Laureus USA Hosts Annual Day of Sport in Atlanta

ATLANTA, Sept. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Laureus USA today hosts the annual Day of Sport from 10am – 2pm at The Home Depot Backyard to celebrate the continued progress of Sport for Good Atlanta on the Westside. This event will bring together youth and their families from the Westside and larger metro Atlanta area for a day of sport activities, play and fun. The Day of Sport is made possible thanks to the generous support of Sport for Good Atlanta founding partner Mercedes-Benz USA, and event sponsors including: the Atlanta Hawks, Georgia Swarm, Atlanta United, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee.

Up to 500 youth, along with their families, volunteers, coaches and other members of the community totaling close to 1,000 people, are expected to attend this free event. Youth will play together in teams and rotate through activity stations led by Sport for Good Atlanta Grantees as well as representatives of the local professional sports teams. Other activities including inflatables, Zumba, yoga, and general fitness instruction will be available for all ages in celebration of the impact Sport for Good Atlanta has already made and will continue to make in the Westside.

Leaders in sport, non-profits and business will be in attendance including Laureus CEO and Olympic Gold Medalist, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, Olympic Legend and Laureus Chairman Edwin Moses, Mercedes-Benz president and CEO, Dietmar Exler, and various local program leaders.

"We could not be more excited about the impact Sport for Good Atlanta has had on the Westside community since we came here in 2016 and we look forward to continuing to invest in and grow this initiative," said Mosley. 

"As a brand that connotes success, Mercedes-Benz puts a strong emphasis on nurturing leadership by educating and empowering the next generation," said Dietmar Exler, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. "MBUSA is proud to be involved with over 50 community organizations here in Atlanta -- more than half of them here on the Westside -- and particularly our partnership with Laureus Sport For Good which enriches the community through grants, training, and events like this one."

Julia M. Lankford, Atlanta Program Officer for Laureus USA, added "It's great to celebrate the beginning of another school year with our Sport for Good Atlanta grantees and partners. We have made so much progress over the past year through grants, strategic planning, trainings, workshops, and community convening all with the goal of reaching and impacting youth on Atlanta's Westside."

National non-profit Laureus USA, powered by its national partner Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) and the National Recreation Foundation, has invested an initial $1 million to fund grants and wrap-around services to youth-serving organizations in three of Atlanta's Westside neighborhoods. They have also formed the Sport for Good Alliance comprised of residents, educators, athletes, community organizations, and business leaders who are leading a long-term effort to strengthen the English Avenue, Vine City, and Washington Park neighborhoods. Sport for Good Atlanta's Day of Sport helps to showcase the various partners and their work and impact in the Westside community, and provide an opportunity for local students and families to connect with relevant resources, build relationships and enjoy a day of fun and fitness.

Atlanta is one of Laureus USA's four Sport for Good Cities, all of which are supported by Mercedes-Benz USA. These locally-driven initiatives use the power of sport to improve the lives of youth in underserved communities across the US and Laureus plans to continue to expand this program to additional cities. To learn more visit: LaureusUSA.com.

About Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA (Laureus USA)

Laureus USA believes that sport has the power to change the world, as proclaimed by our founding patron Nelson Mandela. We are a grant-making, nonprofit organization that supports the growth and deepens the impact of 50 sport and youth development organizations nationwide. Through our Sport for Good Cities initiative, we unite communities to challenge the inequities facing underserved youth through the power of sport. Our local investments in cities improve the lives of more than 350,000 kids annually. Laureus USA is a proud member of the global Laureus network, which includes nine national Laureus Sport for Good Foundations, the Laureus World Sports Academy, and the Laureus World Sports Awards.  http://www.LaureusUSA.com.

About Sport for Good Atlanta

Sport for Good Atlanta is a long-term, collaborative approach to strengthening Westside communities through the power of sport. Laureus USA will focus their initial efforts on Vine City, English Avenue and Washington Park neighborhoods specifically investing in high-quality Sport for Good programs, forming a community-wide coalition of local stakeholders from non-profit organizations, government, businesses and educational agencies that will work together to harness the power of sport to address challenges that Westside youth and these communities face and  provide professional development and capacity building opportunities for nonprofit leaders and their staff.

About Mercedes-Benz, USA Community Relations

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), the sales and marketing arm for Mercedes-Benz in the United States, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products. For the 60 years Mercedes-Benz has operated in this country, the company has been an integral part of the communities in which it does business and the neighborhoods where its employees live and work.

In Atlanta, MBUSA is involved with over 50 organizations in its effort to educate and empower the next generation to achieve success and addressing local needs in its community including Atlanta's Westside, the area surrounding the Mercedes-Benz Stadium that includes under-resourced neighborhoods. The company has won numerous awards for its community efforts including, A Gold Stevie® Award for its Greatness Lives Here campaign, Corporate Champion recognition from Trees Atlanta and a Community Impact Award from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD).

SOURCE Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA

Related Links

http://www.LaureusUSA.com