Today at The Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club, Lulu’s Place, TGR Foundation, and the Los Angeles Chargers announced a $2.5 million leadership gift from the Chargers Impact Fund. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to creating increased access to youth sports programming, STEAM educational enrichment and career readiness opportunities for youth from under-resourced neighborhoods across Los Angeles.
The $2.5 million contribution to Lulu’s Place for the construction of the Alex and Faye Spanos Legacy Field and development of educational curriculum at the campus is the Chargers Impact Fund’s largest single investment to date.
Not only will the funding directly assist in supporting Chargers’ youth football initiatives – including the Snoop & Housh Flag Football League, Chargers Youth Tackle Teams, and Girls Flag Football – and additional community athletic programming, a portion of the Chargers’ gift will support educational programming developed in collaboration with Tiger Woods’ nonprofit, TGR Foundation, that will be made available to students at the TGR Learning Lab Anaheim as well as the new Los Angeles location scheduled to open in 2027 at Lulu’s Place. The gift will support the Foundation’s comprehensive science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) educational programming and a new sports-themed career readiness curriculum, exposing students to diverse career pathways within the sports industry.
The historic collaboration was unveiled at a special Careers in Sports Media event for local youth during The Genesis Invitational, hosted by TGR Foundation. Serving as the launch of the new partnership, the event connected high school students from Los Angeles and Orange Counties with industry leaders, including the Chargers, to educate and expose them to high-growth career opportunities in sports through real-world learning experiences with professionals.
Through partnerships with nationally recognized organizations like the Los Angeles Chargers and TGR Foundation, Lulu’s Place – a 34-acre, $170 million academic and athletic campus funded entirely through private donations – is able to provide educational enrichment, physical activity, and personal growth for youth who may not otherwise have access to such programs.
“We are deeply grateful for the Chargers Impact Fund’s transformative investment in Lulu’s Place, our partnership with TGR Foundation, and their shared commitment to changing lives through athletics and education,” said Doug Kimmelman, founder of Lulu’s Place. “The Alex & Faye Spanos Legacy Field will become a beacon of opportunity for young people in our underserved communities. This project was created in memory of my late wife, Carol, a proud LAUSD educator and lifelong tennis player, who dreamed of creating a place where youth could develop not just as athletes, but as students, leaders, and engaged citizens. This partnership brings us closer to realizing that vision every single day.”
“Children are our future, and its incumbent upon us to provide them with as many avenues to succeed as humanly possible,” said Chargers Owner and Chairman of the Board of the Chargers Impact Fund Dean Spanos. “My parents instilled that fundamental belief in their children and grandchildren, not merely through words but also through action. Alex and Faye Spanos were prolific philanthropists who believed in giving back to the community that supported them. Today we celebrate their legacy of giving, we celebrate the community that supports us and we celebrate the youth who will help lead our generation, and the generations to come, boldly into that future.”
“This partnership shows what’s possible when you combine the power of education and sports. When kids are exposed to careers aligned with their passions they are inspired to dream big. Then providing opportunities to learn alongside leaders in their community empowers them to reach those dreams. What we’re creating with the Chargers and our partners at Lulu’s Place will be truly special for young people across LA and beyond.” said Tiger Woods, founder of TGR Foundation.
About Lulu’s Place
Lulu’s Place will offer state-of-the-art facilities in Los Angeles, near LAX airport, that bring together academic, athletic, and wellness programs at little or no cost to under-resourced youth and families. Trusted partners, including TGR Foundation, a Tiger Woods charity; the USTA and its charitable arm USTA Foundation; Winward Academy; Cedars-Sinai; and Providence will bring professional teachers, coaches, mentors, and service providers to deliver high-quality programs to children and their families.
The vision for this transformational project is rooted in the passion and generosity of Carol Kimmelman, a Southern California native, former public elementary school teacher and lifelong tennis player who passed away in 2017 after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Today, her husband, Doug Kimmelman, and their four children are honoring her legacy by advancing her mission to transform the lives of young people, creating greater equity in sports and education through this groundbreaking youth center.
For more information, visit www.lulusplace.org or connect on Facebook and Instagram.
About the Chargers Impact Fund
The Los Angeles Chargers Impact Fund, a 501(c)3 public charity, focuses on creating safe places to learn and play to achieve its mission of creating opportunity in under-resourced neighborhoods so today’s dreams can become tomorrow’s reality. Founded by Alex & Faye Spanos in 1995, the Impact Fund is rooted in their belief that a solid family foundation, and the ability to lean on each other, is critical to future success. To date, the Chargers Impact Fund has awarded more than $12 million in direct community assistance and continues to honor Alex and Faye Spanos’ legacy by bringing fans, volunteers, players, and donors together to create supportive environments in which the next generation can thrive. For more information on the Chargers Impact Fund, please visit www.chargers.com/impact-fund/.
