At High Fives Foundation, our mission is rooted in preventing life-changing injuries and providing resources and hope to those who face them. Through our Empowerment Fund, we strive to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals impacted by spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, or other mobility-limiting injuries incurred during outdoor adventure sports. As we culminate the first grant cycle of the year, we are thrilled to share the impactful outcomes achieved through the collective efforts of our team, supporters, and the resilient athletes we serve.
2024 Grant Cycle 1 Recap
From January 1st to January 31st, we embarked on our first grant cycle of the year, extending support to individuals injured in outdoor adventure sports. The cycle witnessed an outpouring of applications from across the nation, each embodying the spirit of determination and perseverance. After diligent review and consideration, we’re proud to announce that a total of $256,476 was funded, reaching a remarkable 99 athletes.
Of these grants, 55 were awarded to existing athletes within our network, while 44 opened doors for new athletes to access essential resources. The distribution spanned across the country, with 62 grants allocated to the West Coast, 16 to the East Coast, and 21 to the Central region, underscoring our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.
Meet the 62 Athletes from the West Coast and Canada for the 2024 Grant Cycle 1
Aven Elsberg
Meet Aven
Chloe Giroux
Meet Chloe
Barry Johnson
Meet Barry
Jason McCue
Meet Jason
Karl Whitcombe
Meet Karl
Annie Bi
Meet Annie
Michael Spivey
Meet Michael
Derek Meng Ho
Meet Derek
Sean McTearnen
Meet Sean McTearnen
Jason Wayne Simpson
Meet Jason Wayne
Jon Arnow
Meet Jon
Louis Meyer
Meet Louis
Arthur Ornelas
Meet Arthur
Neven Hart
Meet Neven
Judah Websdale
Meet Judah
Thomas Cornew
Meet Thomas
Caroline Swanson
Meet Caroline
Brock Leitner
Meet Brock
Jeremy Raeszler
Meet Jeremy
Cait Brown
Meet Cait
Max Moriyama
Meet Max
Trevor Giles
Meet Trevor
Andre Barbieri
Meet Andre
Ryan McConnaughey
Meet Ryan
Amanda Timm
Meet Amanda
Ryan Barbee
Meet Ryan
Sam Barco
Meet Sam
Connor May
Meet Connor
Luke Sharp
Meet Luke
Orion Owens
Meet Orion
RJ Roggeveen
Meet RJ
Eric Wang
Meet Eric
Patrick Davidson
Meet Patrick
Marshall Evans
Meet Marshall
Brian Cone
Meet Brian
Spencer Arnold
Meet Spencer
Andrew Peters
Meet Andrew
Casey Proud
Meet Casey
Anthony Giacinto
Meet Anthony
Laura Grabowski
Meet Laura
Mathew Andrew
Meet Mathew
Eric Leversen
Meet Eric
Alina Petrik
Meet Alina
Sean Kent
Meet Sean
Shelby Estocado
Meet Shelby
Jeff Andrews
Meet Jeff
Luke Eckenberg
Meet Luke
Bond Camp
Meet Bond
Thomas Cloyd
Meet Thomas
Kasey Aiello
Meet Kasey
Daewon Rojas-Mickelson
Meet Daewon
Bryan Noonan
Meet Bryan
Alex Uppenkamp
Meet Alex
Embedded within these statistics are the inspiring narratives of individuals who refuse to be defined by their injuries but instead choose to embrace life with unwavering determination and resilience.
The funds disbursed through Grant Cycle 1 facilitated the procurement of adaptive sports equipment, with 5 grants dedicated to adaptive surf equipment, 7 to snow sports equipment, and 19 to biking equipment, empowering athletes to pursue their passion for outdoor adventures safely and confidently. Additionally, our support extended beyond equipment, with grants allocated across various categories including:
- Adaptive Equipment: 45 grants
- Medical Equipment: 21 grants
- Healing Network: 23 grants
- Living Expenses: 3 grants
- Programs: 6 grants
- Emergency Expenses: 1 grant
These grants not only address immediate needs but also foster long-term healing, rehabilitation, and community integration, ensuring that our athletes receive comprehensive support on their journey to recovery and beyond. From the West Coast to the East Coast and Central regions, athletes like Daewon Rojas-Mickelson, Caroline Swanson, Travis Daniel, and Kevin Smith share their aspirations, goals, and gratitude for the support received from High Fives Foundation.
Meet the Central US Athletes HERE
Quinn Brett
Meet Quinn
Daniel Petermann
Meet Daniel
Candice Dungan
Meet Candice
Brooke Nelson
Meet Brooke
Allyson Mallory
Meet Allyson
Megan Wemmer
Meet Megan
David Tarro
Meet David
John Papai
Meet John
Kevin Smith
Meet Kevin
Dean Ahrens
Meet Dean
Terry “Dave” Cummings
Meet Terry
Nat Vorel
Meet Nat
Fang Her
Meet Fang
Becca Steinbrecher
Meet Becca
Jason Coleman
Meet Jason
Gerry Snieski
Meet Gerry
Joseph Zabel
Meet Joseph
Brian Biggs
Meet Brian
Meet the East Coast Athletes HERE
Nolan Trowe
Meet Nolan
Tim Brown
Meet Tim
Kelsey O’Driscoll
Meet Kelsey
Paul Shaver
Meet Paul
Brayden Butler
Meet Brayden
Christopher Schmidt
Meet Christopher
Gregg Behnke
Meet Gregg
Geoffrey Johnson
Meet Geoffrey
Cahin Perez
Meet Cahin
Edward Newell
Meet Edward
John Joseph Sams
Meet John Joseph
Jason Wilke
Meet Jason
Jose Guiliani
Meet Jose
Travis Daniel
Meet Travis
