Thank you to everyone that attended our third annual fundraiser!
Your support has helped us to expand our mission to level the playing field. We hope you felt as inspired as we did after hearing from Archie Griffin and Katie Smith on how sports have impacted their lives and how important it is for a child to have the opportunity to get in the game.

 

 
 

Together we raised 

$115,000!

As always, 100% of those funds will go
toward making a difference in the lives of young people in need.

 

 

 
If you missed our 3rd Annual Fundraiser, you can still help make a difference by donating today. Help give children in Central Ohio the opportunity to play, grow and excel through youth sports.

 

 
DONATE

 

OUR 2022 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

$25,000 LIVE LIKE LINDY PREMIER SPONSOR (SOLD OUT)

This will support the boy’s & girl’s Varsity and Junior Varsity tennis programs at Cristo Rey Columbus High School.

$10,000 LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD SPONSOR 

This will help provide up to 100 youth in Central Ohio the opportunity to attend an eight-week, 5 days a week LiFEsports+ summer camp in 2023.

$5,000 UNLOCK THE GREATNESS SPONSOR

This provides 350 bags and new sports equipment from our ‘Sport In A Bag’ program to various Central Ohio organizations.

$1,500 PLAY, GROW &
EXCEL SPONSOR

This will give 25 kids the opportunity to participate in a week-long summer sports camp in 2023.

$600 EVERY CHILD, EVERY SPORT, EVERY OPPORTUNITY SPONSOR

This will give 6 kids the opportunity to participate in local youth sports leagues such as football, baseball, cheerleading, etc.



You can help make a difference. 100% of all donations we raise go toward helping cover the cost of youth sports participation. And right now, the need has never been greater.

 

For event and ticket information, visit https://lindyinfantefundraiser2022.eventbrite.com

To make a donation to the cause of youth sports participation, visit https://lindyinfantefoundation.org/donate/

 

Aspen Institute Project Play Summit 2022

LIF headed to our nation’s capital and attended Project Play 2022, the premier event for leaders building healthy children and communities through sports.

 

Sport In A Bag

Our Sport In A Bag initiative has continued to thrive. To date, we have distributed over 18,000 bags, and just this summer alone we estimate to distribute over 2,000.

Camps

We had our first basketball camp of the year back in January at KIPP Columbus. This summer, we will also be hosting a track and field, football, and cheerleading camp all at KIPP’s campus.

Grants

Since the beginning of the year, we have granted nearly $35,000 dollars and helped serve over 180 kids. These dollars helped athletes play basketball, softball, track, wrestling, baseball, football, and archery.

 

 

 

Now that we are back in school and summer is officially over. Check out what we have been up to the last couple of months!

 

SPORT IN A BAG

Through our Sport In A Bag initiative, so far in 2021, we have traveled over 3,500 miles and distributed nearly 4,000 bags to youth all across Ohio, and we had our first out-of-state reach.

 

 

New Partnership 

We teamed up with Children’s Hunger Alliance and 2nd & 7 Foundation this summer to help kids thrive. Together we are distributing free meal kits, Sport In A Bag, and reading materials to 42 sites in Youngstown, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, Lima, and several cities in Southeast Ohio. A total of 1,500 ‘Sport In A Bag’ will be distributed. We are so proud and grateful for this partnership to broaden our reach and serve new communities.

CAMPS, CAMPS & MORE CAMPS

Due to COVID-19, we were not able to hold any in-person camps in 2020. Once restrictions were lifted and we got the green light, we made sure to pack as many in-person camps as possible.  

 

                                   KIPP Columbus                                                           Beatty Recreation Center

Community Youth Camp

This summer, we sponsored the inaugural Columbus Community Youth Camp at Lou Berliner Sports Park. This was a weeklong camp that provided equitable sports opportunities for children ages 6-12. Each child was introduced to 15 new sports and engaged in different activities that promoted confidence and personal wellness while teaching life lessons like teamwork, sportsmanship, and overcoming adversity. Board member, Kent Mercker, volunteered his time and coached the baseball portion of camp.

Traveling Lacrosse Camp

This lacrosse summer camp traveled to 8 different recreation centers across the city – Westgate, Glenwood, Schiller, Dodge, Barnett, Feddersen, Brentnell, and Driving Park. The kids loved the camp and improved their skills over the course of camp.

After a 13-month analysis of the greater Columbus area centered on Franklin County, we are excited to announce the State of Play Central Ohio Report is now complete! This report, released by the Sports & Society Program at the Aspen Institute, shows a divide based upon race and income in youth sports experiences for some children in Central Ohio. State of Play Central Ohio analyzes the state of youth sports in the region and offers recommendations to grow quality access to sports, physical activity and outdoor recreation for all children, regardless of race, gender, income or ability.

 

 

Special Thank You
The State of Play Central Ohio Report was made possible because of the partnership with Lindy Infante Foundation, The Columbus Foundation, Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, Columbus Youth Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and the Chris and Lori Holtmann Fund. 
 
 

The collaboration couldn’t be complete without the expertise and passion of the State of Play Central Ohio Advisory Group.
Dawn Anderson-Butcher, LiFEsports at Ohio State University                                                                  Boomer Schmidt, Columbus Recreation and Parks Foundation
Dan Sharpe, The Columbus Foundation                                                                                                      Dan Sharpe, The Columbus Foundation
Tony Collins,YMCA of Central Ohio                                                                                                               Jess Sparks, Girls on the Run of Central Ohio
Kathryn Dobbs, Columbus Blue Jackets                                                                                                      Dawn Stewart, Otterbein University Athletics
Sophia Fifner, Columbus Recreation and Parks Development                                                                 Morgen Wade, Columbus Recreation and Parks Department
Archie Griffin, Columbus Youth Foundation                                                                                              Danielle Ghiloni Walter, NICAA and Scotts Miracle-Gro
Sara Hinck, Girls on the Run                                                                                                                        Dante Washington, Columbus Crew SC
Stephanie Infante, Lindy Infante Foundation                                                                                           Doug Wolf, Boys and Girls Club of Central Ohio
Linda Logan, Greater Columbus Sports Commission
Dan Ross, formerly of Ohio High School Athletic Association                                                                    

To say that COVID-19 has changed our world is an understatement. When sports were cancelled, we knew that our Foundation needed to quickly pivot so that we could still reach the children we serve. That is where Sports In A Bag was born. What started off as a simple idea has now turned into a once in a lifetime opportunity, that we might have never realized if it wasn’t for COVID-19.

This initiative provides free sports equipment and at home drills and activities to kids in Central Ohio to keep them active and engaged during the crisis. Each bag contains one jump rope, four cones, one ball of their choice (soccer, football, basketball) and programming from our partner OSU LiFEsports that includes different drills, exercises and activities. We are so appreciative to Dick’s Sporting Goods, Franklin and NIKE for joining our initiative and providing sport equipment for each child.

In addition to Sports In A Bag, The Lindy Infante Foundation, in partnership with OSU LiFEsports is offering free virtual summer camp to 1,000 kids in Central Ohio. The virtual camp experience includes at home drills, incentives, and also virtual meetings with camp counselors and other campers. We are thrilled to be able to offer this program to kids in Central Ohio to keep them active and engaged in a safe way. It may not be the same as attending a camp in person – something that our kids rely so heavily on – but we know that by offering this free summer camp, we are still making an impact.

 

Sports in a Bag Distribution

To date we have distributed nearly 2,000 bags. On May 27, 2020, we distributed 1,000 bags to 15 Columbus City School sites. Kids and their parents were lined up outside the buildings for Sports In A Bag. It was an incredible experience. The smiles and the thank you’s we have received truly inspire us to keep going. Stay tuned for more to come!

The Lindy Infante Foundation is working in partnership with OSU LiFEsports, The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, Boys and Girls Club of Columbus, The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, and others on an exciting new initiative: Sport In A Bag.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, sports have been canceled. The Foundation regularly puts on free sports camps for kids in underserved neighborhoods, but those camps have been canceled for the foreseeable future. In response, The Lindy Infante Foundation is partnering with these organizations to provide free sports equipment and at home drills and activities to kids in Central Ohio to keep them active and engaged during the crisis.

58% of all community-based sports fees are rising and 24% of high schools in the United States no longer offer sports. The rising costs of participation have closed the doors to youth sports for many children and teens in need. The playing field has been tilted in favor of wealthier families. The Lindy Infante Foundation is committed to leveling that playing field and ensuring that no young person misses out. We work to bring out the greatness in every child with a chance to play, grow, and excel through sports.

This program has already been featured on NBC4 Columbus and is receiving significant partnership interest on a National level from retailers and others alike.

https://www.nbc4i.com/community/health/coronavirus/in-this-together/organization-looking-to-keep-kids-active-with-gym-class-in-a-bag/

For more information or to get involved, please send an email using the form below:

Contact Form

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

To our Lindy Infante Foundation Community:

When we started this foundation our goal and main focus was to bring out the greatness in every child with a chance to play, grow and excel through sports. We hoped that by leveling the playing field the underserved youth in our community would now be able to participate in a sport.

The safety and well-being of our team, donors, partners and those we serve is always our top priority and especially now during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis. As a Foundation, we are striving to be responsive to the unprecedented needs and challenges of those we serve during this time.

With the current school closures and postponement of all youth sports the resources our foundation has set aside to devote to sports programming can be put to good use to meet other and more urgent needs. Therefore the Lindy Infante Foundation has made the decision to divert the funding directly to feeding children and families in need.

If you are interested in helping us, a donation of just $12 will feed a family of four in Central Ohio. 100% of your donation will go directly to this effort. To make a donation text FOOD to 614-368-7171 or Click Here to Donate Now. 

Working closely with our partners we have already committed to donating 2,000 meals and we will continue to do more in the coming weeks. We are deeply grateful to our board, sponsors, supporters and partners for their compassion, flexibility, and commitment to our community.

Please do not hesitate to contact our office directly with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your incredible support, understanding, and generosity.

With deepest gratitude,

Stephanie Infante
President
Lindy Infante Foundation

COLUMBUS, OHIO (September 20, 2019) – During the Aspen Institute’s annual Project Play Summit in Detroit, the Lindy Infante Foundation announced its involvement in a partnership aimed at researching ways to increase access to youth sports in Central Ohio.

The Project Play Summit is the nation’s premier gathering of leaders in youth sports. In 2018, the Columbus-based Lindy Infante Foundation was one of a small group of organizations across the country named as a Project Play Champion for taking meaningful actions to address the declining rates of participation.

This year, the Lindy Infante Foundation has joined The Columbus Foundation, The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, The Columbus Youth Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Chris and Lori Holtmann Foundation Fund in commissioning a report that will offer recommendations on how to grow access to youth sports for all children.

The report, titled “The State of Play in Central Ohio,” will feature a 10-month analysis of how well the region is serving youth through sports – regardless of zip code or ability. Guided by a task force of local leaders, it will feature results from a survey of Central Ohio youth. It will present findings on strengths and weaknesses in youth sports access, and it will offer recommendations on opportunities for opening doors to participation.

The report will be released at the 2020 Project Play Summit and will be made available in the Fall of 2020. “Having a better understanding of youth sports and recreation in Central Ohio will have an important impact on directing grant-making, affecting collaboration among youth-serving organizations – and can even better inform civic priorities,” said Dan Sharpe, Vice President for Community Research and Grants Management at The Columbus Foundation.

The mission of the Lindy Infante Foundation is to improve access to youth sports by covering the costs of participation for those in need. They partner with numerous like-minded donors and organizations to accomplish that mission. They put 100% of all funds raised into youth sports participation.

About the Aspen Institute & The Columbus Foundation.

The Aspen Institute is a non-partisan forum for the exchange of ideas. Aspen Institute Experts are leaders in their fields, bringing a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives all aimed at doing the most good for the greatest number of people.

The Columbus Foundation serves nearly 3,000 individuals, families and businesses that have created unique funds and planned gifts to make a difference in the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. It is one of the top 10 largest community foundations in the United States.

We believe that playing sports has the power to transform the life of a child. And our new brand strategy is designed to support our mission by providing more efficient ways of raising funds, recruiting community partners and finding sponsors to help get children and teens off of the sidelines and into the game.

  • Our new messaging clearly communicates why our mission matters – using facts and figures to illustrate how rising costs have led to big declines in sports participation.
  • Our new imagery more prominently features young athletes – reinforcing the Foundation’s focus on improving the lives of children and teens.
  • Our new website features a more streamlined user experience – making it easier for donors and recipients to interact with the foundation.

In the few years since the Lindy Infante Foundation first opened its doors, we’ve already been able to make positive impacts throughout the community. But our focus has always been on the future – the future of youth sports and the lives that can forever be changed through participation.

Browse our website for information on: