ReGame’s mission is to promote equal opportunity and sustainability by collecting sports equipment and clothing that would otherwise go into landfills and redistributing the gear to underserved youth, so that all people can enjoy the benefits of exercise, strengthen their healthy bodies and develop resilient minds to pursue their passions, reach their goals and achieve success.
THe Problem:
In the U.S. and other countries where sports are a big part of the culture, children start to play organized sports at a young age and outgrow their sports clothing, equipment, and shoes quickly, sometimes before they have a chance to wear or use the items. Many busy families do not know what to do with the outgrown gear, which ends up in the trash or the landfill. Sports equipment and shoes are made of different materials which are often not recyclable and take many years to break down in landfills.
Clothing production contributes to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, as well as the high usage of energy, water, and plastics. Only a tiny percentage of clothing can be recycled. Most clothing ends up in the landfill, releasing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, as it takes years to degrade. Sometimes after clothing is shipped to countries such as Ghana, Uganda, or Malaysia, the clothing is incinerated, which pollutes the air, exacerbates global warming and causes respiratory issues for people living nearby.
Meanwhile, although much sports equipment, clothing, and shoes are discarded in landfills, many underserved children worldwide lack access to the very same sports equipment and clothing that they would love to have. After using their limited funds on more pressing needs such as food and shelter, these children do not have resources for much else, let alone sports equipment and clothing. As such, these children are unable to participate in sports to benefit from exercise, broaden their career options, and expand their economic opportunities.
Many people around the world are not getting enough physical activity, which can result in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, which in turn lead to increased medical costs and decreased productivity in the global economy. For underserved children, the health issues resulting from lack of physical activity could be devastating in that many of them lack access to quality medical care and additional medical costs could be challenging when their families already suffer from food insecurity, low wages, poor housing, and lack basic necessities.
Developing healthy bodies and minds of underserved children through sports has tremendous benefit for their own lives, their family, and the economic viability of their under-resourced communities.
OUR SOLUTION:
ReGame promotes sustainability and extends the life of sports equipment, clothing, and shoes by keeping them out of the landfill and redistributing them to underserved youth. With sports equipment and proper gear to protect them from injury, youth around the world will have the opportunity to enhance their self-esteem and physical and mental health through sports. They will have the chance to develop a healthy lifestyle and hone their teamwork, resilience, and social and collaborative skills. ReGame aims to be a catalyst for youth to discover their passions, explore potential athletic careers, and pursue economic opportunities using the life skills they have built through sports. ReGame seeks to level the playing field through sustainability so that all people can have access to exercise to develop strong bodies and minds as well as achieve optimal health and wellness.
ReGame 