Massillon Rolling Panthers team earns $25k grant from Bridgestone

A Massillon sports program will receive a grant alongside seven other school districts and nonprofit groups.

>Bridgestone Americas announced on July 21 the second round of its nationwide Adaptive Sports in Schools grant program.

>The program awards eight $25,000 grants to districts and nonprofit partners, in an effort to expand access to sports for students with disabilities. The total $200,000 in funding "will directly benefit 1,439 students and 75 public schools across the United States," the release said.

>The grants will fund curriculum development, specialized equipment and coach training. Recipients of the grants are:

Adaptive Sports Ohio in Wooster • >The American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, in Atlanta • >Children First Fund: The Chicago Public Schools Foundation • >Patterson Joint Unified School District in Patterson, California • >Rolling Panthers Wheelchair Basketball in Massillon • >The School Board of Miami-Dade County • >Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities in Fort Wayne, Indiana • >Valley Stream Union Free School District No. 13 in Valley Stream, New YorkMore: Mr. Football finalist, All-Ohioan give Massillon dream backfield

>This round of grants builds Bridgestone's total two-year investment to $400,000. Among the recipients, five programs will be granted renewed support, and three new grantees will be awarded funding, the release said.

>Bridgestone Americas is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a tire and rubber manufacturer.

>"Every student deserves the chance to experience the benefits of sports by building confidence, connections and lifelong skills that come from being part of a team,” Wade Munday, director, corporate philanthropy and social impact at Bridgestone Americas said in the release. “Through these grants, we’re helping schools create more opportunities for students of all abilities to play, compete and reach their full potential both on and off the field."

>This article originally appeared on The Repository: Massillon Rolling Panthers team earns $25k grant from Bridgestone