Put Me In!'s mission is to increase access to recreational and competitive sports for Children of Incarcerated Parents (“CIPs”) by providing recurring annual financial aid grants. Our approach is partnership-driven and focused on efficiently distributing financial aid to get CIPs playing sports. Key outcomes targeted include (i) augmenting self-esteem, (ii) increasing personal resiliency in the face of familial adversity, and (iii) enabling the mental and physical health benefits associated with participation in sports. Approximately 2.7 million children in America have an incarcerated parent; more than 5 million children — 7 percent of all US children — have had a parent in prison or jail at some point. Approximately half of children with incarcerated parents are under ten years old. Put Me In! was founded in 2020 by Matt Blodgett who also serves as Executive Director. Matt is a technology investor and social entrepreneur based in San Francisco. Put Me In! was born out of Matt's personal experience, where playing competitive sports helped Matt overcome challenges associated with parental incarceration as a child.
