A son, a daughter – we are all one. A brother, a sister – many of us have them. A future, a fighting chance – only a few in our community get them.
Tyree, a sixth grade boy, is being raised in a low-income, single parent home in the Richmond community. When he first came to the Youth Life Foundation of Richmond Learning Center he struggled with severe anger issues. However, the staff believed in Tyree, helping him to identify his goals and dreams. Turns out, Tyree had an untapped passion for music. After a year’s worth of drum lessons with his mentor, Tyree now plans to use his gifts to help lead worship at his church every Sunday.
Marcus’ story is also not uncommon in our community. After his parents’ divorce, Marcus and his mom relocated to Richmond. The Northside Family YMCA was able to provide before and after school care, gym and aquatics activities, and financial assistance. The staff was supportive, caring, and always willing to lend a hand; they were there when Marcus and his mom needed it most as they transitioned into this new stage of life. This fall, Marcus started his first year on the swim team as a Northside Dolphin and couldn’t be more excited.
You may be asking yourself, why are these stories so important?
Every minute counts. It’s a game of beat the clock and organizations like the Northside Family YMCA and the Youth Life Foundation of Richmond know that every hour, every minute, every second that they spend with the children in their at-risk programs could be the difference between life and death.
And that means every dollar counts too.
Did you know that each year RIR Cares provides support to non-profit organizations and charitable causes to help better the Greater Richmond Metropolitan Area and the surrounding communities? We contribute through monetary donations, in-kind gifts, fundraisers and countless hours of volunteering time.
Both groups received $4,000 grants on behalf of Richmond International Raceway Cares in 2013. With this money, the organizations were able to build a new learning center, start a new elementary mentor program, and provide families after-school care at a reduced rate.
Last year, the track and our charitable arm – RIR Cares – generated more than a quarter of a million dollars through donations and volunteer opportunities. And our staff invested nearly 700 volunteer hours to support our community.
We’re dedicated to assisting charities, causes and events in our community, focusing on youth, education and recreation. If you or somebody you know is involved with a local non-profit and would like to apply for a grant, please visit www.rir.com/nascarfoundationgrantapplication. Applications are due by October 31. Five local non-profits will be chosen to receive grants in 2014 and we’ll announce one daily during our Five Days of Giving Campaign, December 15 – 19.
Everyone in our community deserves a fighting chance at a future! If you’d like to support RIR Cares in our mission, please visit http://www.rir.com/Track-Info/RIR-Cares.aspx to learn more about our fundraising efforts and how you can help.
RIR PR
