A Winning Team: Under Armour's commitment to being active in the community is why Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore makes perfect sense.
Under Armour is recognized as a fashion-forward brand worn by star athletes like seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady and the NBA’s greatest three-point shooter of all time—Steph Curry. What may be lesser known to many sports fans is Under Armour’s commitment to its hometown of Baltimore. Under Armour has been a valued partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore for many years thanks to their generous financial support coupled with regular engagement of its teammates. This fall was no different, with X Under Armour teammates from departments across the company volunteering in various capacities at Clubs.
As October began to fill the air at our Webster Kendrick Club, a group of the Under Armour team volunteered their time at our fall festival and sports clinic where they were able to add to the good times for our members and helped to broaden the career goals of our members. Lexie Williams, Tax Accountant, was one of the many volunteers from the company who helped to lead activities for our members and others in attendance at the festival.
Shades of Giving: Under Armour Volunteers from Black Employees Achieving Together (BEAT) came together to help with all the great times happening all around our Club at Webster Kendrick. (Photo Credit: BGCMB and Mary Braman)
“All the Under Armour volunteers here today were happy to help set up and are excited to be a part of this really fun event that’s bringing everyone from the community together,” said Lexie above the sound of children playing and music from the speakers. She continued to smile, wiping off the tiny dots of paint from her hands. “Our volunteers are stationed at each of the activities: handing out raffle tickets, making slime with the kids—or doing what I did—helping children paint the tiny pumpkins to take home. We’re doing what we can to give a wonderful time to the kids and their families. It’s a pretty nice event—and the weather’s beautiful, too.” Beyond the fun and games, Lexie pointed to a more meaningful theme at work: the importance of representation. “As the Community Lead for Under Armour’s teammate resource group: Black Employees Achieving Together (BEAT), our group knows the impact behind children of color being able to see adults who look like them present and actively serving their community.”
Weeks after the Fall Festival, members from the Under Armour Talent Development team came out to our Webster Kendrick Club to speak about their individual career paths before leading a sports clinic for youth. Club members, eager to find out more about a profession outfitting athletes everywhere, were able to ask questions to better understand what it is like at such a company and Under Armour volunteers were all-too-happy to respond to help members understand the path to a professional career.
More Than Sports at Webster Kendrick: As a part of the fun everyone had at Under Armour's Sports Clinic, volunteers lead a question-and-answer session with our members and offered years of professional knowledge to these talented and aspirational minds.
“One of our goals was to show the people behind Under Armour so that Boys & Girls Clubs members might picture themselves working for a world-class brand like UA when they grow up,” said Becky Pease, Lead of Global Corporate Communications. “We also wanted to focus on encouraging a culture of learning and inspiring them to try activities outside of their comfort zone so that they can discover new talents and interests.” Fun was, of course, on the agenda as well. “Our team had a great time coaching the children on new soccer skills and sharing in the collective joy, laughter and teamwork that is brought about when we engage in sports. Whether through individual skill drills or team competition during our clinic, we all had huge smiles on our faces and found the experience to be uplifting and energizing for everyone involved.”
Wrapping The Day Away: Two conference rooms could barely hold all the yuletide merriment these Under Armour volunteers brought to our offices earlier this month to give the best gift of all--time--to our members this season.
As the chill of winter settled in, Under Armour volunteers returned, this time to wrap gifts for Club holiday parties. Teammates from all over the country cut, creased, taped then sorted the gifts into the respective Club’s bag. Jody Panfili, Facilities Professional for the East Coast and Canada region, shared why their team gathered for this great annual event.
“This is our second year helping with holiday wrapping with Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore,” Jody says smiling as another toy to wrap is sent her way. “We look forward to it because it brings us together for a great cause.” The holidays bring out the kid in all of us with excitement over the newest, coolest toys that can’t be concealed. “I heard some of the guys in here ‘oooo’ and ‘ahhh’ over the LEGO sets we were wrapping today so you can image how the kids will react once they open their gifts.”
We are so grateful for our enduring relationship with Under Armour and the time committed by these wonderful volunteers to enrich the lives of our members.
Want to read about more great acts of kindness directed at helping our members at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore? Click here to find out more stories of generosity impacting the lives of our youth. Click here to find out how you can add to the impact shaping the lives of our youth all year long.