Play For Good Gala - Athletes for Hope

Join us for Athlete Mental Health Week 2025!


Play For Good Gala

Play for Good 2024

On Saturday, December 7, the AFH community game together and made Play for Good 2024 a night to remember.

Because of the generosity of so many, we were able to raise more than $572,000 in support of CHAMPS, AFH’s youth physical and mental health program.

If you you would like to support CHAMPS and support all that we do at AFH, donations are still being accepted.

2024 Photo Galleries

Check out the photos from the evening! Includes our photo booth shots to the professional photos taken by Michael Bennett Kress Photography during cocktail hour, the speaking program and the dance floor.

2024 Play for Good Honorees

Thank you to our honorees for celebrating alongside us!

Jackie Joyner Kersee poses next to Mia Hamm after accepting her Mia Hamm Founders Award

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Mia Hamm Founders Award

The Mia Hamm Founders Award honors an elite athlete who embodies Mia’s commitment to utilizing a global platform to help others in need in the U.S. and beyond.

Michelle Freeman poses between Nick Freeman and Christin Blyumin after accepting her award.

Michelle Freeman

Gordon & Llura Gund Lifetime Hero Award

The Gordon & Llura Gund Lifetime Hero Award honors an accomplished professional with ties to sports who has dedicated their career and personal philanthropic work to making a positive impact in the lives of others.

Elena Delle Donne (left) poses next to Michelle Freeman and Christin Blyumin after receiving her AFH Community Hero Award.

Elena Delle Donne

Community Hero Award

The Community Hero Award recognizes an elite athlete who has demonstrated a commitment to giving back to underserved populations and/or causes in the greater Washington, D.C. region.

Lara Abrash and Kathleen Purtill pose around Jason Belinkie after Jason presented Deloitte with their award.

Deloitte

Corporate Community Impact Award

The Corporate Community Impact Award recognizes a corporation that is making a profound impact in the areas of mental health, wellness, and/or youth development that help to uplift the athletic community and the broader community at large.

Women In Sports Fireside Chat

During the reception, Lara Abrash, Chair of Deloitte, US moderated a fireside chat featuring our honorees Michelle Freeman, Elena Delle Donne, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee as well as special guest, Mia Hamm. Attendees were able to witness an incredible discussion on the rise of women’s sports and how these athletes are transforming their communities. Stay tuned for video footage of the entire conversation!

Thank you to our Play for Good emcee!

Benita Fitzgerald Mosley

Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, Olympic gold medalist and sports industry leader, will be our Play for Good Gala emcee. As a passionate advocate for empowering athletes and communities, Benita brought a wealth of experience and energy to our event.

Play for Good 2023

Over $500,000 raised!

Thank you to our sponsors, donors, and AFH Athletes for another incredible Play for Good event. We are so grateful for your unwavering support as we all channel the power of the athletic spirit to create positive change in communities around the world. From strengthening our physical and mental health programs to connecting our AFH University student-athletes to service, our programs are creating tangible good for generations to come.

Celebrating the Legacies of Game-Changers

This year we were able to honor three remarkable individuals who transcend their professional and sport accomplishments by dedicating their time and resources to making a positive impact in the lives of others.

Soccer icon and sports philanthropist Mia Hamm was the recipient of our inaugural 2023 Mia Hamm Founders Award.

Sports icon and AFH Founding Board Member George Cohen was the recipient of our inaugural 2023 AFH Lifetime Hero Award.

NFL legend, entrepreneur, and multi-faceted entertainer Vernon Davis was recognized as the 2023 AFH Community Hero. Watch what previous AFH Community Hero Award recipients Stephen Curry and Katie Ledecky had to say about Vernon here.

2023 Play for Good Gala Photo Gallery

Relive our 2023 Play for Good Gala through the complete photo gallery here.

Play for Good 2022

September 25, 2022 | Over $220,000 Raised!

We are so appreciative of our sponsors and donors for their support of our organization and the athletes we work with every single day. From helping underserved children stay active and learn core leadership skills to destigmatizing mental health in and out of sports, our programs make a tangible impact on the lives of millions – thank you.

Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky was recognized as the 2022 AFH Community Hero! Watch her acceptance speech and hear what Stephen Curry had to say when introducing her.

We were proud to highlight our Whole Being Athlete Program during Play for Good, with a focus on our partnership with WETA and PBS. Watch the video featuring Track and Field Olympian and AFH Mental Health Ambassador Kendall Ellis that aired at NAMICon earlier this year.

About Athletes for Hope

Founded by Muhammad Ali, Andre Agassi, Mia Hamm and nine other elite athletes in 2006, Athletes for Hope (AFH) is a cause-neutral non-profit that educates, encourages, and empowers athletes to find their passions and use their time to positively engage with their communities. Over the past 16 years, AFH has educated more than 10,000 professional, Olympic, Paralympic and collegiate athletes through its Causeway workshop series, and helped athletes volunteer with hundreds of underserved schools and impactful community organizations through core programs that focus upon helping underserved children become more physically active, changing the public stigma around mental health, and brightening the lives of children in hospitals. Through their dedication and passion for doing good, AFH athletes have positively impacted the lives of millions around the world.