SONICS & STORM COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The Sonics & Storm Foundation, organization and individual players contribute close to $1 million annually to charitable causes. The teams invest in the wellbeing of local communities by providing support and programming that help improve the lives of youth throughout the state. This investment focuses on three primary areas: basketball, education and health and fitness.
BASKETBALL: In an effort to positively influence the development of the game of basketball in the state of Washington, the organization offers camps, clinics and programs such as Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, Wheelchair Basketball and NeighborHoops.
EDUCATION: The Sonics & Storm organization strives to promote education through the development and delivery of literacy programs such as Read to Achieve, The Black History Heroes Challenge and Reading & Learning Centers. The Foundation also supports continuing education through its Sonics & Storm Prep-Athlete Scholarship program with King County Journal Newspapers.
HEALTH & FITNESS: The Sonics & Storm and its partners support and implement initiatives that focus on health issues among children and that promote youth fitness. The programs are Hip to be Fit, Be Smart-Be Fit-Be Yourself, Breast Health Awareness and a program featuring hospital visits by players.
*SIGNATURE PROJECT: Beginning this year, the Sonics & Storm Foundation has made a multi-year financial commitment to Camp Korey. Camp Korey will build self-esteem and confidence in children and young adults with serious medical conditions, while providing a fun, exciting and safe environment. The camp will provide outdoor activities, sports, arts and crafts and more. Campers will stay for a full week free of charge. The camp is scheduled to open in summer of 2008 and will serve children and families throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Camp Korey is a proposed Hole in the Wall Camp which was founded by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman in 1998. Hole in the Wall Camps serve more than 10,000 seriously ill children and young adults annually.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS: The Sonics & Storm organization have seven community partners: Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, The Ronald McDonald House, YWCA, Seattle Public Schools and Special Olympics.
FUNDRAISING EVENTS: The Sonics & Storm Foundation manages several events to raise funds that support the organization’s community programs, nonprofit partners and educational initiatives. Events include in-arena auctions, Sonics & Storm at Your Service and Schooling with the Storm.
TICKET/AUCTION DONATIONS: The Sonics & Storm players, owners and sponsors generously support the Foundation’s Tickets for Kids program which donates tickets to local nonprofits. The community relations department makes every effort to fulfill public requests for Sonics and Storm items that fall within the organization’s established donation criteria.
BASKETBALL-FOCUSED PROGRAMS
* NEIGHBORHOOPS: Both the Sonics and Storm are dedicated to providing opportunities for kids in Western Washington to participate in athletics and basketball-specific activities. The NeighborHoops program refurbished its 21st court last year. The new Colman Playfield court was dedicated on Oct 24, 2005.
JR. NBA/JR. WNBA: The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA is presented by Gatorade and Nike and serves existing recreational youth basketball leagues through support programs for players, coaches, parents and game officials.
SONICS & STORM BASKETBALL CAMP: The Sonics & Storm Basketball Camp, presented by Gatorade, is all about kids. Young hoopsters of all skill levels learn to improve their games from the best local high school and college coaches.
COACHES’ CLINICS: The organization’s coaches’ clinics are designed to provide training and resources for youth basketball coaches. In partnership with Coaches Who Care, Intl., the Sonics & Storm organization offers support for coaches and helps increase the number of qualified volunteer coaches that aid youth programs throughout the state.
* WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL: For more than 10 years, the Sonics have been proud sponsors of the local active adult and junior wheelchair basketball programs.
EDUCATION-FOCUSED PROGRAMS
READ TO ACHIEVE: The Read to Achieve program, sponsored by Starbucks Coffee Company, is an incentive-based program designed to encourage students, grades 1-8, to develop strong reading skills.
* READING & LEARNING CENTERS: The Sonics & Storm are dedicated to providing access to Reading & Learning Centers for youth in Western Washington. The organization provides funds to update facilities, books and other vital resources to youth programs in need.
BLACK HISTORY HEROES CHALLENGE: Each February, the Sonics celebrate Black History Month with a series of special game-night activities at KeyArena. In 2005-06, the Sonics once again teamed up with Southwest Airlines to present The Black History Heroes Challenge for kids throughout the state.
HEALTH & FITNESS-FOCUSED PROGRAMS
HIP TO BE FIT: The Hip to Be Fit Challenge, sponsored by Gatorade, is a program used to aid the physical fitness curriculum in Seattle Public Schools, the Highline School District and Blaine Elementary.
BE SMART-BE FIT-BE YOURSELF: Similar to Hip to Be Fit, Be Smart-Be Fit-Be Yourself is a new fitness initiative sponsored by the WNBA that encourages females of all ages to learn more about their bodies and the importance of physical fitness.
BREAST HEALTH AWARENESS: The WNBA’s Breast Health Awareness program, in partnership with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, works to raise funds, generate awareness and educate women on what can be done to fight breast cancer.
HOSPITAL VISITS: The Sonics and Storm players make visits and conduct activities at Seattle Children’s Hospital Regional Medical Center and at Ronald McDonald House for kids and families affected by life-threatening illnesses.
ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES
* TICKETS FOR KIDS: The Tickets for Kids program is designed to provide an opportunity for kids connected with local nonprofit organizations to attend Sonics and Storm regular-season games. Players, owners and the organization’s staff members purchase season tickets that are distributed to nonprofit groups throughout each team’s season.
* FOOD, CLOTHING AND TOY DRIVES: Every year, the organization encourages fans to donate cans of food, winter clothing, toys and school supplies at designated Sonics and Storm games throughout the NBA and WNBA seasons.
* HOLIDAY PROGRAMS: The Sonics donate thousands of turkey dinners to support the area’s homeless during the Thanksgiving holiday. The team’s annual holiday traditions also include a Seattle Children’s Hospital Regional Medical Center visit in December when Sonics players spread joy with gifts for kids hospitalized during the holiday season.
* STUDENT-ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIPS: The Seattle Sonics & Storm Foundation has partnered with King County Journal Newspapers to present the annual Sonics & Storm Prep-Athlete Scholarship Award. The $2,500 scholarship honors four student-athletes who have overcome severe circumstances to achieve their goals.
* Indicates Sonics & Storm Foundation initiatives.
