LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The LA84 Foundation, which continues to invest proceeds from the 1984 Games to support non-profit organizations in eight counties across Southern California, has awarded nearly $500,000 this quarter to 22 youth sports programs. The Foundation has invested more than $214 million since its inception, with $3.6 million awarded this year alone.

This latest round of grants will provide more than 18,000 children with the valuable opportunity to develop healthy habits and life skills through sports, particularly targeting youth from low-income areas who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in athletics.

The grants will fund a wide variety of sports programs, including soccer, track and field, swimming, golf, flag football, equestrianism, basketball, volleyball, cross country, boxing, baseball and gymnastics. The $500,000 will be used to fulfill specific needs by these programs, including new equipment, uniforms and scholarships.

"Our latest grant recipients are committed to ensuring that all students are given the opportunity and the resources to participate in sports, regardless of their financial situation," said Anita L. DeFrantz, President of the LA84 Foundation. "Providing grants to well-run programs is the heart and soul of what this organization does, and we're proud to support their work in reaching our kids through sports."

Five of the organizations that received grants in this round serve students with special needs: Carousel Ranch in Santa Clarita, Hillsides in Pasadena, Riding Emphasizing Individual Needs and Strengths in San Diego, TERI, Inc. in Oceanside and Us Too Gymnastics in Lake Forest.

One of the well-known grant recipients is the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), which was founded in Los Angeles nearly 50 years ago. The organization's Region 1031 in South Los Angeles received $20,000 to provide scholarships for participants who cannot afford registration fees.

Several organizations received funds to assist with facility maintenance, a key need for many sports organizations that are forced to operate with aging facilities under constrained budgets. The Salesian Boys and Girls Club of Los Angeles received an $85,000 grant that will primarily be directed towards the renovation of the pool used by the organization's aquatics program. This club serves the Boyle Heights and City Terrace neighborhoods, which have relied heavily on the use of this aquatic center.

Since its inception in 1985, the LA84 Foundation has devoted over $214 million to support programs that have reached more than 3 million youth. This amount is more than double its original endowment of $93 million, which was derived from the surplus funds for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

For more information about this month's award recipients and the LA84 Foundation grant application process, please visit www.LA84.org.

About LA84 Foundation

The LA84 Foundation was established to manage Southern California's share of the surplus from the successful 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.  The Foundation received $93 million at its inception.  Since it began operations in 1985, it has invested $214 million in sports programs serving more than 3 million youth in the eight Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura.  Its headquarters is the historic Britt House near downtown Los Angeles where it houses the world's premier sports library and meeting facilities.  The Foundation provides grants to youth sports organizations, manages programs, including a coaching education program, and convenes numerous forums for the exploration of the most pressing issues in sport. 

SOURCE LA84 Foundation

RELATED LINKShttp://www.la84.org