Play for Purpose: How iiCare is Teaming Up with Sports Legends to Drive Impact Nationwide

The Why: Creating a New Playbook for Philanthropy

At iiCare, we’ve always believed that true impact is created at the intersection of collaboration, innovation, and execution. The communities we serve don’t just need funding—they need sustainable, scalable solutions that empower them for the long term.

That’s why we launched Play for Purpose, a groundbreaking campaign designed to unite the power of professional athletes, corporate leaders, and community-driven initiatives to drive healthcare access, economic mobility, and educational advancement.

Athletes have built massive platforms—and many of them have deep commitments to giving back. But here’s the challenge: how do we help these athletes scale their impact beyond their local communities? How do we build a sustainable model that amplifies their philanthropic efforts and connects them with brands, foundations, and technology partners that can execute at scale?

That’s where iiCare and the Play for Purpose campaign come in.

Through iiCare’s innovation consortium, we are creating a new playbook for sports philanthropy—one that allows athletes to seamlessly expand their initiatives, access new communities, and develop innovative solutions for the causes they care about most.

And we didn’t waste any time putting this model into action.

The Execution: New Orleans & the Ultimate Super Bowl Experience

Our first major Play for Purpose activation kicked off in New Orleans, in partnership with NFL legend Ray Lewis, the iconic Leigh Steinberg team, and a powerful network of supporters.

The Mission: Supporting Underserved Communities Through Economic Mobility Programs

In New Orleans, we set out to create an impact-driven campaign that would:
✅ Support underserved youth and families in New Orleans through targeted economic mobility programs
✅ Leverage crowdfunding technology to create a scalable impact model
✅ Offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lucky donor to attend the ultimate Super Bowl experience

The Strategy: Powering Impact with Crowdfunding & Engagement

We knew that to maximize impact, we needed to tap into the power of crowd-based giving platforms. That’s why we partnered with Fandiem, a premier digital fundraising platform, to create an engaging way for fans to support the cause while also getting a chance to win an unforgettable Super Bowl experience.

📢 How It Worked:
1️⃣ Fans entered the Play for Purpose sweepstakes on Fandiem by donating to iiCare-supported programs
2️⃣ Every donation helped fund economic mobility programs in underserved communities
3️⃣ One lucky donor won the ultimate VIP Super Bowl experience, hosted by Ray Lewis & partners

Impact Beyond the Game: Building Lasting Change

This wasn’t just about an event—it was about building momentum for a repeatable, scalable model that can be deployed in cities nationwide.

New Orleans was our first step in proving that by combining athlete influence, corporate partnerships, and digital fundraising, we can build an ecosystem of giving that benefits not just one community—but many.

And immediately after New Orleans, we took this same model to San Francisco for NBA All-Star Weekend.

San Francisco: The Next Play for Purpose Activation at NBA All-Star Weekend

Just days after Super Bowl weekend, iiCare took Play for Purpose to San Francisco, where we partnered with:
✔️ Google
✔️ SF Junior Deputies
✔️ Arete Insurance
✔️ NBA legend Rick Barry
✔️ Athletes like Allan Houston, Nancy Lieberman, Dale Davis, and more

The Mission: Honoring Rick Barry & Investing in the Next Generation of Innovators

This activation was all about economic empowerment and tech education. Rick Barry, a basketball legend and one of the greatest players in history, has always been passionate about youth mentorship and community engagement. We wanted to celebrate his impact and legacy while also bringing together young students to create real-world solutions in tech and business.

Google HQ: Bringing 100 Students into the Future

Our highlight event took place at Google HQ, where we hosted 100 students for an exclusive experience centered around:
🚀 AI & Machine Learning workshops—giving students hands-on experience in emerging technology
🧠 Mindfulness training with Inner Explorer—helping students develop focus and resilience in high-stakes environments
💡 Entrepreneurship & business development—led by some of the biggest names in sports & business

Imagine this: 100 students inside one of the world’s most powerful tech companies, surrounded by elite athletes and business leaders, learning how to turn their ideas into reality.

That’s the Play for Purpose model in action.

Athletes Who Gave Back in SF

🏀 Allan Houston—Former NBA star and founder of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation

🏀 Gary Payton—Former NBA star
🏀 Nancy Lieberman—WNBA Hall of Famer and advocate for youth sports
🏀 Dale Davis—NBA veteran and business leader
🏀 Rick Barry—Honored for his contributions to youth mentorship

These athletes didn’t just show up—they engaged with students, shared their stories of resilience, and helped mentor the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

The Future of Play for Purpose: Scaling Impact Nationwide

New Orleans and San Francisco were just the beginning of what we’re building with Play for Purpose.

Now, we’re taking this repeatable model and scaling it across multiple cities, allowing more athletes, corporate partners, and foundations to join us in driving sustainable social impact.

How You Can Partner With Us

🚀 Athletes: If you have a foundation or cause you’re passionate about, iiCare can help you scale your impact nationally.
🏛 Corporations: We build tailored CSR and community engagement strategies that align with your business goals.
🏀 Foundations & Philanthropists: We provide turnkey solutions to launch high-impact, community-driven campaigns.

If you want to replicate this model in your city or organization, let’s connect. Play for Purpose is more than a campaign—it’s a movement.

📩 Get in touch to learn how we can work together.

Final Thoughts: This is Just the Beginning

At iiCare, we believe in building real, measurable impact—not just one-time events, but sustainable programs that create long-term change.

With Play for Purpose, we’re proving that collaboration at scale is possible—and we’re inviting more partners, athletes, and corporate leaders to be part of the journey.

🔗 Join us and bring Play for Purpose to your community: Contact Us

#iiCare #PlayForPurpose

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