DALLAS, Nov. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Heart of Dallas Young Professionals (HODYP) announced that Lagardère Sports, the global sports marketing agency, will return as title sponsor to support the second annual Heart of Dallas Fast Pitch on Wednesday, November 16^th at Life in Deep Ellum from 6:30 – 10 p.m. Lagardère Sports, which has 1,600 employees worldwide and 50 years of experience in sports, has a strong relationship with the Dallas-Fort Worth community through its local office dedicated to its brand consulting business.

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Heart of Dallas Young Professionals is comprised of young business professionals in the sports and entertainment industries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and aims to create bold social change in the community. HODYP created the Fast Pitch event to boost contributions to the community and recognize the many DFW nonprofits that support local youth programs and projects.

Nearly 100 local nonprofits that focus on children's programs applied to compete in this year's Fast Pitch. The six finalists chosen by the HODYP Steering Committee are Bryan's House, Café Momentum, Mercy Street, New Friends New Life, The First Tee of Greater Dallas, and The Warren Center.

"Last year was such a success and we are thrilled to have Lagardère Sports return as our main sponsor for this event," said Kyle Tapply, President of Heart of Dallas Young Professionals. "Their partnership aligns perfectly with our mission and has helped boost membership and connect with some amazing nonprofits and business leaders in sports and entertainment."

"We are excited to be the title sponsor of the Heart of Dallas Fast Pitch Event for the second consecutive year," said Kern Egan, Lagardère Sports Executive Vice President of Consulting. "Our office in Dallas is a key part of our global consulting network, and we are proud to support a program that helps make ideas from promising young professionals on how to better our local community come to life."   

The finalists will present a three-minute live on-stage performance, or 'pitch,' to convince the judges and audience why their organization deserves grant dollars to help them achieve their mission, vision, and goals. This event creates a fast-paced, exciting environment befitting the name, "Fast Pitch." Through Fast Pitch, area nonprofits will receive grants to support their efforts in addition to the opportunity to engage with potential new supporters, donors, and volunteers.

The five-person panel of judges whose backgrounds range from business, civil service and nonprofit management are:

Kyle Tapply, President of Heart of Dallas Young Professionals and Director of Corporate Sponsorships for The Dallas Mavericks
Kern Egan, Executive Vice President of Consulting at Lagardère Sports
Claudia DeMoss, Community Funds Manager at The Dallas Foundation
Bryan Delgado, Assoc. Manager of Events at ESPN Events
Nick Marino, Director of Social Change at Tango Tab and Top Texan Under 30 recognized by Culture Map

"We have a convincing group of finalists and an esteemed panel of judges," said Britton Banowsky, founder of Heart of Dallas. "This event brings together a rich, vibrant community of young professionals making a real, tangible difference in the community. It is precisely what we hoped to achieve with this group and we're excited about this year's competition and outreach."

Dallas Stars Captain Jamie Benn will receive this year's Community Excellence Award at the Heart of Dallas Fast Pitch. This award honors a professional athlete who has made an impact on the field and positive difference in their community. In 2015, $10,000 was awarded to Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki for his charitable and philanthropic contribution with The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation. 

Jamie Benn was voted one of the NHL's Most Valuable Players and recognized last month as "Person on the Move" for his support of the MS Society. Benn donates a suite at every home game to the MS Society so that people living with multiple sclerosis can enjoy a professional hockey game in a comfortable and accessible environment.

Fast Pitch tickets are $50 for guests and $25 for employees affiliated with nonprofits, which can be purchased online at theheartofdallas.org.

About Heart of Dallas:

The official launch event was the Heart of Dallas Bowl presented by PlainsCapital Bank on January 1, 2013 at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Demonstrating Heart of Dallas' commitment to its home city, net profits from the event went to benefitting the homeless population in Dallas. A year later, the Heart of Dallas Young Professionals was formed to convene and engage the next generation of leaders in the Dallas sports and entertainment fields by connecting young professionals with one another and opportunities to fuel bold social change. For more information on the Heart of Dallas, visit www.theheartofdallas.org. The Dallas Foundation is the fiscal sponsor of Heart of Dallas Fund, a component fund of The Dallas Foundation, a 501(c)(3), publicly supported charity.

About Lagardère Sports:

Lagardère Sports is a leading sport marketing agency, with a global network of local experts dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that meet our clients' needs. We believe sport inspires emotions and passion that are essential to enrich people's lives and generate powerful collective experiences. At Lagardère Sports, we dedicate our expertise and passion to provide our clients with privileged access to the infinite opportunities of sports. Lagardère Sports is part of Lagardère Sports and Entertainment, a company with more than 1,600 employees worldwide and 50 years of experience. http://www.lagardere-se.com/ 

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SOURCE Heart of Dallas

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http://www.theheartofdallas.org