The Grassroot Project
This project's parent organization is Athletes United for Social Justice
It operates in United States
It uses Multiple sports
Entered the Best New Project
More about The Grassroot Project
One out of 20 people in Washington DC is HIV positive. The city has by far the highest rate of new AIDS cases in the United States. DC’s youth rank first nationally in the number of new AIDS cases, and the number of new HIV infections among youth has tripled in the past 5 years. The Grassroot Project addresses this epidemic by engaging Division I college athletes as facilitators of a cutting edge, evidence-based HIV prevention curriculum that has been proven to decrease stigma, discrimination, and HIV prevalence rates.
Through a series of sports-based activities, middle school students aged 12-14 gain a tangible understanding of HIV and AIDS and get a chance to practice the skills necessary for sustainable behavioral change. The Grassroot Project also provides leadership development to college athletes. The program exposes athletes to social issues they may not otherwise come face-to-face with, due to the demands on their time from school and sports. It equips them with the skills to use their passion for sports to combat social injustice, empowering them with the agency to translate their talents into real and measurable benefit to their communities.