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NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Athletic fields at four Nashville middle schools and one high school have been upgraded thanks in part to a $200,000 grant from the Tennessee Titans and the National Football League Grassroots Program. Funds were allocated for Bailey, Neely's Bend, Joelton and Apollo Middle Schools plus Cane Ridge High School.
The grant was awarded by the Tennessee Titans, the NFL Youth Football Fund and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and is part of a 13 year, $30 million commitment in field refurbishment awards allocated to community groups in areas surrounding the 32 NFL markets.
A partnership between the NFL Youth Football Fund and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the NFL Grassroots Program awards grants to local nonprofits focused on the health and welfare of their communities, especially the children in their neighborhoods.
"The Titans are pleased that these five schools have received funds to improve their football fields, providing safe places for children to get active and play," said Titans Owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr.
The Nashville Alliance for Public Education is changing their name to the Nashville Public Education Foundation and administers the grants with the Metro Nashville Public School System. This foundation aligns private support for public education. Fences, bleachers, drainage systems, scoreboards and goal posts were replaced or repaired at each of the middle schools. In addition, the schools will ensure that the football fields adhere to the standards of the American Disabilities Act.
"The Titans have been great community partners with our schools since they moved here in 1997," said Mayor Karl Dean. "Financial support from this program has now improved 12 Metro school football fields throughout our city. Bud Adams and the Titans were recognized as co-winners of the 'Outstanding System-Wide Partnership Award' in 2007 by the PENCIL Foundation in recognition of community-school partnerships and volunteerism at Metro Nashville Public Schools. I'm pleased that they are continuing that high level of support for our city's youth."
The grant at Cane Ridge High School was used for adequate field site drainage, field lighting and irrigated sod. The renovations enhanced the total athletic experience of more than 4,000 students a year. Metro Nashville Public Schools will provide matching funds.
"We're thankful for the support from the NFL/LISC Grassroots Program. Their generosity will provide great spaces for our students to enjoy, whether they are competing or just having fun," said Jesse Register, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools. "Sports are not only good for student-athletes, they also contribute to a sense of community in our schools."
A partnership between the NFL Youth Football Fund and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the NFL Grassroots Program awards grants to local nonprofits focused on the health and welfare of their communities, especially the children in their neighborhoods.
"We are pleased to work with LISC to provide young people with access to quality playing fields where children can 'play 60' in a safe environment ," said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. "Community fields are pillars of their neighborhoods, where kids and their families bond with each other and their peers. It's what the NFL is all about."
The NFL Grassroots Program is administrated by the NFL Youth Football Fund and LISC, the nation's leading community development support corporation. The program has resulted in the construction or renovation of 243 football fields nationwide since its inception. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.
"These fields are a critical part of our efforts to create sustainable communities – places where people want to live, work and raise families," said Michael Rubinger, LISC's president and CEO. "Through their contributions, the NFL and NFLPA are not only creating places for young people to compete in football and other sports, they're also making countless neighborhoods better and stronger."
About the NFL Youth Football Fund
Established in 1998 by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, the NFL Youth Football Fund seeks to use football as a catalyst to promote positive youth development, support youth and high school football needs nationwide and also ensure the health of grassroots football in future generations. Through the YFF's youth football initiatives and support programs, youngsters are provided with opportunities to learn the game of football, get physically fit and stay involved in productive after-school activities with adult mentors. For more information, visit http://www.nflyff.org.
About LISC
LISC combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help nonprofit community development corporations revitalize distressed neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has raised more than $11.1 billion to build or rehab more than 277,000 affordable homes and develop 44 million square feet of retail, community and educational space nationwide. LISC support has leveraged nearly $33.9 billion in total development activity. For more information, visit www.lisc.org.
