Sports give kids more than an opportunity to move their bodies. Participation can build confidence and resilience, support physical and mental well-being, create connections, and develop skills that last far beyond their years as athletes.
From Sept. 1-15, the Daniels Fund and Project Play Colorado will host the third annual Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, a statewide online fundraising campaign helping more Colorado kids experience the joy, health and lifelong benefits of sports.
The initiative has raised nearly $9 million in its first two years, benefiting more than 240 organizations across the state.
This year, two Pagosa Springs nonprofits — Pagosa Springs Dance Academy and Wolf Creek Ski Team — are participating.
Dance and skiing may not be the first activities that come to mind when thinking of traditional youth sports, but both get kids away from screens, moving their bodies and training alongside other young athletes. They build strength, coordination and discipline while giving kids opportunities to challenge themselves, build relationships and gain confidence.
The Wolf Creek Ski Team aims to uplift athletes by helping them develop life skills, build lasting friendships and reach their individual potential on the mountain.
The Pagosa Springs Dance Academy embraces the joy of movement while empowering students to develop skills, discipline and confidence through dance.
Both organizations work to keep participation affordable and offer scholarships to reduce financial barriers for local families.
The need for accessible youth sports extends across Colorado. Only 38 percent of children from low-income households participate in sports, compared with 72 percent of children from higher-income families.
Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day gives individuals and businesses an opportunity to support programs like these while leveraging statewide matching funds to bring additional dollars back to youth programs in our community.
The biggest opportunity begins at 6 p.m. on Sept. 1, when a statewide $1.5 million matching pool opens. Eligible online donations will be matched dollar for dollar while funds remain. Because the pool is shared statewide and expected to be claimed quickly, donors hoping for the full 1:1 match should give as close to 6 p.m. as possible.
A separate $250,000 America250 Fund provides a 1:1 match for qualifying online donations made through donor-advised funds, IRAs or wire transfers.
After the 1:1 matching pools are exhausted, eligible donations made through Sept. 15 will still receive a percentage-based boost through the statewide incentive fund.
Individuals and businesses can make donations Sept. 1-15 through each organization’s Colorado Gives page. The Pagosa Springs Dance Academy’s direct giving link is https://mtyc.co/2kxscf, and the Wolf Creek Ski Team’s is https://mtyc.co/p5okgf.
Donors can also visit YouthSportsGivingDay.org and search for either organization by name.
Whether young athletes find their passion on the mountain or in the dance studio, youth sports give kids opportunities to move, connect with others, challenge themselves and build confidence. This September, Pagosa Springs can support two very different local organizations with a shared goal: keeping kids active and helping local youth experience the joy and lifelong benefits of sport.
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