Supporting Olympism Through Education
Efforts by Olympians & Paralympians
The following athletes have drawn on their Olympic experiences, giving back to their community and helping to make the world a better place.
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Art of the Olympians
Art of the Olympians is an Al Oerter Foundation program run by Olympian and Paralympian artists. Our unique platform shows the connection between sport, art, and the Olympics and celebrates the Olympic and Paralympic athlete while promoting Olympic ideals and values.
Visit the Art of the Olympians website: https://artoftheolympians.org
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Andre Agassi Foundation for Education
The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education is an educational organization dedicated to transforming U.S. public education for underserved youth. The Foundation drives reform by engaging in the practice, policy, and partnerships that provide quality education and enrichment opportunities.
Visit the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education website: http://www.agassifoundation.org/
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Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream Foundation
The Always Dream Foundation has created a literacy program called Always Reading that focuses on the development of early childhood literacy skills for students in kindergarten through 1st grade. A key element to the program is providing 21st-century technology by integrating e-reader tablets and digital books in the classroom.
Visit the Always Dream Foundation website: https://www.alwaysdream.org/
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Michael Phelps Foundation
The Michael Phelps Foundation works to promote healthy, active lives, especially for children, by offering water-safety courses, recreational pool activities, and swim training, as well as health and wellness education.
Visit the Michael Phelps Foundation website: https://michaelphelpsfoundation.org
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Athletes For Hope
Athletes For Hope is an organization that brings athletes together, to educate, inspire, and empower them to channel their energy for a common goal: to make a difference in the world through sports philanthropy.
Visit the Athletes For Hope website: http://www.athletesforhope.org/
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Wish of a Lifetime
Wish of A Lifetime: Celebrating Our Oldest Generations, fulfills seniors’ dreams and share their stories to inspire those of all ages. By reaching out to elders in our lives, we can all help show them they are loved and appreciated. We connect seniors with people, purpose, and passions to eliminate their feelings of isolation and help them live vibrant purposeful lives.
Visit the Wish of a Lifetime website: https://wishofalifetime.org
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Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation
The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation is dedicated to changing the future of cancer by funding advanced, innovative research that treats cancer while sparing the patient. The foundation supports research that accelerates the advancement of less toxic treatments for isolated cancers and tumors with precision proton beam therapy and prevention of the spread of cancer with targeted immunotherapy drugs.
Visit the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation website: https://www.scottcares.org/
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Respect Ability - Fighting Stigmas. Advancing Opportunities.
Respect Ability is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works with entertainment, policy makers, educators, self-advocates, nonprofits, employers, faith-based organizations, philanthropists, journalists, and online media to fight stigmas and advance opportunites for people with disabilities. The organization educates and offers free tools and resources to inform so people with disabilities can achieve the education, training, jobs, security, and good health that everyone needs and deserves.
Visit the Respect Ability website: https://www.respectability.org/
LA84 Foundation supports youth sports programs and public education about the role of sports in youth development. With 30 years of experience, the foundation has supported thousands of youth sports organizations through grants, while also training coaches, commissioning research, convening conferences, and acting as a national thought leader on important youth sports issues.
The USOPC is focused on protecting, supporting and empowering America’s athletes, and is responsible for fielding U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, and serving as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S. Additional support is provided in the form of training facilities, sports medicine and science, coaching education, health insurance, promotional opportunities, education and career services, outfitting and travel, and safe sport and anti-doping programming.
The LA 2028 Organizing Committee is led by Chairman Casey Wasserman and is a partner with the City of Los Angeles and the United States Olympic Committee. The committee has set the vision and designed a plan to host a sustainable, fiscally responsible Olympic and Paralympic Games, benefitting the community, the International Olympic Committee, and the wider Olympic Games movement.
The Center for Sociocultural Sport and Olympic Research’s mission is to promote education and research concerning sport and the Olympic Games in their broadest cultural, social and political dimensions. CSSOR’s goals include cross-disciplinary research on issues related to sport. The center is committed to diverse, cross-disciplinary research that respects sport’s significance in society.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a not-for-profit independent international organization that is committed to building a better world through sport and is the leader of the Olympic Movement. The IOC supports all affiliated member organizations of the Olympic Movement and strongly encourages, by appropriate means, the promotion of Olympic values.
Founded in 1974, the committee preserves the works and thoughts of Pierre de Coubertin and make known his ideas among the youth. In addition, the committee provides useful information on how Coubertin`s ideas could be put into practice through contemporary educational initiatives.
The French Committee Pierre de Coubertin is an association governed by its statutes and whose purpose is to make known the work of Pierre de Coubertin as a whole, identify and disseminate the moral, civic, cultural, and pedagogical teachings that emanate from them, and to contribute for the physical and sports activities whose practice must conform to the Olympic ideal defined by Pierre de Coubertin.
Adaptive Sports USA empowers individuals with a disability through access to competitive sport(s) opportunities and offer a regional and national outreach network, to engage, empower, and support the Adaptive Sport-Minded community. With education, coaching expertise, and competition, athletes are supported through all stages of development. As the sole US member of the International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation, they provide athletes with access to international competitions.
BlazeSports America is the legacy of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games. The mission is to change the lives of children and veterans with physical disabilities through adaptive sports, offering a variety of sport and recreation programs for kids and veterans with physical disabilities. These include spina bifida, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, dwarfism, amputations, spinal bifida and visual impairments, among others. All programs provide participants the opportunities to increase physical activity, create new friendships, develop new skills and increase independence, serving a wide range of ability levels from recreational beginner to competitive Paralympians.
Move United USA provides national leadership and opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in community sports, recreation, and educational programs. The goal is to improve the lives of wounded warriors, youth, and adults with disabilities by providing sports and recreation opportunities.
Challenged Athletes Foundation provides opportunities and support to people with physical challenges, so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. Involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence, and enhances quality of life. CAF reaches out to the physically challenged community by providing inspiration, awareness, and mentoring. The foundation has played a pivotal role in not only changing the lives of tens of thousands of athletes globally, but in evolving the world's perception and acceptance of those with physical challenges.
One of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, multi-sport event organizations in the world, the Amateur Athletics Union is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. The AAU philosophy of “Sports for All, Forever” is now shared by nearly 700,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across 41 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts. AAU offer amateur sports programs through a volunteer base for all people to have the physical, mental, and moral development of amateur athletes and to promote good sportsmanship and good citizenship.
The National Congress of State Games is a membership organization comprised of 30 Summer State Games and 10 Winter State Games organizations and a member of the United States Olympic Committee's Multi Sport Organizational Council. The mission of the NCSG is to support State Games member organizations in the promotion of health, fitness and character building through multi-sport competitions and physical activities. State Games provide a motivational goal for all athletes within the state in which they are organized. Recreational and competitive events alike are offered in most states.
The NSGA is a non-profit organization dedicated to motivating active adults to lead a healthy lifestyle through the senior games movement. The Games, a 20-sport, biennial competition for men and women 50 and over, is the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors.
Special Olympics is a global movement of people creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability. Special Olympics supports over 5 million athletes, 1 million coaches and volunteers, more than 100,000 competitions each year, and 32 Olympic-type sports through programs in more than 170 countries.
The YMCA is a non-profit organization, committed to strengthening the community. YMCA works side-by-side with neighbors to make sure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. They offer programs and services to give everyone the opportunity to succeed.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has administered programs dedicated to championships in balance with the overall college educational experience. Each year more than 65,000 NAIA student-athletes have the opportunity to play college sports, earn over $600 million in scholarships, and compete for a chance to participate in over 26 national championships.
The National Federation of State High Schools Association promotes amateur sports participation and athletics programs at the high school level and is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a member-led organization dedicated to providing a pathway to opportunity for college athletes. Nearly half a million college athletes make up the 19,750 teams that send more than 52,500 participants to compete each year in the NCAA’s 90 championships in 24 sports across 3 divisions. The NCAA also interpret and support member legislation, run all championships, and manage programs that benefit student-athletes. The NCAA prioritizes academics so student-athletes get the most out of their education and build skills for success in the workplace and in life.
USA Football works to make the game better and safer, ensuring that nothing stands in the way of a player’s excitement for the sport. As the sport’s national governing body and member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players. USA Football establish unmatched standards of safety, education, and support for coaches and players in order to provide an environment where bonds are formed, skills are perfected and leaders are born.
Art of the Olympians is an Al Oerter Foundation program run by Olympian and Paralympian artists. Our unique platform shows the connection between sport, art, and the Olympics and celebrates the Olympic and Paralympic athlete while promoting Olympic ideals and values.
The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education is an educational organization dedicated to transforming U.S. public education for underserved youth. The Foundation drives reform by engaging in the practice, policy, and partnerships that provide quality education and enrichment opportunities.
The Always Dream Foundation has created a literacy program called Always Reading that focuses on the development of early childhood literacy skills for students in kindergarten through 1st grade. A key element to the program is providing 21st-century technology by integrating e-reader tablets and digital books in the classroom.
The Michael Phelps Foundation works to promote healthy, active lives, especially for children, by offering water-safety courses, recreational pool activities, and swim training, as well as health and wellness education.
Athletes For Hope is an organization that brings athletes together, to educate, inspire, and empower them to channel their energy for a common goal: to make a difference in the world through sports philanthropy.
Wish of A Lifetime: Celebrating Our Oldest Generations, fulfills seniors’ dreams and share their stories to inspire those of all ages. By reaching out to elders in our lives, we can all help show them they are loved and appreciated. We connect seniors with people, purpose, and passions to eliminate their feelings of isolation and help them live vibrant purposeful lives.
The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation is dedicated to changing the future of cancer by funding advanced, innovative research that treats cancer while sparing the patient. The foundation supports research that accelerates the advancement of less toxic treatments for isolated cancers and tumors with precision proton beam therapy and prevention of the spread of cancer with targeted immunotherapy drugs.
Respect Ability is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works with entertainment, policy makers, educators, self-advocates, nonprofits, employers, faith-based organizations, philanthropists, journalists, and online media to fight stigmas and advance opportunites for people with disabilities. The organization educates and offers free tools and resources to inform so people with disabilities can achieve the education, training, jobs, security, and good health that everyone needs and deserves.