This week, the sixth annual Sports Humanitarian Awards, sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb, will be awarded throughout the week via announcements on ESPN's studio shows, as well on Sunday night during The 2020 ESPYS Presented by Capitol One. As part of the Awards, ESPN announced Thursday that the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has been named the honoree of the inaugural Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award.
When the beloved owner of the Buffalo Bills, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., passed away at the age of 95 in 2014, it gave rise to his ultimate act of generosity: proceeds from the highly successful sale of the team funded a Foundation bearing his name. With a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation invests in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. Since 2015, it has distributed more than $60 million in grants across its two regions aimed at providing access to youth sports programs and play spaces. Last year, they launched the "Don't Retire, Kid" campaign in partnership with the Aspen Institute and ESPN to draw attention to the fact that too many children are "retiring" from sports prematurely. They helped to raise awareness of the cost barriers and pressures kids face in the Foundation's own communities. The Foundation is also helping to build more safe and exciting places for kids to experience free play through its Built to Play initiative in partnership with KABOOM! and the Tony Hawk Foundation, investing in 13 new skateparks, 8 large playground builds and more than 40 innovative play spaces across Southeast Michigan and Western New York.