FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY, 2015
CONTACT:
Amanda Kalina, 720-219-8207, [email protected]
Matthew Pandolfi, 617-471-1213 x 138, [email protected]
HOPE ONLINE LEARNING ACADEMY AWARDED A LET’S PLAY
SPORTS EQUIPMENT DONATION FROM DR PEPPER SNAPPLE
AND NATIONAL NON-PROFIT GOOD SPORTS
DENVER, CO, May, 2015 – Through their $2M commitment to non-profit Good Sports over the
next two years, Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS) awarded HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-op a
Let’s Play equipment donation valued at $5,020. The grant will provide the organization with PE
equipment, indoor volleyball shoes, soccer balls, footballs, basketballs, and jerseys.
“We are pleased to support HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-op with this grant from Let’s
Play, part of our overall commitment to bringing play to life and ensuring that kids are able to
make play a daily priority,” said Vicki Draughn, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Dr Pepper
Snapple. “We hope that it will make a big difference to kids in the community and give them the
equipment and gear they need to get in the game and get active.”
The donation is part of Let’s Play, a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple to get kids
and families active nationwide. Let’s Play provides the tools, places and inspiration to make play
a daily priority. Through their partnership with Good Sports, an organization which provides
donations of athletic gear, footwear and sports equipment to deserving organizations or
communities, Let’s Play has committed $2M through 2016 to help kids become active through
organized sports and fitness programs.
“Our partnership with Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Let’s Play will enable Good Sports to
provide even more equipment to deserving youth across the country,” said Melissa Harper, CEO
of Good Sports. “Together, we are thrilled to support HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-op by
providing the tools and resources they need to keep their children active, healthy, and happy.”
HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-op serves close to 3,000 students throughout the state of
Colorado and finds that athletics and activities are a key aspect of accomplishing their mission to
support the “entire” child. This donation will allows HOPE to continue offering a wide variety of
high quality PE classes and sports teams that all children are able to participate in, regardless of
socioeconomic status or skill level.
“The DPS donation will help us reduce the costs of our expanding activities and athletics
program,” said Melanie Stone, Director of Activities and Athletics for HOPE Online Learning
Academy Co-Op. “HOPE’s Activities and Athletics Program is important to the students. It is just
one of the many ways we are providing youth the learning environment they need to succeed.”
Studies show that in addition to the obvious benefits of regular activity, kids who participate in
sports enjoy better nutritional awareness and improved self-esteem. However, kids also need the
proper equipment to enjoy these benefits. Through the Let’s Play initiative, Dr Pepper Snapple
Group and Good Sports will equip 2 million kids around the nation with the tools to play.
Visit Let’s Play at www.LetsPlay.com to join the conversation and learn how to apply for the
available grants to make communities more active and playful.
About Let’s Play
Let’s Play is an initiative launched in 2011 by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to provide the tools, places and
inspiration to make play a daily priority. By 2017, DPS will provide nearly 10 million children across North
America with new opportunities to play and be active through Let’s Play. Working in partnership with the
nonprofit organizations KaBOOM! and Good Sports, Let’s Play engages community organizations, thought
leaders, elected officials and DPS employees to help eliminate the ‘play deficit’ by building and improving
playspaces and providing grants for athletic equipment and gear. For more information, please visit
LetsPlay.com or Facebook.com/LetsPlay.
About Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS) is a leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and
the Caribbean. Our success is fueled by more than 50 brands that are synonymous with refreshment, fun
and flavor. We have 6 of the top 10 non-cola soft drinks, and 13 of our 14 leading brands are No. 1 or No. 2
in their flavor categories. In addition to our flagship Dr Pepper and Snapple brands, our portfolio includes
7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Clamato, Crush, Hawaiian Punch, Mott's, Mr & Mrs T mixers, Peñafiel, Rose's,
Schweppes, Squirt and Sunkist soda. To learn more about our iconic brands and Plano, Texas-based
company, please visit www.DrPepperSnapple.com. For our latest news and updates, follow us at
www.Facebook.com/DrPepperSnapple or www.Twitter.com/DrPepperSnapple.
About Good Sports
Good Sports helps lay the foundation for healthy, active lifestyles by providing athletic equipment, footwear
and apparel to disadvantaged young people nationwide. By partnering with sporting goods manufacturers,
Good Sports gets crucial equipment to kids who need it most, getting them in the game. Since 2003,
Good Sports has provided more than $12 million worth of equipment to more than 1,800 youth programs,
impacting millions of kids. Good Sports has also been awarded a coveted 4-star rating from Charity
Navigator, the nation’s largest charity evaluator, for sound fiscal management, transparency and
accountability; is a Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance accredited charity; and is listed on Social
Impact Exchange’s S&I 100, an index of top American nonprofits creating meaningful social impact. For
more information on how you can support Good Sports, please visit www.goodsports.org
About HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-op
HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-Op is a blended online public K-12 charter school which delivers its
curriculum through community-based Learning Centers from Denver to Greeley, Leadville, Colorado Springs
and Pueblo. Students attend Learning Centers five days a week and rotate between online lessons and
face-to-face classroom instruction. The award-winning curriculum exceeds state standards. HOPE also
offers low student-educator ratios and is an accredited high school diploma program, with graduates going
on to attend college at institutions from the University of Denver to the University of Northern Colorado and
beyond. Additionally, HOPE provides character development programs, including physical education, music,
the arts and extra-curricular activities such as competitive sports, specialty clubs, talent shows and more.
For more information, visit hopeonline.org or call 720-402-3000.
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