Put Me in Inc

“Reviewed by cbiz, the president, and the board of directors.”

“We enforce it by adhering to a strict policy of no self-dealing or contracting of any kind with board members.”

“The governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are planned to be made available to the public upon request and on the organizations website in 2024.”

“Our mission is to increase access to sports for children of incarcerated parents (cips). Put me in! Provides committed recurring financial aid grants to cips to support their participation in athletics. Annual grants begin while a cip is in elementary or middle school, and our support continues through high school. Our financial aid helps cover the costs of equipment, registration fees, and travel and transportation. We believe that sports can help combat the many mental health challenges and stigma that cips face. Presently, 2.7 million children in america have a parent in prison or jail. Parental incarceration is defined by the cdc as an "ace" an adverse childhood experience and is specifically highlighted by the cdc for the unique challenges it presents for children with the combined elements of shame (about their parent's actions or incarceration), trauma (seeing a parent forcibly removed from a home or their presence), and social stigma (a feeling that 'they are marked or that society is pointing them out as inferior). Sports provide numerous, clearly defined benefits for children especially system-impacted youth and are scientifically proven to increase self-esteem and self-confidence, while improving social skills, sportsmanship, teamwork, and cultivating resilience. Unfortunately, opportunities for recreation are frequently out of reach for cips, as 2 in 3 system-impacted families have difficulty meeting basic financial needs, yet financing a child's participation in sports can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars per year. Pmi! Closes this economic opportunity divide for cips through a scalable and accessible financial aid model which helps cover the costs of sports equipment, registration fees, and travel/transportation.”