Beyond Sport reveals shortlist of awardees for United Airlines Chicago Impact Award

BEYOND SPORT REVEALS UNITED AIRLINES CHICAGO IMPACT AWARD SHORTLIST

 Public vote begins; winner to be announced during Beyond Sport Summit 2010

 Beyond Sport, the global initiative that promotes, develops and funds the use of sport to create positive social change, has revealed the shortlist of candidates for the United Airlines Chicago Impact Award.

The Award, launched in conjunction with the global Beyond Sport Summit 2010 in Chicago (September 29-30), will provide $50,000 of funding and business support to the organization with the sport project that has made the greatest impact in a Chicagoland community, as chosen by the public.

Selected from over 55 projects that applied for the Award, the nominees detailed below were vetted by a specially selected judging panel, before being put forward for a public vote via the Beyond Sport website.

The winner will be announced on September 29 at the Mayor’s Welcome Reception for the Summit 2010 at the United Center in Chicago.

UNITED AIRLINES CHICAGO IMPACT AWARD SHORTLIST

• Bitty Ball
  Neighborhood: Little Village
• Non-Violence Youth Boxing Program
  Neighborhood: East Garfield Park
• Spring Training, Girls in the Game
  Neighborhood: Citywide
• Squash as a Catalyst for Higher Education
  Neighborhood: Woodlawn, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Washington Park, Bronzeville
• West Haven Sports Club
  Neighborhood: West Side

To learn more about the shortlisted nominees for the United Airlines Chicago Impact Award, and to vote for your favourite, visit www.beyondsport.org.

Additionally, the following United Airlines Chicago Impact Award applicants were identified for special recognition by the judging panel. This diverse group of projects – from a sports broadcasting program to an initiative that offers adventure sports to disabled youth – has been invited to participate in the Pre-Summit activities taking place in Chicago, September 27-28. Representatives from the organizations that run these sport projects will participate in workshops, seminars and site visits designed to help them create growth and sustainability plans.

• T.E.A.M. K.I.T. Sports Program
• Team M3
• Urban Initiatives – Work to Play Program
• HoopsHIGH Sports Broadcasting
• Extreme Recess
• Gonzo Soccer Girls Soccer and Leadership Academy
• Paralympic Judo
• Resurrection Basketball League
• Chicago Training Center Rowing
• GLASA GoGirlGo!
• Hoops in the Hood

Joining Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley at the Summit 2010 to help further the mission of Beyond Sport and discuss ways to accelerate the positive impact of sport on communities will be a number of influential global figures including HRH Prince Faisal Al Hussein of Jordan; multi-Olympic gold medallists Ian Thorpe and Michael Johnson; US Senator and former Presidential Candidate Bill Bradley; and Care USA specialist Dr. Auma Obama.

The Summit 2010 will also be attended by leaders from business, sport, social innovation, and government, with high-profile representatives from companies and organizations from around the world.

For further information on any of the Chicago-based projects detailed above visit www.beyondsport.org or contact:

Drew Barrand

Head of Media & Communications

Beyond Sport

Tel: +44 (0)20 3355 8133

Cell: +44 (0)777 624 2904

Email: drew@beyondsport.org

  Beyond Sport is a global organisation that promotes, develops and funds the use of sport to create positive social change across the world. We do this primarily in three ways:

Beyond Sport Awards

The Beyond Sport Awards programme provides support worth $1 million annually to projects across the world that use sport to address issues within their communities. The Beyond Sport Awards 2010 were open for entries from January to April with more than 400 projects entering this year’s Awards 

Beyond Sport Summit

The Summit is an annual event that brings together the best sport-led social innovators with influential, global leaders to address sport’s role in driving positive social change. The Beyond Sport Summit 2010 will be held between September 29-30 in Chicago.

Beyond Sport World

Beyond Sport World is an online networking platform that allows any organisation across the globe involved in sport and development to promote their activities and connect. Visit www.beyondsportworld.org.