A memorial nonprofit organization in Sunnyvale is giving underprivileged youth a chance to play the sports they love.
The Curtis Lee Sanders Foundation began in 2011, 10 years after Sanders died in a car accident at the age of 20.
Jon Wilson, president of the foundation and one of Sanders’ closest friends, said Sanders’ life revolved around sports from a young age.
“We were friends since second grade and sports were a huge part of our friendship, of course–baseball, basketball, soccer, everything,” he said. “Some of the best moments and memories of our lives came from sports.”
The foundation, which became a nonprofit in 2012, raises money to give sports equipment to families with children interested in athletics, who may not otherwise be able to afford it, among other initiatives.
Originally, the foundation wanted to raise money to fund a child to play on a team for Sunnyvale National Little League, but league has a policy that it will not turn any child away.
“So we thought, ‘What else can we do?’ We found that we could provide the equipment for the kids,” Wilson said, adding that a child “could get in and get signed up [for a sport] but then show up with tennis shoes and a plastic glove, which is the case sometimes. That’s where we got our idea, starting with baseball.”
To receive equipment, families can go online and apply for what they need. The child must provide a brief statement about why they love to play a particular sport.
Wilson said that although it doesn’t have a screening process, the foundation has never felt that any equipment recipient was taking advantage.
In 2014, members of the foundation caught word that Columbia Middle School was struggling to afford physical education equipment.
“We fulfilled about 90 percent of their wish list for sports equipment, which was cool,” Wilson said. “We try to show up and deliver it in person. We got to go to their school rally and speak and present the equipment.”
Wilson said the foundation also donated soccer balls to the Kick, Lead, Dream program that offers at-risk youth a chance to learn soccer skills and build relationships with teenage role models.
The foundation has also partnered with sporting goods store Sports Basement, which offers it discounts for equipment, and Sunnyvale National Little League.
Every year since 2011, Sanders’ close family and friends come together for The Fall Classic softball game and fundraiser to share memories of him. The game will be held again Sept. 19 in Sunnyvale.
“Curtis was a confident guy, although the most humble guy at the same time,” said Wilson. “He was always around, one of those guys you could always depend on. He was definitely the best guy in our group.”
The foundation is made up of six board members and three advisers, almost all of whom were close to Sanders. His father, Buddy Sanders, is on the board, and his mother, Darlean Sanders, is a board adviser.
The foundation gets most of its funding through donations and grants. The board is often looking for new and innovative ways to pass on Sanders’ love of sports.
“When our board has met in the past, we’ve shared dreams for the organization, to obviously get bigger, help more people, and maybe someday have a sports complex in Curtis’ name,” he said.
Wilson said sports and activity are imperative for children. “The physical and mental health of kids is dependent on their activity, so they should be able to participate in sports for that reason,” he said.
For more information, visit clsfoundation.org.
