Grizzlies Charitable Foundation Honored for Excellence in Sports Philanthrophy

On Saturday, June 23, the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation was honored by the Sports Philanthropy Project (SPP) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) with the 2007 Steve Patterson Sports Philanthropy Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy at the Associated Press Sports Editors Convention in St. Louis, MO.

The Steve Patterson Sports Philanthropy Award, given annually to a professional sports team and athlete who demonstrate excellence and leadership in community and national philanthropy, was established in 2005 by the Sports Philanthropy Project and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest philanthropy devoted to health and health care in the United States.

The award was created in memory of Steve Patterson, former UCLA basketball star, NBA player and college coach, and one who believed in and practiced the power of sports philanthropy to make a difference in the lives of others. Patterson died of cancer in July 2004. The award includes a $5,000 honorarium to advance the work of each winning foundation.

“What teams mean to their fans and the communities in which they reside should be indelibly imprinted in the DNA of their corporate philanthropy,” said Grizzlies President of Business Operations Andy Dolich.

“What we make is a living, what we give back makes and saves lives. Personal and business leadership is defined by the ability to give back, build up and create partnerships with other like-minded proactive community organizations. Steve Patterson exemplified what leadership, teamwork, collaboration and selflessness can accomplish. It is an honor to receive this award in his memory.”

Staley Cates, Grizzlies Charitable Foundation Board President added, "It's a great honor for the Grizzlies Charitable Foundation, the Grizzlies and the city of Memphis to win this award. It gives much-deserved recognition to Jenny (Koltnow, executive director), Andy (Dolich, board member and Grizzlies president of business operations) and the many Grizzlies employees who have worked so hard on multiple efforts to benefit kids in Memphis. It also highlights the excellent work done every day by our partners in this award: Grizzlies Academy, Memphis Athletic Ministries, and Memphis Grizzlies House at St. Jude. We also thank all Tickets for Kids sponsors, INSPIRE speakers and participating Grizzlies’ players and coaches for making this happen."

photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images

Added: The Grizzlies Foundation was awarded the 2007 Steve Patterson Award in Sports Philanthropy by the Sports Philanthropy Project and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“We are truly honored to be recognized as the 2007 recipient of the Steve Patterson Award. It is really a tribute to our local ownership’s vision for this team, the participation by players, coaches, staff, and fans, and to the foundation partners’ unwavering dedication to kids in Memphis. The Grizzlies Foundation has been able to reach out to so many kids and families, whether they’re basketball fans or not. Seeing the pride in parents’ eyes as they watch their children graduate from Grizzlies Academy or the comfort felt by families—often far from home—when staying at Grizzlies House is the real reward,” said Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation Executive Director Jenny Koltnow. “I see this as a new opportunity—and a new challenge—to live up to Steve Patterson’s legacy to further highlight the extraordinary work of these partners and engage more individuals and organizations in youth mentoring in Memphis.”

“The Grizzlies Charitable Foundation and Jamie Moyer are outstanding sports leaders who care deeply for the health and well-being of people in their communities,” said Greg Johnson, executive director, The Sports Philanthropy Project. “Their commitment goes much deeper than just financial contributions; they work strategically to identify pressing needs in their communities and develop innovative ways to address those needs.”

The Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation, which was preceded by the Grizzlies Charitable Fund, was established in 2004. Since the team’s move to Memphis in 2001, more than $18.5 million in grants have been made to Memphis-area nonprofit organizations and schools. The Foundation’s work focuses on education, health, and mentoring of Memphis youth. Notable Foundation efforts include the establishment of Grizzlies Academy, a “second-chance” high school created for public school students at-risk of dropping out; Memphis Grizzlies Athletic Center at Memphis Athletic Ministries Sportsplex, a state-of-the-art sports facility with six additional satellite centers in underserved neighborhoods, and the Memphis Grizzlies House at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which provides a comforting home away from home for up to 100 out-of-town families who have children being treated at the hospital.

The Steve Patterson Philanthropy Award embodies the value of its namesake. Steve Patterson was a well-known center on three national championship basketball teams at UCLA, and later played in the NBA and coached at Arizona State University. Following his athletic career, he founded Patterson Sports Ventures, linking players, teams and sports foundations with important social causes.

The Sports Philanthropy Project (SPP) provides technical assistance to sports foundations, enabling them to define their mission and use the popularity and resources of professional athletes and teams to promote vibrant, healthy communities. SPP harnesses the power of sports to help build sustained and comprehensive social programs and services throughout the United States and Canada. SPP was launched in 1998 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. For more information, visit www.sportsphilanthropy.com.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful, and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit our website at www.rwjf.org.