Who We Are
Storm Cares is at the center of our purpose
The Storm Cares platform embodies what the Seattle Storm organization stands for. This is about giving back to the community who has supported us since the team's inception. This is about making our community stronger and developing our youth for a better tomorrow. This is about providing leaders, mentors and role models to show us what is possible when we unite behind a mission. That mission is to make our communities stronger, together.
Storm Cares is at the center of our purpose. Social responsibility is not a tagline; it is a way of existing. We are proud to partner with the organizations in our community who share these beliefs. We work with them hand-in-hand to bring memorable and exciting moments and movements to those around us.
2016 by the Numbers
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24
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365
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4,265
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17,000
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9,000+
What We Do
The Seattle Storm organization is about more than just basketball. We are committed to giving back to our surrounding communities in a variety of ways.
Here is a snapshot of our activities throughout 2016.
Basketball Clinics
Health and wellness is a primary focus of the Storm organization. In partnership with Group Health, we offered 6 free youth basketball clinics this summer to work on basketball skills, but more importantly, to get kids active and having fun. With approximately 300 participants throughout the summer at various locations throughout the greater Seattle area, we inspired young people to be active and stay healthy by finding an activity they enjoy.
Auction Donations
The Seattle Storm actively engages with hundreds of non-profits in Washington state each year by providing donations to local auctions. We support causes ranging from large foundation fund-raisers to small parent-teacher organizations looking to help make sure their students receive an enriching educational experience. We lift up these causes by providing tickets and signed merchandise to over 350 auctions each year, focusing on non-profits that serve women and girls or who promote education and literacy or health and wellness. No mission is too small when it comes to supporting our community.
Youth Fitness
For the past several years, the Seattle Storm has partnered with Seattle Public Schools to encourage students to stay active and healthy. By providing incentives for elementary students to reach their Healthy Fitness Standards, we help motivate over 7,000 students to work hard in physical education and take ownership of their own health and wellness.
Literacy
In the summer of 2016, we launched a partnership with the King County Library System to support their long-standing summer reading program. By providing complimentary tickets as a half-way incentive to their goal, the Seattle Storm motivated thousands of children to focus some of their free time this summer on reading, learning and sparking their imagination through literature. Just under 25,000 students received the incentive, and more than 25% of them attended a Storm game as a reward for their hard work.
Tickets for Kids
Through the Tickets for Kids program, the Seattle Storm works to provide young girls and boys the opportunity to experience the best women's basketball in the world - free of charge. In addition to smaller donations, this year we partnered with Alaska Airlines to provide tickets and transportation to two different groups of 50 youth. Attending a Storm game not only provides hours of entertainment, but it also gives kids a chance to connect with role models and inspire them to dream big.
OneOrlando
This past June, tragedy struck the nation with a mass shooting at a nightclub in the city of Orlando. While the venue was LBGT focused, the sorrow and devastation was felt in communities nationwide. As an organization that is proud to focus on diversity and inclusion, we could not stand by. In a show of support, we paid tribute to the victims at a Storm home game following the tragedy and our fans mobilized with us quickly. We raised over $15,000 for the OneOrlando fund and sent banners of encouragement and solidarity signed by thousands of fans.
Breast Health Awareness Night
In the Storm's annual Breast Health Awareness Night, the Storm partnered with the Swedish Cancer Institute to provide education and awareness to our fans with important health and screening tips. We also raised $7,500 for the institute through a silent auction, including the pink jerseys worn by the players that night.
Austen Everett Foundation
For the second year in a row, the Seattle Storm partnered with the Austen Everett Foundation to provide an Honorary Captain experience at a Storm home game for a child battling cancer. This year's Honorary Team Captain was provided an opportunity to benefit from the strength and support the team environment provides by sitting courtside at a game and then having the chance to meet Storm players Breanna Stewart and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. Both players took the time to share some words of encouragement with this young girl, take a photo and autograph her new Storm jersey!
Court of Dreams Experience
With the mission of providing a memorable experience for a local non-profit, Storm partner Group Health secured an hour of court time on game day and donated it back to the community. Through this 'Court of Dreams' experience, the Storm worked with Special Olympics Washington to hold a Unified basketball game on the Storm court this past season. Pairing athletes with and without intellectual disabilities, these young athletes reveled in the opportunity to play on the same court as professional players. Afterwards, the athletes returned to cheer on the Storm to victory!
Seattle Children's Toy Drive
Storm forward Alysha Clark continued her commitment to Seattle Children's Hospital by hosting the second-annual toy drive for kids and families seeking treatment at this world-class facility. Alysha often spends her free time during the season visiting children in the hospital and as an added show of support, she encouraged fans to donate toys for the children and travel size toiletries for the families who find themselves away from their homes during medical care. This year's drive was a huge success, proving once again that Storm fans care deeply about our community and are ready for action when called upon for support.
3's for Trees
For the past eight years, the Seattle Storm and Carter Subaru have partnered to reduce our carbon footprint throughout the 3's for Trees program. For every three-pointer the Storm makes each season, Carter Subaru commits to plant one tree in the Mountains to Sound Greenway. This year we totaled 244 trees, and over the lifetime of the program, we have helped plant hundreds of more trees with the help of many Storm staff and fan volunteers.
Garfield Community Center
With the announcement of the Storm's marquee partnership with Swedish came the opportunity to make even further impact on our community. Throughout the summer, the Storm and Swedish partnered with Seattle Parks and Recreation and Garfield Community Center to support the families it serves. Collectively, we supported both their Mother's and Father's Day celebrations. We also installed new adjustable basketball hoops for the Garfield Community Center gym. With these new hoops, basketball now becomes more accessible for children, and opens the door to hosting wheelchair basketball.
Storm Staff Volunteer Work
Our commitment to the community goes well beyond the basketball arena. Each year, the Storm staff engages in several community service activities. Some individuals volunteer at basketball clinics and others take time to plant trees. Each winter, we close our office for a day and spend the time working with a local non-profit. In December 2016, the Storm staff joined Swedish volunteers at Food Lifeline to help repack thousands of pounds of food to make it available to local food banks. We always look forward to more volunteer events throughout the year!
Basketball Camp
In 2016, QBSI hosted the Storm Summer Basketball Camp at the Hidden Valley Fieldhouse in Bellevue. Eighty kids had the opportunity to learn key basketball skills from basketball coaches over the course of three days. Ramu Tokashiki joined the players to sign player cards and talk to the kids about basketball and life.
Donation Drive
The Seattle Storm has partnered with Seattle Goodwill to gather donations at Storm games. Donations help Seattle Goodwill provide job training to those in need.
Community Practice
Storm fans had the chance to meet the Storm players, Doppler, and the Dance Troupe at the Kaiser Permanente Community Practice, hosted by City of Seatac at Tyee High School. Kaiser Permanente handed out free t-shirts, basketballs, and snacks while the Storm players brought youth on the court to practice with them.
50/50 Raffle
During each Storm home game, one non-profit organization raises funds and awareness of its mission through raffle ticket sales to Storm fans. The total amount raised is split between the non-profit and winning ticket holder at the conclusion of the game. The Storm is honored to have participants including Ryther, Equal Rights Washington, Jr. League or Seattle, and Chief Seattle Club.
Corporate Partners
Go to Alaska
Alaska
Go to Carter Subaru
Carter Subaru
Go to City of SeaTac
City of SeaTac
Go to Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente
Go to QBSI
QBSI
Go to Seattle Children’s Hospital
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Go to Swedish