Kim Ina carries the spirit of the Olympics with her wherever she goes. The San Francisco woman launched a nonprofit, Sports for the World’s Children, which donates athletic equipment to children around the world.
According to Nikkei West, Laura Ina’s love of sports came from her days playing baseball in the Japanese American leagues.
“The Olympics brings people together, and I feel we’re doing much the same thing,” Ina said. “We’re proud to say we have received endorsements, donations and grants from individuals and organizations including Kristi Yamaguchi (figure skater) and Major League Baseball. We collect new and used sports equipment and distribute it to children worldwide.”
Sports for the World’s Children launched in 1997 after Ina heard about children who played baseball with a rock wrapped in tape.
“If we decide to help and we don’t have the equipment, we’ll put out a call for it,” she said. “We can provide just about everything, but we also sponsor skills clinics. We don’t just put a baseball bat in a kid’s hand who doesn’t know how to use it and say, ‘here you go.’”
You can read about some of the other good work of Sports of the World’s Children and find out where Ina gets her inspiration in Nikkei West.
