NFL, LISC and Jacksonville Jaguars Celebrate More Than $500,000 in Grants to Area Playing Fields

2 Feb 2005 - Jacksonville, FL

Neighborhood residents, elected officials and members of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrated more than $500,000 in grants the National Football League's Grassroots Program has made to refurbish football fields around Jacksonville. Since 2000, the NFL Grassroots Program has given $100,000 each to 5-area playing fields. The celebration was held at Barco Field in the Sweetwater Community of Jacksonville on Tuesday, February 1st and hosted by the Sweetwater Community & Athletic Association and SOS Academy. Barco Field is home to seven area teams.

The afternoon began with a recognition of the program by The NFL Youth Football Fund's Senior Director, Cedric Jones, who is also a former New England Patriot. Speakers included Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin of The Potter's House Christian Fellowship, City Councilwoman Mia Jones, SOS Academy Principal Genell Mills, Sweetwater Athletic & Community Association President, Curtis Johnson and Jacksonville Jaguars Manager of Player Relations and Youth Football, Bahati Van Pelt.

After the presentation the Jaguars and the Youth Football Fund hosted a football clinic for 100 boys, run by Van Pelt along with Jaguar Players Brett Romberg and Vince Manuwai. Jacksonville Jaguar's The ROAR cheerleaders also held a clinic for fifty area girls.

The Grassroots Program, a partnership between Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the NFL, is funded by the NFL Youth Football Fund, a $150 million program established by the NFL and the NFL Players Association to support youth football. The Grassroots Program not only provides recreational opportunities for children in struggling neighborhoods, it also acts as a catalyst for the redevelopment of those communities. The grants typically supplement, or are the catalyst for, other contributions from private partners, local nonprofits and government agencies.

"Community revitalization is measured by more than construction cranes and concrete," said City Councilwoman Mia Jones. "We applaud the NFL, the Jaguars and LISC for supporting the restoration of these fields. They're critical to the health of our neighborhoods."

Other Jacksonville fields that have been built or restored with $500,000 in Grassroots grants include the Jacksonville Police Athletic Field-McCormick Road in East Arlington; Woodland Acres Club Football Field-Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida; and Pine Forest Athletic Field with the Jacksonville Housing Partnership.

"Obviously, we have a great interest in football on every level," said Wayne Weaver, owner of the Jaguars. "There's no better way to get young people and their parents interested in the game than by having good, safe fields for them to play on, and structured, competitive programs for them to participate in. Those youngsters are our future fan base and, I hope some will be on our roster. The Grassroots program has benefits for everyone."

LISC, a national community development support organization, established a Jacksonville office in 1999 and since then has made more than $3.7 million in grants and loans to local community development corporations involved in building affordable housing, recreational facilities and other efforts that contribute to healthy neighborhoods. "We are pleased to be a part of this effort which has helped kids throughout Jacksonville," said Joni Foster, Jacksonville LISC's program director.

About LISC

LISC combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help nonprofit community development corporations revitalize underserved neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has raised more than $6 billion to build or rehab nearly 160,000 affordable homes and develop 25 million square feet of retail, community and educational space nationwide.

Article Type: Press Release