Volo Kids Foundation is celebrating 10 years of helping tens of thousands of Baltimore children with free sports programs, and on Sunday, Mayor Brandon Scott will be there to help them mark the occasion.
Sunday’s celebration will be an afternoon of kids’ sports play and clinics, family fun activities, food, music, and more in Brewers Hill. It is open to the public and free.
The football game will be on a huge screen. There will be sports clinics, face painting, games, and more. Kids eat free until 4 p.m., and the first 500 adults to register will get free beer.
Scott was integral to the formation of the foundation in 2015 when he was a city councilman. Volo Sports was founded by Baltimorean Giovanni “Gio” Marcantoni, and he remains CEO. In the aftermath of Freddie Gray’s killing, a group of local government, business, and community leaders came together to discuss solutions. Scott and Marcantoni were part of the group.
Marcantoni wanted to help the community heal through something positive, like sports. He created the Volo Kids Foundation, which offers barrier-free access to participation in team sports. The foundation covers costs and transportation for the children, who are aged 5 – 13. What began in Baltimore now exists in nine other cities with a 10th soon to join.
The organization has helped more than 30,000 children in Baltimore participate in sports safely in their own neighborhoods and for free. They play on 28 fields and facilities across the city.
The Aspen Institute reports that 70 percent of children quit sports by the age of 13 because of the high costs. For Black children, the numbers are starker, showing a decline in participation from 45 percent in 2013 to 35 percent in 2023. Volo Kids Foundation is seeking to improve access for more children.
Sunday’s celebration begins at 1 p.m., where both Scott and Marcantoni will deliver remarks. The event takes place at Club Volo at Brewers Hill, located at 1201 S. Haven St. in Baltimore.
