The Sky Cares Foundation supports the Sky’s mission of building girls’ self-esteem and providing girls and young women with positive mentors. Sky Cares is deeply committed to creating programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive self-image, through education and support for youth and family development initiatives. Founded in January, 2008, the Sky Cares Foundation’s first initiatives are "Give Girls Game" and "Learn to Soar."

Give Girls Game is a health and fitness festival designed to show girls 10-16 all the ways they can get active, whether by playing a sport or dancing or jumping double-dutch. Research has proven that good habits in health and physical activity help build self-esteem and confidence:

  • Girls who do 15 minutes of moderate physical activity a day reduce their risk of obesity by almost     50 percent

  • Girls who play sports are less likely to do drugs and get pregnant; they are more likely to get     higher test scores and develop self-confidence

  • Oppenheimer Funds study finds 4 out of 5 executive business women played sports growing up

    Having role models, mentors, educators and coaches who model and teach this behavior is a critical aspect of building these positive life habits. Sky Cares is working with several local girl-serving organizations, including Girls in the Game, Girls on the Run-Chicago, the Women’s Sports Foundation’s GoGirlGo! Chicago program, Step Up Women’s Network, Chicago Park District and the Mayor’s Fitness Council to bring together mentors and coaches with over 500 girls from the Chicago Public Schools on May 29 from 4-6 p.m. at UIC’s SEO field. After the girls visit all the festival stations and earn a t-shirt, we’ll keep them moving by walking together to UIC Pavilion, where the girls will watch the Sky take on the Minnesota Lynx. The game will give the girls an unforgettable opportunity to witness first-hand the power and poise of professional female athletes and will provide a motivating message of what can be accomplished through dedication, determination and discipline.

    Sky Cares Foundation’s Learn to Soar program is a series of three workshops for girls 10-16 focused on teambuilding, conflict resolution, health and body image, and leadership and goal-setting. Following each workshop, girls will be driven by trolley to the UIC Pavilion where they will be treated to an unforgettable Sky game experience.

  • Teamwork and Conflict Resolution: Carla McGee, former WNBA great, Olympic gold medalist and     two-time NCAA Champion, will kick off the workshop with her inspiring story of overcoming a near     fatal car crash to become a legendary basketball player. Girls will watch the stirring documentary     “The Heart of the Game” and will be lead through a highly-regarded curriculum built around the     themes of teamwork, character and conflict resolution.

  • Health and Body Image: Award-winning author Jean Kilbourne was named by Time Magazine as     one of the three most popular speakers on college campuses today. Her powerful presentation     called “The Naked Truth: Advertising’s Image of Women” will help girls reject unrealistic media     images in favor of their own positive self-image.

  • Leadership and Goal Setting: Julie Foudy, co-captain of the US Women’s National Soccer Team     for ten years, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA World Champion, now runs a     leadership camp for girls. Her workshop will give girls practical leadership tools for their team,     school, community and life.

    To learn more about Sky Cares or to make a donation please contact Kristi Faulkner at 312.994.5987 or at kfaulkner@chicagosky.net