LIDS Foundation Announces 2016 'Tip the Hat Award' Finalists, Opens Online Voting for Grand Prize Grant Winner

INDIANAPOLIS, March 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The LIDS Foundation, a charitable 501(c)(3) organization and the philanthropic support arm of LIDS Sports Group, has identified the top five finalists who advance to the "people's choice" round of its 4^th annual "Tip the Hat Award" grant program. Online voting is now open to determine this year's recipient of the first place grant of $125,000. In total, the LIDS Foundation will award $300,000 through its 2016 "Tip the Hat" program.

From now until Sunday, March 6, the public is invited to visit www.lidsfoundation.org/2016-tip-the-hat-finalists to vote for its favorite healthy and active youth program. Based on voting results, LIDS Foundation will award the following five grant amounts:

- First place: $125,000
- Second place: $75,000
- Third place: $50,000
- Fourth place: $25,000
- Fifth place: $25,000

2016 LIDS Foundation Tip the Hat Finalists

The following organizations have been selected by LIDS Foundation as this year's Tip the Hat Award finalists:

A Kid Again
Exists to foster hope, happiness and healing for families raising kids with life threatening illnesses by helping them gain back moments of solace and a sense of control over their circumstances. www.akidagain.org 

Little Wish Foundation
Serves pediatric oncology patients by providing a little wish that would bring hope, comfort and joy. www.littlewishfoundation.org  

Nine13sports
Engages opportunities of bicycling by teaching youth; to promote the overall development and well-being of the youth with whom we are privileged to interact; to promote youth respect, advocacy and involvement in their community; and to be responsible stewards of the funds entrusted by benefactors. www.nine13sports.org

Our Military Kids
Provides support and recognition to military children by granting funds for the participation in athletic, fine arts, and tutoring programs. www.ourmilitarykids.org

The BASE
Building champs on and off the field by providing resources, mentorship and access to services that ensure that each student athlete graduates from high school and is equipped with a winning game plan for life. www.thebase.org

For complete information on the LIDS Foundation Tip the Hat Award or details on online voting, please visit www.lidsfoundation.org.  

In addition to these top five finalists, LIDS Foundation will also honor the work of the following programs by awarding each with a micro-grant of $5,000 to assist their youth development efforts:

Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, Hope Loves Company, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, McBride Foundation, and Project Fit America.

ABOUT LIDS FOUNDATION
The LIDS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and the philanthropic support arm of LIDS Sports Group. The Foundation works to engage young people in the communities where LIDS Sports Group operates to become active in sports-related activities that promote healthy lifestyles as well as leadership and growth opportunities. It accomplishes its mission primarily through offering resources – be it in the manner of time, expertise, funds, or materials – to nonprofit organizations with goals and values that align with those of the LIDS Foundation. To find out more about the LIDS Foundation, visit www.lidsfoundation.org.

ABOUT LIDS SPORTS GROUP
The LIDS Sports Group, operating within Hat World Inc., is a leading North American omni-channel sports licensed retailer comprised of the LIDS retail headwear stores, the Locker Room by LIDS specialty fan retail chain, the Internet businesses www.lids.com, and www.lids.ca. Operating out of Zionsville, Indiana, the retail businesses make up more than 1,300 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet locations nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. LIDS retail stores offer officially licensed and branded headwear of collegiate teams, major professional sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories in the latest styles and colors. Locker Room by LIDS is a mall-based retailer of sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties which also operates under the Seattle Team Shop, Buckeye Corner, Tiger Mania, Sports Fan-Attic and Jersey City (Canada) nameplates. Locker Room by LIDS also has locations in Macy's department stores throughout the United States. Most LIDS and Locker Room by LIDS stores offer custom embroidery capability that includes embroidered autographs of professional sports athletes. Additionally, the LIDS Clubhouse division operates team-specific professional sports and university athletics retail stores and e-commerce sites. Hat World Inc. is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.

SOURCE LIDS Foundation

Related Links

http://www.lidsfoundation.org