Press Release: Lids Foundation Gifts 2016 "TIP THE HAT AWARD"

LIDS FOUNDATION GIFTS 2016 “TIP THE HAT AWARD”
WINNERS WITH $300,000 IN GRANTS

INDIANAPOLIS (April 15, 2016) – The LIDS Foundation, a charitable 501(c)(3) organization and the philanthropic support arm of retailer LIDS Sports Group, has named its 2016 “Tip the Hat Award” grant recipients. The Foundation’s national grant program provided $300,000 in funding to five deserving nonprofits this year.

The “Tip the Hat Award” is the LIDS Foundation’s largest annual grant, which supports nonprofits that promote active and healthy lifestyles as well as leadership and growth opportunities. Grant recipients were selected from an open call for entries, then narrowed down to five finalists and placed before an online fan vote that determined the level of grant support each finalist received.

•  First place ($125,000): A Kid Again (Columbus, Ohio)
  A Kid Again exists to foster hope, happiness and healing for families raising kids with life threatening illnesses through the coordination of adventures designed for the kids, friends and families.

• Second place ($75,000): Little Wish Foundation (Indianapolis)
  Little Wish Foundation delivers wishes—like laptops, gaming systems and desirable apparel—to pediatric oncology patients at children’s hospitals throughout Central Indiana.

• Third place ($50,000): Nine13sports (Indianapolis)
  Nine13sports is committed to teaching the multi-faceted benefits of cycling and uses it to positively influence youth.

• Fourth place ($25,000): Our Military Kids (McLean, Va.)
  Our Military Kids, Inc. keeps military children engaged in activities of their choosing while providing grants for fees associated with athletics, fine arts and tutoring programs.

• Fifth place ($25,000): The BASE (Roxbury, Mass.)
  The BASE provides comprehensive athletic and educational advancement opportunities, including training and personalized educational resources, for prominent student athletes focused on baseball.

“Both the LIDS Foundation and the LIDS Sports Group recognize the importance of uplifting and rewarding those who are shaping today’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders,” said Glenn Campbell, LIDS co-founder and LIDS Foundation board member. “This year’s recipients are a wonderful representation of varying causes that are undoubtedly impacting the lives and futures of children throughout the country.”

In addition to its five grant awards, the LIDS Foundation also honored the work of the following programs by awarding micro-grants to assist their efforts: Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, Hope Loves Company, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, McBride Foundation, and Project Fit America.

This is the fourth consecutive year the Foundation has distributed the “Tip the Hat Award” grants, bringing its grand total to date to $840,000.

All recipients were recognized and celebrated at LIDS’ annual “Blue Carpet” awards ceremony on April 14.

For more information about the LIDS Foundation, visit www.lidsfoundation.org. For more information about LIDS Sports Group’s fan gear and sports apparel, visit www.lids.com.

ABOUT LIDS FOUNDATION
The LIDS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and the philanthropic support arm of LIDS Sports Group. The Foundation works to engage young people in the communities where LIDS Sports Group operates to become active in sports-related activities that promote healthy lifestyles as well as leadership and growth opportunities. It accomplishes its mission primarily through offering resources – be it in the manner of time, expertise, funds, or materials – to nonprofit organizations with goals and values that align with those of the LIDS Foundation. To find out more about the LIDS Foundation, visit www.lidsfoundation.org.

ABOUT LIDS SPORTS GROUP
The LIDS Sports Group, operating within Hat World Inc., is a leading North American omni-channel sports licensed retailer comprised of the LIDS retail headwear stores, the Locker Room by LIDS specialty fan retail chain, the Internet businesses www.lids.com, and www.lids.ca. Operating out of Zionsville, Indiana, the retail businesses make up more than 1,300 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet locations nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. LIDS retail stores offer officially licensed and branded headwear of collegiate teams, major professional sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories in the latest styles and colors. Locker Room by LIDS is a mall-based retailer of sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties which also operates under the Seattle Team Shop, Buckeye Corner, Tiger Mania, Sports Fan-Attic and Jersey City (Canada) nameplates. Locker Room by LIDS also has locations in Macy’s department stores throughout the United States. Most LIDS and Locker Room by LIDS stores offer custom embroidery capability that includes embroidered autographs of professional sports athletes. Additionally, the LIDS Clubhouse division operates team-specific professional sports and university athletics retail stores and e-commerce sites. Hat World Inc. is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.

Media Contact
Ashley Eggert (Dittoe PR for LIDS): ashley@dittoepr.com or 317-202-2280 X 15

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