Thousands of inner-city kids in low-­income areas of Chicago, mainly on the south-­side and west-­‐side of the city, plus a few surrounding suburbs. We work directly with over 230 under-­resourced schools, after-­school/summer programs and sports leagues that struggle due to lack of funding. Curie High School and Shields Elementary School are among dozens of Chicago Public schools that benefit from The Sports Shed. We also support charter schools like Gary Comer College Prep and Perspectives Charter Network’s five campuses. America Scores Chicago and KAOS (Keeping Adolescence Off the Streets) Foundation are a couple examples of other programs that have received thousands of sports items from us.

We set up a meeting with program directors and coaches who reach out to us so we can access their current resources, program challenges, and goals to determine if they are aligned with The Sports Shed’s mission and a fit for the services we provide.

From there, they submit a wish‐list and we offer consultation services so that we can find the best way to meet their program’s needs and get kids in the game.

Our funding comes from a donor base consisting of three categories. Hundreds of individuals have invested, giving folks with a passion for sports and/or youth a chance to give personally in a meaningful way. Dozens of corporations have partnered with us on sponsorships and significant contributions. We have also received a grants from foundations such New York Life and The Grainger Foundation. Our Current annual budget is roughly $500,000.

Monetary donations allow us to quickly and efficiently source and acquire needed gear. Every dollar donated boosts our capacity to serve more kids and opens the door for us to support more schools and programs that are in need of our services. With your donations we are able to sponsor special projects, purchase gear that is not typically available through donations, offer expert consultation to program recipients, and make things happen that would not otherwise be possible. 

Make a donation online using your credit or debit card.

Mail a check to The Sports Shed, 872 S. Milwaukee Ave. #112, Libertyville IL 60048.

Maximize your giving – Most companies support charitable giving through matching gifts and payroll deductions. The Sports Shed is already set up on several company giveback programs such as IBM, Grainger, ITW and Thrivent Financial. Check with your Human Resources Department!

Yes, donations of quality Sports equipment can help us serve more kids!

Our goal is to provide quality gear that makes kids feel valued and gives them the best possible chance at a successful athletic experience. You can donate new or gently used gear directly to our Shed or through Play It Again Sports. See our Donate Gear page for more information.

The most needed items are balls (baseballs, softballs, footballs, basketballs, soccer and volley balls, playground balls), mitts, bats, training/practice equipment, nets, athletic shoes/cleats and new athletic apparel.

We cannot accept worn out, damaged, mismatched or otherwise unusable items. We are committed to providing quality gear that makes kids feel valued and give them the best possible chance of success in their athletic experience.

See more information on our Donate Gear page.

The Sports Shed is a 501(c)3 non‐profit charity. Any monetary contributions are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt. Donations of goods and in-­kind services are also tax deductible and we will provide receipts upon request.