Orange Crush Social Athletic Club is a non-profit (501-C3) organization dedicated to the academic and social development of inner city youth.
The organization was founded by a group of men who grew up in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. Organizing to play sports at a young age gave our members the shelter they needed from common daily threats like gangs and drugs, threats that continue to this day. As a result, the membership has committed itself to providing the same type of shelter to inner city youth by way of scholarships and sports.
Our mission is to provide scholarship opportunities to high school and college bound students from Chicago’s inner city that are actively involved in competitive sports and also achieve educational excellence.
This scholarship will allow me to pursue college baseball, but also allow me to enrich the lives of others by leveraging my education in a positive manner. Currently, I am pursuing Purdue University, and securing this scholarship is vital to my educational well-being moving forward. I know scholarships must be earned, and I do not expect anything for nothing.
— Eduardo DeLaRiva, Orange Crush Recipient
Our vision drives us to provide scholarship opportunities by partnering with academic institutions and local recreational organizations to provide inner city youth the opportunity to learn & play in a safe environment. Our members are actively involved in promoting physical fitness, academic achievement and social development. We encourage student athletes to perform at a high level ON and OFF the playing fields, using the games of soccer, baseball, basketball, softball, and volleyball, just to name a few, as vehicles for collegiate level opportunities and community leadership.
However, only through our annual events are we able to continue providing scholarships. We need support from individuals and organizations to increase the number of youth we can help.