For the 11th consecutive year, Up2Us Sports has received funding from Volunteer Louisiana, the state service commission of Louisiana. For the 2024-2025 year, the $285,000 grant will support 20 Up2Us Sports coaches around the parish of New Orleans with emphasis in Fairgrounds, McDonogh, Central City, Little Woods, Read Blvd W, Read Blvd E, Freret, Bayou St. John, Seabrook, and St. Claude. Since 2014, Volunteer Louisiana has provided grants for 192 AmeriCorps service members through Up2Us Sports.

This cohort of national service members is targeted to serve 900 youth and engage them in athletic and mentorship activities that are designed to improve their physical health and develop social-emotional learning skills that will help them achieve their potential on and off the playing field.

“For over a decade, Up2Us Sports’ partnership with Volunteer Louisiana has leveraged the power of sports and AmeriCorps service to address the most pressing issues facing youth throughout New Orleans and beyond,” says Jack Callahan, Senior National Director of AmeriCorps Programs. “Up2Us Sports coaches provide critical mentorship services to youth living in New Orleans parish while expanding the capacity of schools and nonprofit organizations throughout the city. We look forward to another year of impact and being in service to our communities.”

Volunteer Louisiana is the state service commission for Louisiana, established in 1993 to promote national service and volunteerism throughout the state. The agency and its staff are housed in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. Volunteer Louisiana is governed by a Board of volunteer Commissioners from across the state, recommended by the Lt. Governor and appointed by the Governor. These are leaders in their fields, and great advocates for service and volunteerism in their communities. To learn more, visit www.volunteerlouisiana.gov.

We are currently actively recruiting coaches and host sites nationwide. If you are interested in becoming a coach-mentor or hosting a coach in New Orleans or its surrounding communities, please contact Bobby Williams at bwilliams@up2ussports.org.