This story is by Olivia Wilson, and is an excerpt from a piece that was published on ESPN.com on June 21, 2020. You can view the original HERE
The sixth annual Sports Humanitarian Awards, sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb, were awarded throughout the past week via announcements on Get Up and SportsCenter, with the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award presented by Dove Men+Care, the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award presented by Anthem Foundation, and the Sports Humanitarian Team Award sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb presented tonight during The 2020 ESPYS Presented by Capitol One.
This year’s winners include:
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Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award Presented by Dove Men+Care: Nelson Cruz (Minnesota Twins)
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Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb: Los Angeles Dodgers
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Corporate Community Impact Award: Burton Snowboards
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Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award Presented by Anthem Foundation Winners: Joel Apudo, Batouly Camara, Ally Friedman, Javonn Islar, Elijah Murphy, Chelsea Quito and Niah Woods
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Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Presented by UFC: The Hilinski Family
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Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Presented by Bristol Myers Squibb: WNBA & WNBPA
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Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Presented by Bristol Myers Squibb: Maryam Shojaei
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Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award: Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
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League Humanitarian of the Year Award: National Football League
The Awards once again benefited the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which this year also received a $1 million donation from Bristol Myers Squibb to support minority scientists and researchers and improve outcomes of African Americans disproportionately affected by cancer. Additionally, ESPN will donate more than $1 million in charitable contributions on behalf of the award nominees and honorees. To date, $9.8 million has been donated to the community on behalf of the Sports Humanitarian Awards.
CORPORATE COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD
The Corporate Community Impact Award recognizes a corporation that utilizes their business platform and the power of sports to help advance a social issue, cause or community organization.
In the United States there is a vulnerable segment of youth who do not have access to outdoor opportunities, and consequently limits their ability to access experiences beyond their own challenging environments and step away from their daily norms. The Chill Foundation was founded by the owners of Burton Snowboards, Donna Carpenter, and the late Jake Burton Carpenter. Chill was created to provide access to boardsports for youth who would not otherwise have the opportunity, providing them year-round programming to snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing and stand up paddleboarding lessons at no cost. The youth-development program also addresses the inequalities around access to boardsports, as well as the potential for personal growth and development, while focusing on the resiliency of the participants to help them transfer many of their new skills and ideas to different circumstances they may face. Through Chill, boardsports have become a vehicle for self-empowerment and overcoming obstacles for more than 25,000 young people since the program started.
About ESPN Corporate Citizenship
ESPN believes that, at its very best, sports uplifts the human spirit. Its corporate citizenship programs use power of sport to positively address society’s needs through strategic community investments, cause marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations and employee volunteerism, while also utilizing its diverse media assets. For more information go to www.espn.com/citizenship.
To read the full press release, click here.
