Harding Middle School is hosting an equipment drive for their students. See the graphic for how you can help. If you’d like to donate funds to help support the procurement of these items please reach out to let us know.

Check out the video from last Saturday’s @umps_care Official Leadership Program hosted at Hoover High School. MLB Umpire and Urbandale native, Pat Hoberg, stopped by to share advice with the youth participating in the program. Participants learned about leadership skills, umpiring mechanics and more from instructors on Saturday. Four more weeks of the program before we get them out working games this Spring!

We are excited to partner with the @livehealthyiowa to bring their Track & Field event to Des Moines. The top two finishers in the 7-8 through 13-14 divisions will qualify for the State Meet in Marshalltown on June 1. Register through the link in our bio or by visiting bit.ly/DSM-Track

Big News! Iowa native, Pat Hoberg, will be joining the @umps_care Official Leadership program for a hands-on clinic. Classes will be Wednesdays only now with three optional hands-on clinics on Saturdays. Register via the link in our bio! https://www.umpscare.com/official-leadership-program-registration/

We are excited to partner with @umps_care to continue to honor the legacy of Eric Cooper. Our goal is to help introduce and increase the number of umpires in baseball/softball in Iowa. Register ⬇️ https://www.umpscare.com/official-leadership-program-registration/

Youth from DMPS (@desmoinespublicschools) had their first experience with floor hockey tonight! They learned the basics from Iowa Wild (@iowawild) and Des Moines Bucs (@bucshockey) players, received autographs and even got to scrimmage each other.

Registration for Des Moines Parks and Recreation Basketball is closing soon. Sign up now!

We are less than $4,000 away from our $40,000 fundraising goal for 2023. We have doubled the amount fundraised from last year already when we raised $17,000. You can help support The IOWA Foundation by donating on Facebook/Instagram, our website, Venmo, etc.

The @iawolves and @dmymca are partnering for another season of the Iowa Wolves Metro League at the John R. Grubb YMCA! • Open to high school students who do not play on their school's basketball team • Freshman/Sophomore and Junior/Senior division • Season starts November 27th • $25 per player, includes game jersey REGISTER HERE: dmymca.org/basketball

Iowa State staff and student-athletes participated in the annual Story County Blast Back to School supply drive. Overall their efforts helped: • Collect over 32,000 individual school supplies • Pack over 1,200 backpacks • Raise over $19,000 https://www.blastbacktoschool.org/

Inaugural Run at Riverview ✅ We had ~75 participants between our Fun Run and charity 5k! Participants helped fundraise over $4.4k and counting for their teams. Thank you everyone who helped make this event a success!

The Iowa Wolves Read to Achieve program is back for 2023-24! Learn more about how students, teachers and schools can participate to win prizes for achieving their reading goals.

Checkout our Run at Riverview plaques, medals and t-shirts! There’s still time to sign up for August 5th at bit.ly/RiverviewRun

Only 25 days until the Run at Riverview Park! We’ve been setting goals at our Youth Running Program each week. Week 1 we talked about hydration and passed out water bottles. Week 2 participants got to enjoy fruits after practice. Week 3 🔜 Sign Up: bit.ly/RiverviewRun

Yesterday we kicked off our Youth Running Program (K-8th) at Riverview Park. Thank you to the XC Coaches from Des Moines East and Lincoln for coming out to support this initiative. Another thank you to Fitness Sports for the popsicles and 5-2-1-0 for the water bottles to keep our participants hydrated.

Check out our very own highlights from TnT Football Camp on Saturday! Thank you to @macmedia121 and @loganmhock for capturing these awesome interviews and moments from camp. YouTube: https://youtu.be/kG8ZdK8Bhgw

We partnered with TnT Football Camps to host a FREE camp at Des Moines Hoover today. Almost 400 youth came out to learn the game from Tim Dwight, Tavian Banks, Rodney Filer, Iowa State players, Hoover coaches and other NFL & college players. We are grateful to these coaches, volunteers and sponsors who made this possible for our community.

Another incredible @rallyforreidfoundation Football Camp! Over $95k raised (and counting) to support children and families impacted by childhood cancer. @jakegervase30 and @hawkeyefootball alumni support for this event is unparalleled.

Thank you to all of our sponsors for the 2023 TnT Football Camp at Hoover High School! Being able to offer this camp for FREE to 400 kids would not be possible without their financial and in-kind donations.

Add some PLAY to your day on June 24! Join us celebrating the lifelong value of sport & play. Get out and be active with kids and share the fun with #PlayDay2023 and support #PlayEquityNow @playequityfund @la84foundation

Tavian and Tim went on @who13news today to talk about the upcoming TnT Football Camp on June 24th. The countdown is on until 400 youth join us at Hoover High School to learn from two of the best football players Iowa has ever seen. Check out the full interview and stay tuned for future camps and clinics in partnership with The IOWA Foundation!

Thank you to the family of Dennis Heiman for their impactful gift to The IOWA Foundation. We are proud to honor Dennis’ legacy using the money donated in his memory. Dennis impacted countless people he came in contact with as an educator, coach, official and mentor. A total of $5,535 was contributed to The IOWA Foundation by Dennis’ family and friends. This will be used to fund five (5) Iowa Coaching Authorizations for first time coaches who may face financial challenges. The remaining funds will support our upcoming football initiatives this summer. This includes our TnT Football Camp with 400 youth from Des Moines and across Central Iowa as well as 20 scholarships for the Rally for Reid (@rallyforreidfoundation) Football & Spirit Camps.

Are you ready for some baseball? ⚾️The Des Moines Urban Baseball League (DSMUBL) is back and registration is now open for K-5th Grade! Starting on June 10th, come join us at Brian Melton Field for a summer filled with fun. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, there's a spot for you in the league. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to play America's favorite pastime in the heart of Des Moines. Register today and let's play ball! Register Here: bit.ly/DSMUBL

We are excited to announce a partnership with the Quad Cities Air Show (QCAS)! We are looking for six (6) individuals to join our team on three different dates: June 22nd (Th), June 23rd (Fri), and June 26th (Mon), from approximately 10am to 4pm (6 hours) at the Davenport Airport to assist with setup and teardown. For each day our team volunteers, QCAS will generously donate $500 to The IOWA Foundation. But wait, there's more! On Thursday and Friday, our dedicated volunteers will have an exclusive opportunity to witness the exhilarating practice shows before the main event! Tag your friends and share this post to spread the word! DM us for more information and to get signed up as a volunteer. We can't wait to see you there!

Check out our time lapse video of the Run at Riverview race route. We’ll start at Riverview Park before accessing the Inter-Urban Trail, Wakonsa Bridge, Trestle to Trestle Trail, Neal Smith Trail and McHenry Park Trail. Join us Saturday, August 5th by registering here: bit.ly/RiverviewRun

Attention wrestling fans and supporters! Valley Wrestling needs your help. They are raising funds to provide financial assistance for their student athletes to be able to attend a team summer camp. As you may know, the wrestling community has recently announced new weight classes. In honor of these changes, we are asking for donations that correspond with the new weights. If we receive one donation from each weight class that will result in $816. In combination with the $275 we have already received we will hit our $1,000 goal. If you would like to donate a custom amount, any contribution is greatly appreciated. Your donation will help provide opportunities for these athletes to sharpen their skills and create lifelong memories with their teammates without worrying about financial barriers. We believe that every athlete deserves a chance to succeed, regardless of their financial situation. Donate Here: https://charity.pledgeit.org/f/jQ4dwbuHXj

Thank you to Can Play (@canplay_org) for letting us tag along on their college visit to Iowa State University as a part of their Youth Leadership Academy! Special shoutout to Ray Schmidt at Iowa State Rec Services (@isurecs) for the tour of State Gym & Beyer Hall, sharing about his Iowa State experience and career opportunities in sports & recreation. Participants also got to stop by an Iowa State Softball (@iowastatesoftball) game and ask questions to Iowa State Athletics (@cycloneath) Marketing Associate, Carly Aschinger.

Looking for a fun way to get active and make a difference in our community? Sign up for our 5k fundraiser at Riverview Park in Des Moines! Not only will you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the park and trails, but you'll also be supporting a great cause. All proceeds will go to The IOWA Foundation to provide support to youth in need of equipment, financial assistance and more. This event will be the culmination of a 6-week youth running program also hosted at Riverview Park. However, we are opening it up to the community and people of all fitness levels. You can run, jog, or walk the 5k course at your own pace. So grab your friends, lace up your running shoes, and join us for a morning of fun and fundraising. Register now at bit.ly/RiverviewRun and we'll see you on August 5th! #5kfundraiser #DesMoines #RiverviewPark #charityrun

Kick It Forward (@kifsoccer) and the US Soccer Foundation (@ussoccerfoundation) are bringing a Coach Mentor Training to Des Moines. This training is not only for Soccer coaches, all coaches are welcome. To register please email hello@kifsoccer.com! The training will also teach how to work effectively with youth in and from underserved communities and create a positive team culture that reflects the diversity of the youth they serve. This will benefit coaches working with young people of varying racial, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The first Girls Wrestling Camp through The IOWA Foundation had ~100 girls come out to learn from Alexis Gomez (@alexisssgomezz_) and her teammates. Participants came from across Iowa as far away as Sergeant Bluff, Brooklyn, Clear Lake and right here in Central Iowa. The majority of participants were either first time wrestlers or in their first year wrestling. Thank you to the coaches and sponsors for making this event a success! Sponsors: @chain_wrestle and @unbreakablefemaleathlete_

The Grand View Men’s Soccer (@gvu_mens_soccer) team and coaches are hosting four Soccer Camps this summer. Registration costs vary by age and location. If you have a participant that is interested that doesn’t have a ball or may need financial assistance please reach out to The IOWA Foundation. Visit their website for more details. https://www.vikingsoccercamps.com/

A few Hawkeye (@hawkeyefootball) legends stopped by Hoover High School today to check out their facilities. Circle your calendars for a FREE Football Camp for 3rd-8th Grade DMPS (@desmoinespublicschools) students on June 24th in partnership with TnT Camps. Registration information coming in April! L to R: Jacob Burke, Travis Gorsch, Tavian Banks, Jason Hemmer, Tim Dwight and Rodney Filer.

Announcing our newest sponsor, Chain Wrestling (@chain_wrestle). We will be giving away three (3) UFA singlets created by Chain Wrestling along with other opportunities to grab your own gear at our upcoming Girls Wrestling Camp on April 8th. Check out some of the Chain Wrestling athletes and their apparel by visiting their website below. https://www.chainwrestling.co/

Des Moines Parks & Rec (@desmoinesparks) is looking for a few more volunteers for their Youth Soccer Program this Spring season.

We are on our way to @tanagerplace in Cedar Rapids to drop off baseball equipment for five kids ages 6-12 years old that want to give baseball a shot this season. We’re hooking them up with their own gloves, cleats and baseball pants. As Linn County’s first children’s human service agency, Tanager offers programs that focus on prevention, treatment, and outreach and serve over 4,000 children, teens, and young adults each year. Learn More: https://tanagerplace.org/ The Cedar Rapids (@cityofcr) Parks and Recreation Department offers a discount for programs to individuals and families with financial need. Learn more about the “RecAssist” Program application and see if your family qualifies for reduced fees. Visit https://cedar-rapids.org/residents/parks_and_recreation/recassist.php

We are excited to announce Unbreakable Female Athlete as a sponsor for our upcoming Girls Wrestling Camp! UFA was founded by Jaecee Hall who is a student athlete on the Women’s Rowing team at the University of Iowa. UFA has committed portions of each sale towards supporting and uplifting youth girls in athletics.

Check out this sneak peek of the t-shirts that each of the camp participants will receive on April 8th at our Girls Wrestling Camp with Alexis Gomez! Thank you to Elite Sports for designing these and being our first sponsor. We are still looking for a few more sponsors who will be recognized on the shirts, website and social media. There’s still time to register too! Click here: bit.ly/GirlsWrestlingCamp

The AP Combine is coming to Saydel High School on April 29th! Athletes in 5th-12th Grade are encouraged to register for assessments and testing. Learn more by visiting the link or scanning the QR code.

Happy International #WomensDay to all the Amazing Iowa Women! From athletes to authors to unsung heroes and to the next generation of change makers this day is to recognize your achievements. We won’t spoil the individual stories but we highly recommend grabbing your own copy. Special thanks to Katy Swalwell for writing these books and to @raygunshirts for their support in helping us to distribute these books in classrooms across Iowa.

We are excited to partner with NAIA All-American, Alexis Gomez (@alexisssgomezz_), to bring a FREE Girls Wrestling Camp to Des Moines for girls in 3rd-12th grade. Register Here: http://bit.ly/GirlsWrestlingCamp

The @drakebulldogsfb players kicked off another semester of their Reading Program in @desmoinespublicschools at Greenwood, Findley, Hubbell and Moulton Elementary.

We are partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters across Iowa on the #BigDraft. Nationwide BBBS has the goal of 6,000 Bigs in 60 days. Stay tuned for videos from some of your favorite Iowan players and former Hawkeyes, Cyclones & Panthers. Find out more by visiting the link below. https://www.bbbs.org/BigDraft/

Incredible event tonight for the @wewillcollective! Cyclone fans showed up to support student athletes by raising money that will also directly impact local nonprofits, like The IOWA Foundation. Thank you to Brent, the fans that support the We Will Collective and all the Iowa State athletes for their commitment to giving back to our community. “The We Will Collective has a simple mission. We aspire to support student-athletes that share our passion for the Cyclones and encourage them to be community minded.”

Help us collect running shoes and spikes for members of the Iowa City West Track & Field team (@icwestboystf) who are in need. You can donate your gently used shoes at Fitness Sports (@fitness_sports_coralville) in Coralville. Did you know Fitness Sports offers high school runners a discount on the purchase of their shoes? They also have a limited number of spikes in stock, but these will go FAST.. pun intended!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County (@bbbsjohnsoncounty) is in the midst of a “30 Brothers in 30 Days” campaign this month. In response to the great local need – most of the 120 kids on the waitlist for a Big are boys. https://www.bbbsjc.org/get-involved/ “Bigs” hangout a couple times a month with a young person, doing things people already enjoy doing, since BBBS make matches based on interests (and schedules, background, etc.) No special skills or experience is required, just a caring heart and reliable access to transportation. Men who apply in January (and those named in the application as sources of referral) are eligible for the following giveaways: a football signed by Kirk Ferentz, gift cards to Scheels, KFC, or Zio Johno’s.

At Impactful Opportunities With Athletes we want to help athletes use their platform to make a positive impact in the community. #MyCauseMyCleats is doing just that by bringing awareness to important causes that athletes are passionate about. Today we will highlight Iowans playing in the NFL and the causes they are supporting. Here’s what a few players shared with The IOWA Foundation about the organizations they chose.

Thank you to everyone who donated yesterday during #GivingTuesday! We raised $700 of our $1,000 goal. $510 will help Tre pursue his Coaching Authorization in Iowa. Tre is currently an Associate at Harding Middle School where he also attended before graduating from North High School. He hopes to coach basketball and/or football in DMPS. Stay tuned as we roll out details around future coaching scholarships. Our goal is to identify a prospective coach from each of the five (5) @desmoinespublicschools to help fill Middle School and High School vacancies in DMPS. • DMACC Class ($350) • Application Fee ($85) • Background Check ($75)

Donate to The IOWA Foundation this #GivingTuesday for your chance to take home autographed memorabilia. All donations of $50 or more will be entered for the chance to win an autographed basketball from @cyclonembb or an autographed football from @hawkeyefootball alumni. Funds raised will go towards school supplies, coaches authorizations, certifying officials and more initiatives that support education and sports across Iowa.

Check out our Impact in 2022 so far! Thank you to everyone who has donated, collaborated or helped spread awareness to support our cause. https://www.theiowafoundation.com/areas-of-impact

Impactful Opportunities With Athletes Foundation is hosting a @vhsgirls_wrestling fundraiser through @gopledgeit! Join our efforts in fundraising yourself or donating to the inaugural girls high school wrestling season. https://charity.pledgeit.org/ValleyGirlsWrestling

We are still in need of wrestling equipment for DMPS Girls (Nov. 17th), Harding Middle School (Nov. 10th) and Valley WDM Girls (Nov. 15th). Our biggest need is head gear and a few shoes (see sizes in last picture). So far we have collected 20+ pairs of shoes and 10+ headgear for ~$325.00. If you would like to donate equipment please reach out. Cash donations can also be made and will go towards buying used equipment.

Unbreakable Female Athlete (@unbreakablefemaleathlete_) founded by Jaecee Hall (@jaeceehall) is supporting The IOWA Foundation and Iowa High School Girls Wrestling programs. Find the link in our bio to get your own apparel!

Thank you to Iowa baseball (@uibaseball) alum, Tyler Cropley, for the donation. The donation includes 20 cleats/turfs (mostly size 10.5), protective equipment and equipment bags. We will be distributing this equipment to local high school teams in the Des Moines area. Tyler played high school ball at Bishop Heelan (@bishopheelanathletics) and attended Iowa Western (@iowawesternbaseball) before transferring to Iowa. He currently plays in the Kansas City Royals (@kcroyals) organization.

LeagueApps (@leagueapps) has awarded Impactful Opportunities With Athletes Foundation a 2022 FundPlay grant. As a grant recipient we will receive a free, perpetual license to LeagueApps software, a cash donation, and a variety of other benefits including free coach training, impact evaluation software discounts, and entry into the FundPlay community and network of organizations.

What does @dubulldogs mean when they say they are Des Moines’ Hometown Team? Today we launched an 8-week literacy program in @desmoinespublicschools where 20 @drakebulldogsfb players will read to 1st-5th Grade classrooms across three different DMPS schools.

Another great opportunity for Matches at Big Brothers Big Sisters (@bbbsci)! Thank you to the Drake Men’s (@drakemensoccer) and Women’s (@drakewomensoccer) teams for this opportunity for our Bigs & Littles. Awesome to see Des Moines’ Hometown Team using their platform to raise awareness for BBBS’ mission.

Shoutout to @skymy08 and the @nusbcats team for their donation of pants, cleats, belts, socks, undershirts and more. We can’t wait to get these in the hands of young girls in our communities ASAP. Please reach out if you know deserving recipients or if you are interested in donating lightly used equipment or apparel.

Thank you to Cy’s Locker Room for donating these two Iowa State basketballs that the @cyclonembb team signed. These will be included in future Silent Auctions to raise funds for additional events like yesterdays @wewillcollective clinic. Want your own Cyclone Basketball? Visit their Ames location (806 South Duff Ave), stop by one the five game day merchandise stands at Jack Trice Stadium or Hilton Coliseum on game day or shop online at https://cyslockerroom.com/

The @wewillcollective Youth Basketball Clinic couldn’t have been better! Thank you to the members of the @cyclonembb team that led participants from @bbbsci @canplay_org and @dmymca through a youth basketball clinic at @valleycommunitycenterdm. Also big thank you to @nfmpics for supporting this clinic and providing t-shirts for all the participants.

We are one week away from the We Will Collective clinic at Valley Community Center! Thank you to Scheels (West Des Moines, IA) for the donation of $300 which allowed us to purchase additional basketballs for participants who may not have their own. There’s still time and a few more open spots to sign up to participate. Don’t miss this opportunity with members of the Iowa State Men's Basketball!

We are partnering with the We Will Collective (@wewillcollective) to host a FREE Basketball Clinic for youth in 1st-6th Grade. The clinic will feature members of the Iowa State Men's Basketball (@cyclonembb) team who will lead participants in skills & drills. Following the clinic players will sign autographs and take pictures with participants. The clinic will be held at Valley Community Center from 5:30-7:00pm. Participants are encouraged to arrive between 5-5:30pm. Please note that space is limited for this event. Thank you to Nebraska Furniture Mart (@nfmpics) for providing t-shirts for the first 75 participants! Find the link in our bio to register!

Happy First Day of School to everyone including Kirkwood Elementary! We were able to provide Kirkwood with 24 backpacks containing all the school supplies need for the school year as well as books for teachers classroom libraries. The remaining supplies were donated to @bbbsjohnsoncounty and their Littles for the upcoming school year. Overall we donated 65 backpacks, 68 books, 30 pairs of brand new Nike shoes and hundreds of other supplies including notebooks, folders, glue sticks, pencils, markers, crayons, earbuds and more.

The Drake Men’s Soccer team (@drakemensoccer) hosted a clinic for youth ages K-8th before their friendly against Grand View yesterday. Participants learned new skills & drills, scrimmaged, took pictures and got autographs from the players. Admission to the game was free for fans to attend as both teams prepare for their upcoming seasons. Well done Kason Crall (@kasoncrall) for organizing teammates and participants for the clinic.

🚨REMINDER🚨 Sign your K-8th grader up for this free soccer clinic on Wednesday, August 17th from 5-6pm. This is their chance to take pictures, get autographs and learn from @drakemensoccer & @drakewomensoccer before their game against Grand View. Hosted by: @kasoncrall and @kcperformanceandfitness FREE Registration in our bio

Iowa State (@cycloneath) student athletes volunteered yesterday to prepare for the Blast Back to School packing event taking place today between 5-8pm. Blast Back to School will pack 1,100 backpacks to distribute to students attending Story County schools. Volunteers (L to R) include Gable Sieperda (Athlete Advisory Committee), Sam Hall, Quinton Orr, Bria Barnes, Kelsey Sampson (Board of Directors), Allye Bodholdt, Sophia Goushchina and Andie Quirke.

Over 20 members of the Simpson Women’s Soccer Team (@simpsonwsoc) hosted a free clinic for youth in Clive. Participants learned dribbling, passing, shooting and fun soccer games. The clinic took place at the Pro Iowa (@uslproiowa) mini-pitches built in partnership with Kick It Forward (@kifsoccer) and Clive Parks & Rec (@cliveparksrec).

Back 2 School Iowa is still looking for volunteers, donations and community partners for Sunday, August 21st at the Grubb YMCA (@j.grubbymca). This event will impact and serve over 1,000 students in the Des Moines Public Schools (@desmoinespublicschools). Find out more by the Link in our Bio: back2schooliowa.org

Check out Good Sport’s (@goodsportsinc) Equip-A-Kid platform! You can provide a child or team facing financial barriers with the equipment needed for their season. Visit the link in their bio to donate now. #GoodSports #KidsWhoPlayDoBetter #PlayForAll

Teens from the Grubb YMCA had the opportunity to eat lunch at Jack Trice Stadium and tour the Jacobson Athletic Building in between their @stategamesofamerica basketball games. Thank you to our Board Member @kcsampson3 for setting up this awesome experience!

Thank you to our friends at @raygunshirts for donating thirty Amazing Iowa Athletes books to our organization. We will be distributing these books to teachers classroom libraries in Iowa schools. Tag a teacher that needs this book in their library in the comments below ⬇️

The world of youth sports has split into two groups: the “haves” and “have nots.” While some families have the ability to afford equipment, leagues, and travel costs – many do not. Consequently, their kids are left behind on the sidelines. That is why we support Good Sports (@goodsportsinc), a national nonprofit that drives equitable access in youth sports and physical activity, by supporting children in high-need communities to achieve their greatest potential, on the field and in life. Learn how you can get involved with Good Sports at the link in our bio. #GoodSports #KidsWhoPlayDoBetter #PlayForAll

Yesterday we received a donation of over 40 backpacks and 100 books. We also used cash donations to purchase school supplies pictured. We are still in need of supplies for the donated backpacks. A $25 donation covers all of the items needed for the school year for a 1st-6th grade student in Iowa City Elementary Schools (@iowacityschools). See the list in the second picture.

We are raising funds to purchase bulk school supplies, back packs and books. Through collaborations with collegiate student athletes we will distribute supplies to youth who qualify for Free & Reduced lunches across Iowa. We are also looking to purchase a few books related to Iowa and/or sports to gift to teacher's classroom libraries. Get Involved: 1️⃣ Make a contribution (financial, supplies or volunteer) 2️⃣ Submit a request for a school, grade or classroom to receive school supplies via the link in our bio 3️⃣ Comment your favorites books about Iowa and sports below ⬇️

Thank you to @salesforce and @slackhq for providing us with four tickets to the @hyvee Indy Car races at @iowaspeedway this weekend!

ProCamps (@procamps) and CareSource (@caresource) are bringing FREE Football Camps for Boys & Girls in Grades 1st-8th to Iowa featuring Hawkeye (@hawkeyefootball) and Cyclone (@cyclonefb) players from July 22nd-24th. Click the link in our bio to register today! URGENT: ProCamps is still looking for local coaches to help assist with these camps for a $75 stipend. See last picture for details!

Thank you to the Des Moines Menace (@menacesoccer94) players for hosting a pregame clinic for Big Brothers Big Sisters (@bbbsci), recognizing Bigs & Littles at halftime and using the team’s platform to educate fans about the needs and benefits of BBBS one-to-one mentoring.

We are looking forward to future events like today’s “Trails & Beyond” that support youth that are black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) in exploring distance running and the positive long-term outcomes on their future. Shoutout to Fitness Sports (@fitness_sports_clive) and HOKA (@hoka) for supporting this event and including community partners like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa (@bbbsci) allowing Bigs and Littles to have additional Match Activities.

We’ve had the opportunity to donate youth baseball pants and hang out alongside @canplay_org’s baseball program participants this week. Over 50 kids have received pants the past two days in Clive and West Des Moines with another round today in Waukee! Pictures include Athlete Advisory Committee member, Gable Sieperda (@siepsteep), who is running XC and T&F at Iowa State University (@cyclonetrackxc)

Impactful Opportunities With Athletes Foundation was able to raise $2,900 to provide scholarships to the Rally for Reid Foundation (@rallyforreidfoundation) Football Camp featuring former Hawkeyes and current NFL players. Over 500 kids participated in football skills and drills while raising over $70k through the event that will go towards supporting families with children battling pediatric cancer.

We are partnering with the Rally for Reid Foundation to provide scholarships ($75/person) for 20-25 kids to attend their 2nd Annual Football Camp. Our goal is to raise $1,500 to allow youth facing financial barriers to be able to participate in this camp with Hawkeye football alumni and NFL players. The best part? your donations have double the impact! Not only will this help cover camp costs for scholarship athletes but all proceeds will support the mission of the Rally for Reid Foundation.

We stopped by the Birdland Park Mini-Pitch and noticed not everyone had a soccer ball. Easy fix! Shoutout to @kifsoccer and @muscosportslighting for providing a safe place for young athletes to play in Des Moines.

We’ve got baseball season equipment donations!

Just in time for soccer season! We have 15 Nike soccer balls to donate to youth that don’t have one of their own. These are Size 5 which is recommended for Ages 12+

Thank you to @dugoutsportsfairfax for allowing us to utilize their facilities this morning to distribute youth baseball pants. Also a big shoutout to the six CR Jefferson high school baseball players for coming out to lead the drills and games with kids in the batting cages.

Thank you to Cedar Rapids native, Scott Schebler (@scottschebler)! Scott has made the second biggest gift in the foundation’s history with a $600+ donation. As a result of Scott’s generosity he has made it possible to provide over 600 kids (like the one pictured) with youth baseball pants before the season. Stay tuned for more details regarding our very first event in April impacting Cedar Rapids youth. Do you know of a youth baseball or softball league with participants who would benefit from receiving a free pair of pants? Our priority will be fulfilling requests from organizations serving youth that face financial barriers. Please reach out for more information.

Please welcome one of our newest members of our Board of Directors joining us in 2022. Check out his bio below! Name: Nate Teut Current Position: President of the Des Moines Buccaneers Hometown: Churdan, Iowa College: Iowa State University HS Sports: Baseball, Basketball and Golf College Sport: Baseball Nate has been involved in the sports entertainment industry for fifteen years. Prior to that, he played baseball at Iowa State University and played nine seasons professionally for the Chicago Cubs, the Florida Marlins and the Milwaukee Brewers organizations. Nate also coached his son, Maddox (15) for eight years in baseball for the Iowa Sticks club team. He is also an active father, cheering on his daughter Harper (12) in volleyball and dance. Outside of The IOWA Foundation, Nate is on the Board of Ambassadors at The American Cancer Society Coaches vs. Cancer and an active member of the Des Moines Ambassador Club while also staying involved in several community events to promote and grow youth hockey and the Des Moines Buccaneers. When asked what impact and opportunities sports have provided Nate, he shared: “Sports provided me with a platform and taught me what it meant to compete, to be a good teammate and to set and achieve goals while also creating relationships that last a lifetime. Having success in the game of baseball allowed me to give back by conducting several youth baseball camps and clinics and give private pitching lessons in hopes of positively impacting youth players.” Now, as President of the Des Moines Buccaneers, Nate hopes to use his hockey platform to make an impact on any and all youth hockey players to grow the game of hockey in the state of Iowa.

Our President and members of our Athlete Advisory Committee wanted to share why they applied for college for #WhyApply day through the @american_cac. Why did you apply for college? Drop your answers in the comments below!

Send us your videos or pictures with advice for Iowa high school students for #WhyApply. We will share some of our own from our Athlete Advisory Committee and Board of Directors on September 17th. In the meantime enjoy these graphics with Checklists and Fun Facts on #WhyApply to College from @american_cac.

@bbbsci Little got to meet our very own Athlete Advisory Committee member, @dylanaboles, at the Iowa State v. UNI game courtesy of @nationwide and @cycloneath Kick-Off Kid program. Also ran into Coach Otz pre-game!

We’re proud to join athletes in supporting the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sport, driven by Aspen Sports & Society #ProjectPlay. We’re working together because every kid deserves access to a great sports experience. Join us at http://as.pn/ChildrensRights because kids are #BornToPlay.

Excited to announce The IOWA Foundation has received its first grant! Thank you to Iowa City High School’s Ayana Lindsey (@ayanal4) for the nomination! She received the 2020-21 Gatorade Iowa Softball Player of the Year in recognition of her athletic achievements as well as academic excellence and off field contributions in her community. #WINFROMWITHIN

We are an official 501(c)3 nonprofit!

Have questions about getting recruited in high school? Check out these recruiting tips by @taylorwest_ (Compliance & Football Recruiting GA)

Please welcome our third member of our Board of Directors! Check out his bio below! Name: Kelly O’Rourke Current Position: 4th Grade Teacher Hometown: Williamsburg, IA College: Coe College (Baseball) HS Sports: Football, Basketball, & Baseball Kelly is entering his sixth year of teaching 4th grade at Viola Gibson Elementary School in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. When Kelly isn’t teaching he is coaching or involved in youth sports programs. He has previously coached baseball, football, and basketball at Cedar Rapids Washington High School. Kelly also helps operate the 212 Sports Academy in Williamsburg, IA where he coaches youth basketball teams and helps organize and supervise softball, baseball, and basketball tournaments.  Kelly competed collegiately on the baseball team for two years at Coe College where he received his Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. He decided to hang up his cleats and pursue his dream of coaching which took him to Cedar Rapids Washington. During those seven years of coaching he was able to build his skills in a variety of sports while also learning important lessons on fundraising, communication, and team building.  Kelly also holds a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Viterbo University. His long term goal is to become an administrator in Iowa. Kelly has always had a passion for education in conjunction with athletics which is why he knew at a young age he wanted to be a teacher. His main priority as a teacher is to build strong relationships with all of his students while creating a safe learning environment for each individual. When asked what impact and opportunities sports have provided Kelly he shared: “Athletics has provided me with many opportunities throughout my life. They have taught me life long lessons while also providing me positive mentors that have made a significant impact in my life. My lifelong mission is to impact the lives of many students across all demographics, races, age, and gender to give them the opportunity to participate in sports and learn the many life lessons I had the privilege to acquire over my lifetime.”

Introducing the Impactful Opportunities With Athletes Foundation logo! Designed by Traxshon, a Iowan owned small business. Are you a small business, woman-owned, minority-owned, or veteran-owned? We want to lift up these businesses in Iowa when we need goods or services at the IOWA Foundation. We all know the famous quote from the movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it they will come”. What are we building at the IOWA Foundation? We’re building an organization for athletes to impact and provide opportunities for others through their platform. What’s the first thing you start with when you build something? As we all know a building is only as strong as it’s foundation. That foundation starts at home. So let’s unpack the logo and the name. The logo outline is in the shape of a home plate. A hat tip to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, IA mentioned above. Home should be a safe place whether it’s in baseball or life outside of sports. It’s the foundation of our lives. Our home state of Iowa has provided us with so many opportunities in life through sports and education. We couldn’t help but make sure the outline of the state was included for all those folks outside of Iowa that still don’t know where we’re located or whether we produce corn, potatoes or buckeyes. 😉 The Cadmium Red is the same red used in the Iowa flag. We also drew inspiration from the Iowa welcome sign. You may recognize the swoosh below “Foundation”. The Iowa welcome sign proudly says “The People of Iowa Welcome You” followed by “Fields of Opportunities.” I don’t think it’s just talking about corn fields. I think it’s talking about baseball fields, football fields, soccer fields and even professional or career fields. If you Google “opportunity” the definition “a set of circumstances that make it possible to do something” will be displayed. Despite Google being able to base your search results on your location or zip code that definition is the same everywhere you search it in Iowa. However, I know that people’s personal definition of opportunity may differ based on their circumstances. Those circumstances differ in different zip codes and don’t always lead to favorable opportunities.

Please welcome our second member of our Board of Directors! Check out his bio below! Name: Matt Degner Current Position: Interim Superintendent Iowa City Community School District Hometown: Traer, IA College: University of Northern Iowa (Bachelors) & University of Iowa (Masters) Matt has served in the Iowa City Community School District since July of 2013. Matt was Principal of South East Junior High for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years. Since that time he has served as Director of Secondary Schools, Assistant Superintendent, and now Interim Superintendent. Prior to Iowa City, Matt served two different school districts in Iowa, Williamsburg, and Bettendorf. Matt has one child at Lemme Elementary, one at South East Junior High, and another at City High School.  His wife, Dr. Kate Degner is a teacher at South East Junior High and adjunct professor at the University of Iowa.  Matt is passionate about equity, engagement, and innovation in education. When asked about his passion for education Matt said: “Education opened many doors and provided me with experiences that allowed me to grow into the person I am today.  Because of the caring adults, colleagues, and mentors I have had throughout my journey I feel honored and humbled when I can repay that back to others.  Those of us in the field of education have a responsibility to make sure that all of our students learn at high levels and at the same time have access to the great opportunities our schools provide.  It is important to me that all students not just some in Iowa get to be part of something great and that is why I am so honored to be a part of the IOWA Foundation.”

Please welcome our first member of our Board of Directors! Check out her bio below! Name: Kelsey Sampson Current Position: Assistant to the Director of Athletics at Iowa State University Hometown: Bettendorf, IA College: Coe College (WBB) HS Sports: Women’s Basketball, Golf and Softball Kelsey has several years of experience working in collegiate athletics. She is entering her fourth year working in the Iowa State Athletics Department, as Assistant to the Athletics Director. Prior, she worked at San Jose State and the University of California, Berkeley while enrolled in the Sport Management master’s program at the University of San Francisco. Before entering graduate school, Kelsey was a recipient of the NCAA’s Ethnic Minority & Women’s internship where she worked in the Coe College Athletics Department. As a former collegiate student-athlete, Kelsey understands the significant impact sports can have on every individual and is devoted to expanding those opportunities for our current youth in Iowa. When asked what impact and opportunities sports have provided Kelsey she shared: “Participating in sports has provided me numerous opportunities throughout my lifetime. I was fortunate to begin competitive sports at a young age and continued basketball competitively through college. To this day, I have many mentors and friends who were former coaches or teammates. The impact they have had on my life is profound which is why I am an advocate for youth sports and believe growing youth participation in Iowa is important.”

Impactful Opportunities With Athletes (IOWA) Foundation. What’s your athlete story? How have sports changed your life? How are you using your platform to make change in the community as a former athlete or coach?

Articles of Incorporation ✅ Next up: Form 1023 and Bylaws

We have officially received our EIN and are working hard to submit our Articles of Incorporation and Form 1023. We are also gaining support from current professional athletes, former Hawkeyes and more! If you are connected with an athlete that you think may be interested please feel free to send us a direct message so we can reach out!