FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 10, 2024
CONTACT:
Jessica Heslam, The FieldHouse, 617-799–0487, media@fieldhouseplus.org
Jacqueline Boas, New Balance Foundation, jacqueline.boas@newbalance.com
The FieldHouse+ Announces $5 Million Gift from
New Balance Foundation to Support Track and Gymnasium
Transformational gift moves capital campaign closer to its
goal of $70 million
BOSTON, Mass., December 10, 2024 – Today The FieldHouse announced it has received $5 million in philanthropic support from the New Balance Foundation to support the construction of an indoor running and walking track and multi-sport court and gymnasium within the 75,000 square foot recreational facility in Dorchester. The FieldHouse, scheduled to break ground in Spring 2025, is being developed through a partnership of Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester and the Martin Richard Foundation. Support from the New Balance Foundation has helped advance The FieldHouse capital campaign closer to its target of $70 million, having recently surpassed a significant, 60% to goal milestone.
When The FieldHouse opens its doors in 2026, athletics and recreation will meet culture and community in one location. The youth- and family-focused complex will become a gathering place for the whole community, connecting families with people and inclusive programs that provide critical resources for health and well-being.
“Young people across Boston of all backgrounds, abilities and interests deserve access to high quality facilities that support them in reaching their goals. Through our partnership with the Martin Richard Foundation, we are addressing an opportunity gap by providing access to year-round athletic, recreational, enrichment, and cultural programming in the most diverse neighborhood in New England. The FieldHouse will have a transformative impact on thousands of youth and families throughout Dorchester and beyond,” said Bob Scannell, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. “At Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, we serve over 4,000 kids each year through more than 200 inclusive programs that meet kids where they are developmentally. Support from organizations like the New Balance Foundation will have a transformative impact on the way we are able to support young people and their families well into the future.”
The New Balance Foundation’s gift is the latest example of the organization’s commitment to removing barriers to health, championing the success of young people, and advancing equity and access.
“We are honored to join the growing group of supporters of The FieldHouse as part of our 15-year relationship with Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. By funding projects such as this, donors will significantly impact the future health and well-being of Boston’s young people,” said Megan Bloch, Director of New Balance Foundation. “The FieldHouse aligns perfectly with our mission to invest in vibrant communities and bright futures through sport. Since 1981, we have supported community-led initiatives that positively engage youth in their development while addressing the factors that contribute to their health, well-being and access to opportunity. The FieldHouse will serve as an oasis for generations of Boston kids and families to come and we’re thrilled to be a part of the team that’s making it possible.”
To date, The FieldHouse capital campaign has received hundreds of contributions from individuals, community leaders, and private foundations. Donations range from $10 to $10 million, along with city, state, and federal funding secured for the project. The capital campaign will march toward its goal of $70 million with the help of individuals and philanthropies that have expressed interest in providing significant support, as well as donors with long-standing relationships with Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester and the Martin Richard Foundation.
“We’re grateful to also have shared an amazing partnership with New Balance Athletics for over a decade,” said Bill Richard, co-founder of the Martin Richard Foundation. “This is an organization committed to giving back to the communities it calls home and having a positive impact in young people’s lives. With the charitable foundation’s incredible gift of $5 million, we are another step closer to starting construction and opening our doors to the community. I can’t wait to take that first lap around the indoor track with kids from across our city.”
ABOUT NEW BALANCE FOUNDATION
The New Balance Foundation mission is investing in vibrant communities and bright futures through sport. Since 1981, New Balance Foundation has invested in proven pathways to help young people achieve their goals. Our grantmaking focuses on community-led, outcomes-driven initiatives that promote access to sport, educational support, career readiness and overall well-being. We have granted over $150 million to date to trailblazing non-profits across the globe. This includes more than $12 million in donations to 90 non-profits in 2024 alone. www.newbalancefoundation.org
ABOUT NEW BALANCE ATHLETICS
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA, has the following purpose: Independent since 1906, we empower people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. New Balance employs 9,000 associates around the globe, and in 2023 reported worldwide sales of $6.5 billion. New Balance owns five athletic footwear factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance MADE U.S. footwear contains a domestic value of 70% or more and makes up a limited portion of New Balance’s U.S. sales. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com; for the latest press information visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.
ABOUT THE FIELDHOUSE+
Scheduled to break ground in Spring 2025, The FieldHouse is a 75,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility developed through a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester (BGCD) and the Martin Richard Foundation (MRF). Operating under the BGCD umbrella, this $70 million space is designed to support the next generation of students, engaging youth in activities beyond athletics and fostering connections among youth from different schools, neighborhoods, cultures, and backgrounds. The FieldHouse will offer indoor and outdoor athletic courts and fields, plus amenities designed to accommodate youth and families of all abilities – including theater and community spaces, a roof garden, a teaching kitchen, flex classrooms and a public café. Activities will include athletics, plus creative and performing arts, music, health and wellness programs, such as yoga, nutrition, dedicated behavioral health counseling and sensory spaces. Located to serve more than 50,000 young people within a 3-mile radius, including 1,000 Boston Public Schools students next door, The FieldHouse will help support a birth-to-career pipeline of services. For more information about the project, visit fieldhouseplus.org.
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