USOC Announces the 2008 Olympic Opportunity Fund Grant Recipients

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and U.S. Paralympics are pleased to announce nearly $500,000 being distributed in grants to 24 organizations this year. The USOC introduced the Olympic Opportunity Fund in 2007 to increase multicultural participation and diversity in Olympic and Paralympic sports at a grassroots level and is proud to welcome Embassy Suites Hotels as the first ever corporate sponsor.

“We deeply appreciate Embassy Suites Hotels for being a part of the USOC’s efforts to expand opportunities for youth in America who may otherwise not have the opportunity to be exposed to Olympic or Paralympic sports,” said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr.

“Through the Olympic Opportunity Fund, we are encouraging organizations nationwide to participate in an effort to help break down some of the Olympic and Paralympic sports barriers that may exist in some communities, which will expand the talent pipeline for the National Governing Bodies for sport.”

After receiving 120 applications from organizations nationwide the committee chose 24 organizations divided between three separate grant efforts -Embassy Suites’ Giving Rising Athletes New Tomorrows (GRANT) program; the U.S. Paralympic Community/Military Grant Program; and Urban Outreach.

Embassy Suites Hotels’ Giving Rising Athletes New Tomorrows (GRANT) program has awarded a $25,000 grant each to the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, East St. Louis, IL. (athletics) and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo. (weightlifting) because of their strong commitment to athletics in the community and promotion of a “hospitable” environment where young athletes learn integrity, honesty and the spirit of sportsmanship.

“We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate today’s youth than by working with the USOC to create these grants,” said John Lee, vice president, marketing and communications, Embassy Suites Hotels. “Both organizations we have chosen exemplify the true spirit of the USOC and Embassy Suites is honored to help them develop the Olympians of the future.”

The USOC’s Urban Outreach grants are designed to increase multicultural, urban youth participation and membership in Olympic and Paralympic sport. Grants will be awarded to the following organizations in 2008:

• Boys and Girls Club of Camden County, Camden, N.J. (swimming)
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga. (judo and table tennis)
• Boys and Girls Club of Venice, Venice, Calif. (sailing and boxing)
• City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation, Minneapolis, Minn. (biathlon)
• D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, Washington, D.C. (tennis)
• Genesis School, Kansas City, Mo. (tennis)
• Jack London Aquatic Center, Oakland, Calif. (rowing)
• Kansas City Storm, Kansas City, Mo. (swimming)
• Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Dept., Miami, Fla. (wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, goalball, and fencing)
• Northern Arizona University, Center for High Altitude Training, Flagstaff, Ariz. (track and field)
• Pettit National Ice Center, Milwaukee, Wis. (curling)
• Princeton National Rowing Association, West Windsor, N.J. (rowing)
• San Diego Adaptive Sports Foundation, San Diego, Calif. (multiple Paralympic sports)
• Starlings Volleyball Clubs, USA, Imperial Beach, Calif. (volleyball)
• World Sport Chicago, Chicago, Ill. (track and field)

The U.S. Paralympics Division has developed the U.S. Paralympic Community/Military Grant Program to encourage growth of community-based Paralympic sport programs that accommodate injured service members. The recipients of this first-year grant program are:

• BlazeSports America, Atlanta, Ga.
• Challenge Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska
• City of Boulder Parks and Recreation EXPAND, Boulder, Colo.
• Eldora Special Recreation Program, Boulder, Colo.
• Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Houston, Tex.
• University of Central Oklahoma U.S. Paralympic Training Site, Edmond, Okla.
• United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Mission Vision Program, Colorado Springs, Colo.

In their proposals, organizations applying to receive funding had to demonstrate the capacity to implement and sustain a long-term athletic program that: 1) helps increase diversity of the sport; 2) involves one or more National Governing Bodies (NGB) or the USOC Paralympic Division; and 3) increases participation in local community outreach as well as NGB membership. A total of nearly $500,000 is being distributed to these organizations to support their sport programs in 2008.

USOC partnering organizations interested in information concerning future Olympic Opportunity Fund grants can contact the USOC Education and Outreach Programs Department at 719.632.5551.

About the U.S. Olympic Committee

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games.

About Embassy Suites Hotels

Founded in 1984, Embassy Suites Hotels defines the upscale, all-suite segment and today has 190 hotels, with an additional 60 in the pipeline. With spacious two-room suites, engaging team members and an inviting atrium environment, guests are allowed to put their feet up and feel right at home. To learn more, visit www.embassysuites.com.

Embassy Suites Hotels participates in Hilton HHonors®, the only hotel rewards program that offers Points & Miles® and No Blackout Dates. HHonors members can earn both hotel points and airline miles for the same stay at more than 3,000 Hilton Family hotels worldwide. And with No Blackout Dates, as long as a standard room is available, members can confirm that room using their HHonors points.

Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 3,000 hotels and 500,000 rooms in 74 countries and territories, including 135,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton®, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations®, Homewood Suites by Hilton® and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection™.

For more information, please contact the USOC Media and Public Relations Division (719/866-4529). This release also is available on the USOC’s public web site (www.usolympicteam.com) and our media-specific web site (http://usocpressbox.org).