Rise ‘N’ Reach

Rise ‘N’ Reach started in the summer of 2023 with a single sports lesson at Clarkston Community Center, in a town often called the most diverse square mile in America. The families we met there were largely African American, Latino, and refugee households. Many parents were working two jobs, and the center was where their kids went when home wasn’t an option.

More than just providing physical activity, sports simulate the challenges we face in life. Every loss, every setback, and every failure mimics the obstacles all of us will have to overcome one day. But sports teaches us how to respond, learn, and grow. In this process, we gain invaluable lessons that shape who we become and stay with us for a lifetime, including resiliency, passion, and determination.

Yet for many young children, particularly those from marginalized communities, racial and socioeconomic barriers prevent access to sports, preventing them from experiencing the transformative power of sports.

Rise ‘N’ Reach exists to break these barriers. We provide free weekly sports programming in underserved communities, working to address racial and economic inequalities through play. We have raised thousands of dollars to build new sports infrastructure in disadvantaged areas, while collecting hundreds of new or gently-used sporting goods to distribute to youth.

By bringing together youth, mentors, and community partners from different backgrounds, we use sports as a tool to empower youth to realize their fullest potential and build lasting connection, ensuring that every child, regardless of race, gender, or income, has the chance to grow, lead, and belong.