Public and private schools in the Greater Indianapolis area are teaming up with the National Football League, Indianapolis Colts, 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee and Martin University for a Super Bowl project that puts books, sports equipment and school supplies into the hands of local children in need. The project, called Super Kids-Super Sharing, has been implemented in Super Bowl host communities for the past twelve years and has placed tens of thousands of books and pieces of sports equipment into the hands of children who might not otherwise have access to such items.
Super Kids-Super Sharing gives local students an opportunity to be involved in the excitement of Super Bowl and “recycle” items they no longer need. The program also promotes NFL PLAY 60, the league’s youth health and wellness campaign, by sharing sports equipment among all children in the community. There is still time for area schools to join in this year’s effort.
Participating schools will ask their students to gather up gently used or new books, sports equipment, and school supplies from home and place those items in collection boxes at school. Most school collections will begin in early January. Just before the Super Bowl, donated items will be brought to a collection event at Martin University where they will be sorted, then shared with pre-selected lower income schools in participating districts, the Indianapolis Youth Education Town and the Colts “Books for Youth” program.
School districts joining in the effort so far include: Avon Community School Corporation, Beech Grove City Schools, Brownsburg Community School Corporation, Carmel Clay Schools, Center Grove Community School Corporation, Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation, Greenwood Community School Corporation, Indianapolis Public Schools, MSD Perry Township, MSD of Decatur Township, MSD of Wayne Township, Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation, Westfield Washington Schools, Zionsville Community Schools, Franklin Community School Corporation and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Schools.
Additional school districts and private schools are welcome to join in the effort. Individual schools within participating districts and in other areas may register to take part by contacting Susan Groh, Super Kids-Super Sharing Project Manager, at (401) 952-0885 or email the name of their school, address and contact information to NFLenvironment@aol.com.
Interested schools should register by September 30, 2011. The NFL provides instructions, posters, flyer templates and other materials to make it easy for schools to implement this project.
Super Kids-Super Sharing is one of the NFL’s environmental initiatives for Super Bowl XLVI. The NFL Environmental Program plays an active role behind the scenes at the Super Bowl. In addition to Super Kids-Super Sharing, the NFL Environmental Program ensures that tens of thousands of pounds of unserved prepared food from Super Bowl events are distributed to local shelters and community kitchens. The Environmental Program is also responsible for recycling cardboard and other materials from Super Bowl events and donates everything from decorative banners to building materials to local non-profit agencies. Several tree planting projects are being developed as part of Super Bowl. “Green power” will also be used to power Lucas Oil Stadium for Super Bowl XLVI.
The NFL Environmental Program is one of a large number of community events and initiatives implemented each year by the NFL to leave a positive legacy in each Super Bowl host community.
