Dodgers Foundation Receives Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award

Los Angeles CA

30 September, 2021

4:35 PM

Description

PRINCETON, NJ —The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced Wednesday that the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundations (LADF) was one of five winners of the 2021 RWJF Sports Award. The winners, which were honored at a Wednesday virtual ceremony, each will receive a $25,000 cash prize. Since 2015, the RWJF has used the sports award to recognize professional sports teams, athletes, coaches and community-based organizations that use sports to catalyze and sustain change to make communities healthier places to live, learn work and play, the organization said. According to the RWJF, the LADF, which is the official charity of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is using its platform and programs to tackle the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, healthcare, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. "The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is absolutely thrilled to have received the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Sports Award for our critical work to remove barriers to health equity through sports," LADF CEO Nichol Whiteman said. "Through an approach that focuses on the comprehensive needs of young people, we aggressively tackle the most pressing challenges that Angelenos face by providing access and opportunity for those who need support the most." According to the LADF, the organization's COVID relief efforts provided 3.8 million meals and over $2 million of essential items to vulnerable Angelenos. Plus, the organization provided $1 million in grants to local social justice organizations addressing racial inequality. "I am amazed by the work of this year's winners and their commitment to using sport as a vehicle to achieve health equity," said Allyn Brooks-LaSure, RWJF's vice president of communications. "We know that removing barriers to safe play is essential to building a culture of health, and our winners provide wonderful examples of that." The other winners of the 2021 award were: The Dance Institute of Washington, a minority-led, pre-professional dance equity organization in Washington, D.C.Make The World Better, a Philadelphia-based organization run by former NFL player Connor Barwin, which seeks to connect people and inspire stewardship through public space revitalization projects.Move United, a Maryland-based organization that provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence and fitness through participation in community sports.YEAH! YOGA, an organization based in Louisiana that runs yoga and mindfulness classes for young people ages 11-24.