Hoops of Hope Shoots it Out for a Cause

Richard Diaz
Love of Sports Correspondent

There’s no doubt society as a whole is in the midst of an evolution of awareness.

Evidence of this can be found within the efforts of countless non-profit organizations that have sprung forth in the past decade or so. In all honesty, the only mass charity effort I can remember seeing as a kid was the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Yet today, it seems as if there’s something major going on every other week, and ironically, I can’t recall the last time I saw the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

And while there are several elements of modern society that could really use a makeover, it’s nice to see that multitudes of people from varying walks of life can ultimately come together for a good cause. Be it raising money for orphaned children in Africa, or something more localized like raising funds for Katrina victims, the simple point is that people are doing what they can to make the world a better place.

That said, I’d like to take a little time to give some love to Hoops of Hope.

Unlike a traditional organization that might raise money with a telethon or concert, Hoops of Hope makes being charitable an interactive event. It gives regular people like you and I a chance to make a difference while having a bit of fun, and they don’t do so with a marathon.

In short, Hoops of Hope is an annual basketball shoot-a-thon. The goal is to raise awareness and funds for children who’ve been orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

For those of us who have never witnessed a shoot-a-thon, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Participants from all over the country will shoot thousands of free throws throughout 2008, which are meant to symbolize the massive amount of kids orphaned each day.

The beauty of this event is the effort that’s made to make it accessible. With three national Hoops of Hope event dates, and several other local ones scheduled across the nation. Odds are you’ll be able to find a participating partner in an area that’s relatively close by. The final national date is December 6, in honor of World AIDS Day, but there are several local versions taking place between now and then in case you’re in the mood to shoot some free throws for a great cause.

Another great thing about Hoops of Hope is how fun and challenging it can be for people of all ages. Participation levels vary depending on the individual, so if you think you can only handle shooting the entry challenge of 500 free throws, so be it. If you’re up for something more challenging, there are other challenges that range from 1,000 to 2,057 free throws at the individual level, and 6,000 as a team challenge.

In case you’re wondering, 2,057 is the number of children orphaned during a single school day, and 6,000 is the number of children orphaned during an entire day. Simply put, it’s a worthwhile cause regardless of how many free throws you decide to shoot.

If you’re interested in participating, all you have to do is visit the Hoops of Hope webpage at http://www.hoopsofhope.com.

There you’ll be able to register for your local event and gather more information on what to do next. Then you can go to http://www.firstgiving.com/hoopsofhope2008 to set up your own webpage for raising donations. The individual fundraising goal is only $250, and the fact that the money raised goes directly to World Vision’s Hope Initiative should make fundraising that much easier.

It’s worth mentioning that in 2007, participants raised over $198,000 for a medical lab in Zambia.

So, here’s to giving up some Love for Hoops for Hope, because they’ve really found an interesting way to fund raise for a good cause. And at the very least, you’ll be able to improve your free throw technique.