How Did It Begin?
The Challenged Athletes Foundation grew out of a desire to assist one athlete who suffered a devastating second accident while competing in a triathlon. His many friends quickly decided to raise funds for his recovery, and organized the first San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC) – an annual fundraising triathlon event at La Jolla Cove. From this modest beginning arose a more important mission – to make sure that people with physical challenges have the same freedom to enjoy sports that the rest of us take for granted.

How Do We Help?
Since 1994, CAF has raised more than $21 million – allowing the Foundation to satisfy more than 4,000 funding requests from challenged athletes in all 50 states and dozens of countries. Eighty two cents of every dollar raised by CAF provides funding and programs that get challenged athletes into the game.

Whether it’s a $2,500 handcycle, helping underwrite a $10,000 - $15,000 Ossur running prosthetic or arranging enthusiastic encouragement from a mentor who has triumphed over a similar injury, CAF’s mission is clear: give those with the desire to live active, competitive lifestyles every opportunity to compete in the sports they love.

What Still Needs to Be Done?
Despite our best efforts, many physically challenged athletes still remain on the sidelines. It is only through the hard work of our fundraisers, the generosity of our donors and the assistance of our corporate sponsors that CAF is able to continue fulfilling its unique mission. Their contributions give ever-growing numbers of challenged athletes a fair chance to realize their dreams, and breathe life into the stories of hearts and heroes, of inspiration and perspiration, of raw courage and “never-quit” attitudes that flow from CAF’s charitable efforts.

Why Do Challenged Athletes Need Funding?
There are 35 million people living with a physical challenge in the United States. Equipment that allows these individuals to engage in active lifestyles is very expensive –in fact, for many, it’s cost-prohibitive. A single handcycle runs upwards of $2,500 and adaptive training and competition expenses can make moving to the “next level” of athletic performance an insurmountable barrier for many challenged athletes.

Funding provided by CAF helps make it possible for more physically challenged people to gain access to this equipment and to the enhanced self-esteem that comes from participation in sports. To ensure these needs are met in perpetuity, CAF has worked hard over its first 16 years to build and grow an endowment fund that will continue to assist physically challenged athletes indefinitely.