[Linden, CA] Aaron Judge, New York Yankee and former Fresno State Bulldog, and founder of the Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation (AJARF) is proud to announce the February 2022 Mini-Grant recipients, each receiving $2,500. These three organizations connect with the AJARF’s mission to inspire children and youth to become responsible citizens and reach unlimited possibilities.
Giving Opportunities to Kids (GOT Kids), San Joaquin County, California provides opportunities beyond the classroom experience to help children explore and develop their talents, interests, and skills. GOT Kids has been serving Lodi and Stockton students since 2012 through anti-bullying programs, STEM and visual arts field trips, early literacy campaigns, and providing essential school supplies and clothing for students in need. This grant will help fund their annual three-day science camp where students will participate in a service project and receive science, kayaking, and fly-fishing lessons.
Valley Children's Healthcare, Fresno County, California provides high-quality, comprehensive healthcare services to children. The Laval Angel Fund has supported more than 800 families in the last six years by easing burdens that occur during their child’s medical treatment through financial and emotional support. This grant will help ease some of the financial challenges that families face with increased expenses associated with their child’s stay. The availability of this support allows families to focus on the health and welfare of their child.
First Tech Fund, Inc, Bronx County, New York was founded in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has amplified the pre-existing inequalities in technology access and education across America. First Tech Fund created a year-long fellowship experience for 52 students that provided each student with a laptop, unlimited Internet access, a mentor from an industry they expressed interest in, access to monthly virtual programming that teaches them life-long skills, such as public speaking and financial literacy, and internships. This grant will support Bronx students with unlimited internet and devices for a minimum of a year.
“We are leveling the playing field by giving our youth access to resources that help them reach their full potential,” said Aaron Judge. “Our foundation will meet children’s basic needs by helping families afford medical supplies through Valley Children’s Healthcare, give elementary students the opportunity to explore and develop their science skills through hands-on lessons from GOT Kids, and assist First Tech Fund in closing the digital divide that reinforces social inequalities in our society. I am proud to partner with these organizations in their relevant and commendable work.”
The 2022 Mini-Grant Award Program is possible due to the generous support of Glu Mobile and Provident Payments, Inc. All funds donated for the Aaron Judge ALL RISE Mini-Grant Program go directly to children and youth programs in San Joaquin County, California; Fresno County, California; and Bronx County, New York, that support ongoing citizenship and education development.