Bears Care, the charitable arm of the Chicago Bears, will give Back of the Yards High School in Chicago and Thornton Township High School in Harvey grants for athletic training equipment that will support the health and safety of all students.
Bears head athletic trainer Andre Tucker recently delivered the news via a virtual video.
"As an athletic department, we are always striving to provide our athletes with the best possible high school sports experience," said Back of the Yards athletic director Ryan Blumberg. "With this generous grant from the Chicago Bears, our athletes will be to prepare, recover, and sustain their bodies better than ever before. Thank you Bears!"
Earlier this year, the Bears and Bears Care also presented Dunbar Vocational Career Academy in Chicago and Fenton High School in Bensenville with similar grants.
The grants are part of an annual program that will provide Illinois high schools with the opportunity to apply for grants to update their athletic training facilities and equipment. More than 70 schools applied for the latest round of grants. The recipients were voted on by an impartial internal Bears committee. The 2022 grant recipients will be announced in the spring.
Bears Care provided a total of $50,000 in grants that will benefit 1,500 student-athletes.
"The Bears have generously helped us to modernize our training room to provide better care for all of our student athletes, not just our football players," said Fenton assistant athletic director Mark Kos. "This was truly above and beyond."
