Andy’s Foundation Awarded Outstanding Foundation

On Wednesday, Nov. 17, the Association of Fundraising Professionals honored the Andy Roddick Foundation with the “Outstanding Foundation” award at the 17th Annual National Philanthropy Day Celebration. The reception was held at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and recognized those who are “changing our community with giving hearts.”

Blanche Roddick, president, accepted the award on behalf of the Foundation.

“When my son was 17 he taught me something,” stated Roddick as she began her speech. “He taught me that there are a lot people who need help, and that we can make a difference.”

The Andy Roddick Foundation, dedicated to “Helping Children Today for Tomorrow,” was founded by tennis inspiration and Grand Slam champion Andy Roddick four years ago. Roddick, still a teenager, was motivated to start his own foundation after a conversation he had on a flight with tennis legend Andre Agassi.

Roddick’s parents, Blanche and Jerry, run the Foundation with the help of their long-time friends Ron and Doris Porter. All of the assistance they receive from others is volunteered and unpaid.

The goal of the Andy Roddick Foundation is to improve the quality of life and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all children based on the principles of respect for family, education, and morality. All benefiting organizations aid in the development of at-risk children and families, including those that have been abused, abandoned, and neglected.

Some of the organizations that have received donations from the Foundation in Broward County include a Safe Haven for Newborns, the Sun-Sentinel Children’s Fund, Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center of South Florida, and Kids in Distress.

The Andy Roddick Foundation also generously supports and assists its expertise to other new organizations such as Deliver the Dream. Earlier this year, Andy Roddick became the official spokesperson for Deliver the Dream which shares a common goal with the Andy Roddick Foundation – helping children and families in need. Recently, the Foundation also brought the Elton John AIDS Foundation to South Florida through its partnership with the national organization.

Since the Foundation began in 2001, it has grown tremendously. The Foundation’s first charity weekend was held at Roddick’s alma mater – Boca Raton Preparatory High School – and raised scholarships for three needy students. This year the Foundation will hold its upcoming weekend charity event at the Polo Club Boca Raton and the Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena in Hollywood, FL. The Foundation has doubled and tripled the amount of funds raised each year at annual weekend charity events, and has raised a total of over $2.2 million.

“I am really proud of how far we have come in the past few years,” stated Blanche Roddick, “Everyone has put in a lot of work, and we are very honored to be receiving this award as such a young Foundation.”

The Andy Roddick Foundation is a true example of how a tennis player with a dream to help others in need, and a group of volunteers, can make a big difference in a community. Andy Roddick is not only a leader and inspiration in the world of tennis, but also in the world of philanthropy.