Reno area Athlete to receive $2,700 in grant funding to pursue Paralympic dream
Since his 2013 injury, Jacobo has been searching for an adaptive sport where he can experience the thrill of adrenaline and competition. Jacobo has recently discovered the adaptive sport of bobsled. The December grant for $2,700 will be used for travel and accommodations to a World Cup bobsled event in St Moritz, Austria. This event will kickoff Jacobo’s quest to make the 2018 Paralympics in Seoul, Korea.
December’s funding marks the second board-approved grant that Jacobo has received since becoming a High Fives Foundation Athlete in April 2014. To date, he’s received a total of $4,800 that has been used toward his recovery.
Since the Foundation’s inception in January, 2009, the Winter Empowerment program service has assisted 66 athletes from 19 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and stoke (positive energy, outlook and attitude). In 2014, the High Fives Foundation has set a budget of disbursing $196,000 via board-approved grants through the Winter Empowerment Fund. Thus far in 2014, 28 High Fives Athletes and two organizations have been awarded a sum of 38 board-approved grants for a total of $249,000.
In the month of December the High Fives Foundation distributed funds to five Winter Empowerment Athletes: Steven Jacobo of Gardnerville, Nev., Jeff Andrews of Truckee, Calif., Patrick Lonsdale of Ben Lomond, Calif., Sally Francklyn of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Jim Harris of Salt Lake City, Utah. The Foundation’s Board of Directors Grant Selection Committee approved a total of $29,354.91 to be used toward the Healing Network, Travel, Living Expenses and Adaptive Equipment funding categories.
