Do your 2019 resolutions include volunteering? It seems so in Chicago, at least!

A recent Pick & Pack in Chi-town came with a total of $113K in donated goods. Between sorting playground balls, jump ropes and other PE equipment pieces, that’s a lot of work for a single day. We got real muscle power from the Chicago Cubs employees, and coaches from the local Up2Us Sports, a nonprofit that helps to create positive youth leaders in athletics. Without the liveliness of all these volunteers, the event would not have had its dynamic flair.

In just Chicago, Good Sports has helped to impact 82,000 kids with donations of new sports equipment, apparel and footwear. At this particular event, some of the recipient program representatives were in attendance to address the volunteers.  So, for the Cubs’ employees, this volunteer event had a deeper meaning because they got to learn the stories behind the programs they were physically helping.

“Our office is all abuzz with everyone talking about how much fun they had and how they felt that they had contributed something meaningful,” the Cubs Charities Team had said the next day.

Volunteering with Good Sports comes in a variety of examples. The most well known is being part of an event. Whether we’re unveiling new equipment at a single program, Picking & Packing sport kits for a community, or hosting a Day of Play – there is always a way for someone to physically get involved. Typically, we’ll work with another nonprofit or corporate partner to create an event all their own.

Our volunteers are the lifeblood of these events. After the kids, of course. The Good Sports team spends the day managing logistics, speaking with partners and ensuring the event – no matter the type – is running smoothly. Additional excitement and positive energy radiates off the volunteers for the day, so we’re always grateful having a few hundred extra pairs of hands or so on deck.

Good Sports is often in Chicago. We work with many amazing youth programs in the Windy City, so teaming up with the Cubs helps us to be even more impactful in that community. Having volunteers directly from the Cubs’ front office (and sometimes roster!) makes every event go off without a hitch.

Learn how you can get involved with Good Sports this year!