The Atlanta Falcons Youth Fund is expanding its mission to remove barriers for girls in sports, announcing a new partnership Tuesday with the national nonprofit Operation Warm.
As part of its FLY:FWD initiative, the fund will distribute 16,000 sports bras to schools and community organizations across 38 Georgia counties — an effort designed to help girls feel confident, supported, and ready to play.
The program kicked off Tuesday as FLY:FWD, the Falcons cheerleaders, and team mascot Freddie Falcon visited the Warren Boys & Girls Club in southeast Atlanta to hand out gear and host youth programming.
It’s part of a broader push by the Falcons to grow girls’ flag football in Georgia and beyond.
“This is the second year of our partnership with the Atlanta Falcons,” said Gina Reid, director of program implementation at Operation Warm. “As part of that partnership, they distributed over 30,000 sports bras to girls in Georgia, which is really amazing. That’s ensuring that those girls all have the opportunity to pursue whatever it is that makes them excited, and that they are happy and active and healthy.”
Reid said the program focuses on helping girls in underserved communities feel empowered to take part in athletics.
“We are here today ensuring that the girls at the Warren Boys & Girls Club can leave here comfortable, confident, and feeling empowered that they can participate in any activity they want,” she said.
According to Operation Warm, girls are twice as likely as boys to drop out of sports, and in under-resourced communities, that number can be six times higher.
Falcons cheerleader AFC McKenzie said being part of the event was deeply meaningful.
“I think it’s important because you just never want to take for granted the access that you have to sports,” she said. “Sometimes it’s not a lack of interest — it’s just a lack of resources. So it’s really influential that we’re here to show what you can accomplish through sports, to uplift and encourage them.”
McKenzie added that the event was about representation as much as resources.
“It’s extremely powerful and impactful,” she said. “They can see themselves in us. We want them to say, ‘Oh, she’s doing it — I can do that too.’”
Even something as simple as proper athletic wear can make a world of difference.
“You can tell the difference in a sports bra with the support that it provides,” McKenzie said. “It’s really empowering. You want that confidence — you don’t want to be self-conscious. That shouldn’t stop you from doing what you love.”
