ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos, through the NFL Foundation/LISC Grassroots program, have granted Pinnacle Charter School (Federal Heights, Colo.) $250,000 to install a synthetic turf field.
The grant from the Broncos, the NFL Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is part of $6 million in field refurbishment awards allocated this year.
"We are very grateful for the NFL Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation for their incredible work and support they offer all over the country," said Bobby Mestas, Broncos Director of Youth and High School Football Development. "Having an opportunity to install a brand new, synthetic football field, that will become the athletics and activities hub of the Federal Heights and Thornton area is a wonderful gift for the communities and kids who will have access to play."
The new synthetic field will be the primary playing surface for Pinnacle Charter School (PCS) teams and programs and will be available to support more than 1,000 youth football players involved with nearby leagues, including the Thornton Junior Football League, which will have access to the field for 70 percent of the calendar year. The field will also support other athletic activities, including soccer, track, cross-country, Thornton youth summer camps and cheerleading. Between school activities and after-school programs, it is anticipated that more than 1,000 kids will have daily access to this new field.
Since 2000, the Broncos have installed eight such fields in Colorado through NFL Foundation and LISC Grassroots program grants, totaling $1,450,000 in support for local football programming.
The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program, a partnership between the NFL Foundation and LISC — the nation's leading community development support organization — has supported the construction or renovation of 416 football fields nationwide since 1998. During that time, the NFL Foundation has granted nearly $58 million to revitalize playing fields in underserved neighborhoods. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.
"Outdoor recreation, and the health benefits that come with it, is in high demand throughout the country," said Beverly Smith, LISC's Vice President of Sports & Recreation. "This new field in Federal Heights — like all of those that the Grassroots Program has established over the years — will provide opportunities for young people to compete in a safe, healthy, structured environment."
LISC identifies local, nonprofit, community-based agencies that have an interest in building or refurbishing football fields in schools and neighborhood parks. Through the program, local agencies are provided with the necessary financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of fields in their communities. The agencies oversee the construction, maintenance and programming of the fields.
About the NFL Foundation
The National Football League Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation and its members, the 32 NFL clubs, support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit www.NFLFoundation.org.
About LISC
LISC is one the country's largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. We work with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and local economies can thrive. Since our founding, LISC has invested $24 billion to create more than 436,320 affordable homes and apartments, develop 74.4 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. For more information, visit www.lisc.org.
