Sport Oregon Gears Up for Second-Annual ‘Fuel the Future’ — Sport Oregon Voices

Photos courtesy of Sport Oregon Youth Series and Playworks

Sport Oregon Voices: Following the overwhelming success of inaugural virtual fundraising event, Sport Oregon looking to build upon signature ‘Fuel the Future’ event in 2021.

In celebration of sports in Oregon and the many benefits they offer to youth in the state, Sport Oregon is hosting its second-annual “Fuel the Future” on Tuesday, Dec. 7. The focus of “Fuel the Future” is to raise much-needed funds in support of programs and initiatives that break down barriers to play and empower youth in underserved communities to build valuable life skills through sport.

This year’s event comes on the heels of a successful launch to the program in 2020, and will include inspiring stories from the four partner organizations impacted by funds raised through this year’s event: Playworks, Street Soccer USA, Portland Activities & Athletics League, and the Sport Oregon Youth Series.

The 2021 “Fuel the Future” – which will once again be hosted by former professional track athlete Sasha Spencer-Atwood and a special guest – will offer a variety of ways for people to make an impact through giving, including an online silent auction culminating with the live virtual program, paddle raises, and text-to-give options during the broadcast. Organizers are finalizing broadcast details for this year’s event, which will be aired locally and online.

Despite having limited time to put together last year’s inaugural Fuel the Future, Sport Oregon was able to raise more than $250,000. In 2020, funds generated benefited the Sport Oregon Foundation and Hopscotch Foundation, a volunteer-powered organization combatting food insecurity in Portland.

Jared Rose, Sport Oregon’s director of strategic partnerships, says Sport Oregon was thrilled with the success of the first “Fuel the Future,” with it quickly growing into a significant annual event.

“Last year really showed what’s possible, and also shined a light on that need there is in the community,” said Rose. “We put a program together from idea to broadcast in two months and raised a quarter million dollars for programs that are really making a difference.”

This year’s “Fuel the Future” – a virtual event that will be held from 7-7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 – will benefit the Sport Oregon Foundation and feature four different partners focused on healthy physical activity, inclusion, and historically underserved populations. That group includes the Sport Oregon Youth Series, a series of free track meets across Oregon that helps kids build confidence and character through track and field while breaking down barriers to participate.

Playworks encourages kids to stay active and build valuable life skills through play by helping schools and youth programs create recess and play environment where every child can join in. Street Soccer USA fights poverty and empowers underserved communities through soccer, with the goal of transferring life skills and creating a social safety net for its participants in the community. The Portland Activities & Athletics League looks to build partnerships among youth, the local law enforcement community, service professionals and the community at large. PAAL fosters an environment of safety, trust and belonging to inspire youth to achieve greatness through mentoring, athletics, and academic and leadership programs.

“All of these groups are at the core of what we do at Sport Oregon and they really do fuel the future because they’re getting kids active and playing,” Rose said.

Rose says the organization already has a huge head start on its planning, with a growing list of auction items that includes trips to NFL games, exclusive experiences at NASCAR and INDYCAR events at Portland International Raceway, and game experiences with the many area college and professional sports teams.

And now in its second year of “Fuel the Future,” Sport Oregon is eager to continue its much-needed work of opening doors to access and encouraging physical activity and participation among youth.

“Youth sports programs positively affect just about everybody at some point in their lives,” Rose said, “and there’s never been a greater need for it than there is right now.”