Atlanta Falcons Distribute 16,000 Sports Bras to Support Girls Sports Across Georgia
ATLANTA, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons Youth Fund is expanding its mission to empower young female athletes across Georgia, partnering with the national nonprofit Operation Warm to distribute 16,000 sports bras to schools and community programs in 38 counties. The initiative, part of the team’s FLY:FWD campaign, is designed to help girls feel supported, confident, and ready to play.
FLY:FWD Initiative Aims to Remove Barriers
On Tuesday, Falcons cheerleaders and team mascot Freddie Falcon joined community leaders at the Warren Boys & Girls Club in southeast Atlanta to deliver the first batch of donations and host an interactive event for local athletes. The program is part of a broader effort to remove practical barriers that prevent many girls from participating in sports — one of the key factors driving female youth athletic dropout rates.
According to Operation Warm, girls are twice as likely as boys to quit sports, and that rate can climb up to six times higher in under-resourced areas. Providing proper athletic gear, officials say, is one way to help reverse that trend.
Leaders and Athletes Share Their Perspective
“This is the second year of our partnership with the Atlanta Falcons,” said Gina Reid, director of program implementation at Operation Warm. “Last year we distributed more than 30,000 sports bras to girls across Georgia, ensuring they have the opportunity to pursue whatever makes them excited, active, and healthy.”
Falcons cheerleader AFC McKenzie said the event’s message went beyond the physical gear. “Sometimes it’s not about lack of interest, it’s lack of resources,” she explained. “It’s really influential that we’re here showing these girls what’s possible through sports — and helping them feel seen and supported.”
Building on a Legacy of Support
The Falcons’ commitment to girls’ sports dates back to 2018, when the team launched a pilot girls flag football program in Gwinnett County. That effort helped Georgia become the fourth state in the U.S. to sanction girls flag football as an official high school sport by 2020.
By 2024, more than 7,000 girls were playing flag football across 270 Georgia high schools, with new programs continuing to grow thanks to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s grant funding. In 2025 alone, the foundation awarded grants to 304 schools, with 45 launching new teams this fall.
The Falcons also host an annual Girls Flag Football Showcase at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where hundreds of players compete in front of college scouts — a move that’s expanding scholarship and career opportunities for young women in athletics.
Looking Ahead
Through initiatives like FLY:FWD, the Falcons hope to make participation in sports more accessible for girls of all backgrounds. “If girls want to play,” Reid said, “the support should follow.”
The Saluda Standard-Sentinel invites readers to share how their communities are helping youth athletes thrive. Join the discussion at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
