Catchings, Bulls receive Sports Humanitarian awards
The Chicago Bulls and former Stevenson High School star Tamika Catchings of the WNBA's Indiana Fever were honored Tuesday with the first Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards presented by ESPN.
At a ceremony held at the Conga Room at L.A. Live, the inaugural event brought together various sports leagues and governing bodies to pay tribute to the collective good of sports and to raise more than $500,000 in net proceeds for The V Foundation's Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Fund, as well as funding various grants.
Catchings, honored with the Sports Humanitarian of the Year, received a $75,000 grant to advance the impact of her charity, Catch the Stars Foundation. Catchings teaches youth about embracing their differences, building their self-esteem and overcoming obstacles. The Foundation also promotes fitness, literacy and mentoring to youth in Indianapolis.
"I am humbled and very appreciative of the ESPN family, along with all of the people who voted for my Catch the Stars Foundation and me," Catchings said. "Winning this award is way more valuable than the monetary donation that comes along with it - it's about being able to continue to impact the lives of so many youth that aspire to dream and reach their goals. We will continue pouring our efforts into the lives of our youth through our fitness, literacy and mentoring programs. What an honor and a blessing to be able to bless others!"
She was selected from a category that included finalists Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers (NFL), John Cena (WWE) and Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (NHL). Each of the finalists received a $25,000 grant to the charity related to their humanitarian efforts.
The Bulls were one of four nominees for the ESPN Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award. Highlights of the awards ceremony will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. today on ESPN.
"The Bulls feel a great sense of responsibility to give back to the city of Chicago and the people who give so much to us," said team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. "It has been incredible to watch our work evolve and flourish over the last few years under Michael (Reinsdorf) and (his wife) Nancy's leadership. I am very proud of the terrific job they have done engaging players, coaches, staff, corporate partners and community partners with the goal of helping others."
During the 2014-2015 season, the Bulls organized over 100 community events focused on youth education, youth health and wellness, violence prevention, and the military and impacted the lives of more than 30,000 people. This work was done by more than 1,350 volunteers who dedicated more than 6,500 hours of their time. The Bulls, working with partners including the McCormick Foundation, also distributed $2.5 million in cash and in-kind donations in support of local nonprofits.
ESPN will present a $75,000 grant to the team's charity, Chicago Bulls Charities, which will be distributed among three Chicago Bulls community partners that are making a significant impact within the team's three areas of focus: After School Matters (youth education), The Salvation Army Kroc Center (youth health and wellness), and Youth Guidance (violence prevention).