At a ceremony held Tuesday at the Conga Room at L.A. Live, the Chicago Bulls and Tamika Catchings, (WNBA's Indiana Fever) were honored for the positive impact they have on their community, taking home the team and individual honors at the first-ever Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards, presented by ESPN and PlayStation®. The inaugural event brought together various sports leagues and governing bodies to pay tribute to THE COLLECTIVE good of sports and to raise more than $500,000 in net proceeds for The V Foundation's Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Fund, as well as funding various grants.
Catchings, honored with the Sports Humanitarian of the Year, received a $75,000 grant to advance the impact of her charity, Catch the Stars Foundation. Catchings teaches young girls and boys about embracing their differences, building their self-esteem and overcoming obstacles. The Foundation also promotes fitness, literacy and mentoring to youth in Indianapolis. Catchings has served on the U.S. Department of State's Council to Empower Women and Girls through Sports and has supported countless programs in the community through her unwavering volunteer efforts and financial support. "I am humbled and very appreciative of the ESPN family, along with all of the people who voted for my Catch the Stars Foundation and me," Catchings said. "Winning this award is way more valuable than the monetary donation that comes along with it - it's about being able to continue to impact the lives of so many youth that ASPiRE to dream and reach their goals. We will continue pouring our efforts into the lives of our youth through our fitness, literacy and mentoring programs. What an honor and a blessing to be able to bless others!"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 most pressing 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 towww.espn.com/citizenship.
About Playstation Heroes
PlayStation Heroes is an initiative from Sony Computer Entertainment America that enables Playstation fans to support charities by purchasing digital items, which enter them for a chance to win prizes like playing PlayStation®4 (PS4™) games with celebrities and professional athletes. This month fans can purchase a Fireworks Theme for their PS4 system, with 90 percent of the purchase price going to the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at The V Foundation. Those who purchase the theme and register will be entered for a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles to attend the Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards and the ESPY awards. For more information, go to: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/campaigns/playstation-heroes/. For Official Rules, go to: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/campaigns/playstation-heroes/rules/.
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