Sisters in Sports Foundation
- Oksana Masters (Para Cross-country skiing) and Kindness Wins
- Katie Tannenbaum (Skeleton) and My Brother’s Workshop, Inc.
Find out more about the athletes and the causes they will be supporting with the grant below.
Athletes and charities celebrate being recipients of the Athletes for Good program
Four-time Olympic luger Chris Mazdzer was delighted to discover he and his charity had been chosen as part of the Athletes for Good Fund program: “This is absolutely incredible, and I know that Classroom Champions is going to be ecstatic!”
Classroom Champions, which is a cause also supported by Paralympian Dan Cnossen, is an organisation that provides children with social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum and mentorship programs to help improve engagement and inspire a positive classroom culture.
Passionate about supporting those in underserved communities, Mazdzer has spent the last six years connecting with hundreds of students remotely, serving as a role model and imparting the lessons of his own Olympic experiences.
The Athletes for Good grant will enable 32,000 additional children to participate in the program, pushing Classroom Champions closer towards its goal of mentoring one million students weekly by 2025.
Dual Paralympic threat Oksana Masters and her foundation Kindness Wins have also been selected to receive grant money.
Eager to spotlight the unsung heroes whose community work can have enormous impact on the lives of others, Kindness Wins finds and awards individuals with Medals of Kindness. The Medals recognise those who go above and beyond to spread the important message of inclusivity and goodness.
The idea is grounded in Masters’ own experience at the Louisville Adaptive Rowing Club which was key in her journey to become a Paralympic champion. The grant funding will allow the organisation to continue awarding Medals of Kindness and subsequent grants to individuals and communities across America.
Freestyle skier and fund recipient Gus Kenworthy will use his grant to help continue the growth of the Worthy Foundation, a cause he launched in July 2021 following his own experience coming out as the first openly gay man in action sports.
In order to continue empowering the queer community to feel accepted, Kenworthy will use the money to provide safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth and provide resources to help tackle feelings of alienation.
As a trailblazer, Nigeria’s first Winter Olympian Simidele Adeagbo knows all too well what it’s like not to have someone to look up to.
It’s why she has already worked to use her platform to inspire young women and men through her own masterclasses built around developing leadership skills through sport.
Now, the most decorated African bobsled and skeleton athlete of all time has teamed up with LeadMinds Africa to continue her work in developing the next generation of leaders. Their programs target young adults in education and help them find their purpose so that they can best contribute to their communities.
Adeagbo will use the Athlete for Good grant to ensure the growth of their work, and to support the Minds2Lead year-long leadership development program and mentorship program.