ESPN’s ESPY Awards recognize the very best in sports, honoring everything from Best Play to life-changing humanitarian efforts. This year, Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) received the ESPN Corporate Community Impact Sports Humanitarian Award for its longstanding ALL STARS partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Annually, the BWW Foundation partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to provide essential funding for sports equipment and jerseys for the athletes as well as training for the coaches.

“We believe every kid deserves to play, and we’re determined to close the access gap and make sure as many children as possible have the chance to become a champion,” said Inspire Foundation Executive Director Stuart Brown. “This award is an incredible honor, because it celebrates the power of access, opportunity, and sports to change lives.” 

To celebrate, the BWW Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America hosted a special event with Atlanta Dream guard and WNBA standout Rhyne Howard during the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis. Rhyne spent an afternoon with local LeGore Boys & Girls Club kids, sharing her journey from community courts to WNBA stardom as motivation for kids to view sports as a pathway to success.

Driven by its mission to fuel champions of the next generation by providing access to youth sports, the BWW Foundation has helped nearly three million Club kids get in the game since 2013 – and it shows. While only 20-28% of America’s youth get an hour of recommended daily physical activity, more than half of Boys & Girls Club members exercise an hour a day, five days a week. The ALL STARS program also provides structured sports programming to encourage community building and grow team sports skills for success on and off the court.  

The ALL STARS program is supported by fundraising efforts like Team Up for Kids, the BWW Foundation’s annual fundraiser that supports local youth programs. It’s through this yearly campaign that 1,200 BWW sports bars fundraise, volunteer, and advocate on behalf of community programs to make team sports and other resources more accessible to youth in their communities. 

The Inspire Foundation exists to ignite and nourish change for good. In 2024, Inspire’s brand foundations gave more than $23 million to support youth-related organizations, making a difference in the communities we serve. To learn more about the Inspire Foundation, visit foundation.inspirebrands.com.