The Thunderbirds Community Sports Foundation has awarded more than $1 million to local youth sports teams, schools and associations since its inception in 2009.

“When we first started the Foundation in 2009, we didn’t consider how quickly we might reach $1 million in grants awarded,” said Brenda Farwell, Foundation vice president in a Thursday press release from the Kent-based Seattle Thunderbirds junior hockey team that began playing 11 years ago at the accesso ShoWare Center. “We wanted to help all kids in the area play sports and promote the positive aspects that sports bring to our communities. To see the positive impact the Foundation has had in the Puget Sound in the last 10 years is very gratifying and humbling.”

The Thunderbird Community Sports Foundation is a non-profit foundation that believes youth in our community benefit physically, mentally and academically from playing sports and that no child should be excluded from playing sports due to a lack of financial resources. The Foundation promotes good health, physical education and academic achievement, by providing scholarships and grants for amateur athletes in the Puget Sound region.

The Foundation runs the T-Birds 50/50 Raffle at every home game at ShoWare Center during the regular season and playoffs. Funds raised through the 50/50 Raffle are given out as grants to local sports teams, schools and associations to meet their sports goals for the season they apply.

The Foundation has a semi-annual grant application process. April 30 and Oct. 30 are the deadlines for a sports team or association to apply for a grant. Sports teams and associations can apply for grants on the Foundation website at thunderbirdsfoundation.org.

Click here for a list of groups that have received grants.

The Foundation is guaranteeing that the 50/50 prize at the game Saturday, Feb. 29 against the Portland Winterhawks will be at least $10,000.