YES Receives $175,000 Sports Matter Grant from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation

Youth Enrichment Services (YES) has received a three-year, $175,000 Sports Matter Grant from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, the only New England nonprofit selected for the award this year.

The grant will support an expansion of outdoor programming for Boston youth as YES moves into its newly constructed, state-of-the-art headquarters – the Richard Williams Youth Development Center – in Jamaica Plain in late 2026. Sports Matter grants go to organizations serving communities where access to organized sports, outdoor recreation, and green space is limited. This funding will help fully equip YES’s new facility to deliver year-round sports programming and expand capacity to serve an additional 500 youth annually, reaching over 2,000 young people each year from Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan.

“YES is honored to be recognized by The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation with the Sports Matter grant,” said Bryan Van Dorpe, Executive Director of YES. “This support directly translates into thousands of additional sports experiences for Boston youth, allowing us to expand our staff, upgrade our equipment, and strengthen transportation offerings. Together, we are opening up life-changing outdoor experiences for young people across Boston.”

Grant funding will support:

• Staffing: expanding roles to deepen impact on youth, including youth program coordinators, a family engagement specialist, and an assistant director of programs
• Equipment: skis, snowboards, boots, helmets, bikes, paddles, life vests, climbing harnesses, running shoes, and more
• Transportation: expanding bus and van infrastructure for YES’s Outdoor Adventure Camp Program and Operation SnowSports Program, bringing children to local recreational areas and mountain resorts throughout New England

“At The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, we believe that sports have the power to change lives, and that every kid should have the opportunity to experience that impact,” said Rick Jordan, Vice President, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. “We’re proud to partner with YES to help make those opportunities more accessible to Boston youth and to inspire continued growth within their communities.”

This grant is one more step forward as YES prepares to open the doors of its new headquarters and welcome even more Boston youth into its outdoor and leadership programs.