Welcome to the second installment of Naptime Huddle’s series, “Gridiron Giving,” spotlighting various charities that have been established by current and former NFL players. Today, we’re looking at the Rivers of Hope Foundation, founded by San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and his wife, Tiffany.
The mission of the Rivers of Hope Foundation is to help orphaned children in the San Diego area find permanent loving homes and, no less important, their own sense of self-worth. Through several programs, the Foundation strives to promote awareness of the needs of children living in the foster system, recruit adoptive families, provide financial aid for adoption and lend a helping hand to foster children and orphans. The following are just some of the programs the Foundation either runs itself or supports through grants:
© The Birthday Club provides gift certificates to orphaned children on their birthdays;
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© The Something Special Fund provides funds directly from the Foundation to allow children to participate in sports, school dances and other activities that their foster parents may not be able to afford;
© Voices for Children, which operates the Court Appointed Special Advocates program to find loving homes for children who are victims of abuse, also receives generous support from the Foundation; and
© Just in Time for Foster Youth receives grants to support its mission of helping “graduates” of the foster system adjust to life in the outside world.
Non-monetary support for children takes the form of outings and events such as trips to Sea World, San Diego Padres baseball games and Philip Rivers’ football camp. The Foundation also hosts the San Diego chapter of the Heart Gallery, a photo exhibit that showcases children who need permanent homes; the gallery is also posted online at http://philiprivers.com/meet-the-children.
The holiday season brings into focus the needs of the less fortunate who might not be able to share the holiday spirit in the ways that we take for granted. However, even more important that gifts under the tree and food under the table is the knowledge that you are part of a family that loves and cares for you. Even if you do not live in the San Diego area, I hope that learning about the Rivers of Hope Foundation inspires you to see how you can help improve the lives and hopes of orphaned children in your home town.
If you would like to learn more about Rivers of Hope, please visit their website at http://riversofhopefoundation.com. The Foundation’s site also has information for those interested in adoption: http://riversofhopefoundation.com/get-involved.
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