The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and Good Sports, a national nonprofit, have again teamed up to provide more than $87,000 worth of new athletic equipment, apparel, and footwear that will remove barriers to physical activity for more than 8,300 Georgia children.

The donations will go to 20 Georgia groups, selected from more than 120 applicants, to get children off the sidelines and engaged in a sweeping variety of sports and fitness activities.

“From hula hoops to basketball, from pickleball to football, Georgia communities are giving children fun new ways to be physically active,” said Beth Auer, an Atlanta Falcons associate and part of the staff team that reviews and awards grants. “With these supplies, more young people will be off the sideline and in the game.”

For seven years, AFYF & Good Sports have joined together to remove participation barriers in youth sports, physical education and fitness programs. The aim to ensure that every child has the opportunity to be physically active. For every grant dollar AFYF invests, Good Sports provides at least $2 in equipment donations thanks to extensive support from equipment manufacturers & distributors.

Since 2010, Good Sports has leveraged nearly $441,000 in grants from the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation to provide equipment donations valued at more than $1 million to youth programs in 80 of Georgia’s 159 counties. These donations have helped more than 96,900 youth gain access to consistent sports & fitness activities.

“Good Sports’ primary goal every day is to ensure that the resources are available for children in need to become more active,” says Melissa Harper, Good Sports’ Chief Executive Officer. “The fact that through this partnership we have distributed over $1 million in equipment to Georgia youth is a testament to the commitment that the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation places on expanding kids’ access to quality athletic opportunities.”

The application period for the next cycle of AFYF-Good Sports equipment donations is open through Friday, April 21, 2017. Programs can submit an application by visiting the AFYF landing page on Good Sports’ website – www.goodsports.org/afyf – and completing the online application. For this round of donations, AFYF will focus on equipment donations that increase participation in flag and youth football programs.