Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 3, the Nashville Predators Foundation will distribute 116 grants, totaling $325,059, to Nashville and Middle Tennessee-based community service and charitable organizations. The grants will be presented during a 2 p.m. ceremony at Bridgestone Arena in the meeting rooms.

This announcement marks the 13th grant distribution by the Predators Foundation. Since its 1998 inception, the Foundation has awarded nearly $3 million in financial grants to Nashville and Middle Tennessee community service and charitable organizations. Between the grants and other charitable donations, such as player ticket programs and fund-raising efforts, the Foundation put more than $1 million back into the community during the 20010-11 season.

“For the past 13 years, the Nashville Predators Foundation has raised funds through unique and entertaining events such as GnashVegas, our annual First Tennessee Dr. Mac Memorial Golf Tournament and the Wine Tasting – as well as nightly in-arena game night silent auctions, activities and initiatives,” Nashville Predators President and Chief Operating Officer Sean Henry said. “Area charitable and community service organizations are invited to apply for grants with an emphasis placed on programs and projects involving Middle Tennessee youth. To date, the Foundation has awarded nearly $3 million in grants, including a record high of $325,000 this year – which affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of youth and families in the Middle Tennessee area.”

Each year, the Predators choose four organizations to serve as featured charities for the season. In addition to financial grants, the Predators Foundation also provides these featured charities with organizational visits by players and Preds personalities as well as added exposure, awareness and visibility for the charity. The featured charities for the 2011-2012 season are Backfield in Motion, Cottage Cove, Hands on Nashville and National Wheelcats Youth Sled Hockey.

Upon reviewing close to 300 hundred grant applications, and in keeping consistent with the Foundation’s mission, the grant committee selected programs that will primarily benefit youth and families. Of 116 total charities, almost 50 were outside of the Nashville area. The grant money will benefit local youth in many ways, such as:

•  PENCIL Foundation – Funding will purchase PE equipment for 12 public high schools in Davidson County.
• Beads of Courage – Funding will cover the costs to implement the Beads of Courage program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in both the pediatric cancer and pediatric cardiac populations. This charity provides innovative, arts-in-medicine supportive care programs for children coping with serious illness, their families and the health care providers who care for them.
• Community Childcare Center – Funding will be used to replace an 18 year old commercial freezer used in the kitchen for their center feeding program.
• Lighthouse Christian School – Funding will update and improve the chemistry lab for their college prep program.

Established in September 1998, the Predators Foundation strives to meet the educational, social, health and cultural needs of the community by offering unique resources and financial support to local youth-oriented organizations. All 501(c)3 organizations in Middle Tennessee are eligible to receive grants, which are distributed once a year. Annual grant applications were received by mid-February for consideration. Attached is a complete list of organizations that received grants from the Predators Foundation in 2011.


Breakdown of grant amounts by year are as follows:

1999 - $145,927
2000 - $250,850
2001 - $226,048
2002 - $211,729
2003 - $154,980
2004 - $146,040
2005 - $54,152
2006 - $149,348
2007 - $240,110
2008 - $250,524
2009 - $260,000
2010 - $305,000
2011 - $325,059