by Karli Wallace
Staff Writer
Mira Costa Alumni Eric Fonoimoana raises money for his charity, Digs 4 Kids, an after school program that pairs volleyball and tutoring in order to provide increased opportunities for children in low-income communities.
Fonoimoana graduated from Costa in 1988 and later attended University of California Santa Barbara. After graduating, Fonoimoana competed for the United States in the 2000 Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in Men’s Beach Volleyball. He was a dominant and consistent force on the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Tour for 16 years and won a tournament for seven seven years in a row, from 1998 to 2004. Fonoimoana is now the coach for Mira Costa’s Girls Beach Volleyball team.
Link: For more on Fonoimoana’s success as a accomplished athlete
“I always thought the AVP should have had a foundation or outreach program for kids,” Fonoimoana said. “We were the only sports organization that didn’t have any philanthropy, and I wanted to make that happen.”
After completing the Pro Tour and competing at the 2000 Olympics, Fonoimoana founded Digs 4 Kids and is the current CEO of the charity. Fonoimoana’s charity was put into effect after he noticed the lack of education and exercise programs for children in less fortunate communities, particularly the Carson School District.
“The kids who we usually benefit are inner city kids that are a little misguided,” Fonoimoana said. “They never had role models, or anyone to tell them, ‘Look, this is how you do it.’ As a kid, I was always taught that you did your homework, then your chores, and once all that was done, you could go play. With Digs 4 Kids, we want to be role models for them.”
“Digging Education” is the primary project within Digs 4 Kids. “Digging Education” mainly combines academic tutoring with volleyball lessons after-school from 3- 6PM, when many kids are often left unsupervised. Students receive assistance with their homework, counseling and then participate in volleyball instruction and training.
Link: For more information on Fonoimoana’s charity, Digs 4 Kids
“We try to do the most we can, even though the kids only see us for three hours once a week,” Fonoimoana said. “But, if we can make sure that these kids get their homework done, and they do it correctly for three hours once a week, it’s still making a difference.”
Over the years, Digs 4 Kids has also done a significant amount of fundraising. In the past, Digs 4 Kids has collaborated with other local foundations like Live Like Doug and The Jimmy Miller Foundation, which are two organizations that work with children and are also based in the South Bay. Through volleyball tournaments and surf competitions, Fonoimoana has raised a million dollars for Digs 4 Kids and has helped over 2,810 kids succeed academically or athletically.
Link: For more on local, South Bay charities like The Jimmy Miller Foundation and Live Like Doug
“I try to pick and choose projects that I’m passionate about,” Fonoimoana said. “If there’s an education-related or volleyball-related cause, I do the best I can to help out. If I have the ability to make a change, I’ll do it.”
Fonoimoana plans on continuing to help underprivileged kids through Digs 4 Kids for as long as possible. He will continue the after school program in Carson, and eventually reach out to other schools and organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Venice. This will allow Digs 4 Kids to help more children get an enriched education as well as teach children how to be healthy and successful, he said.
“There are so many stories out there worth helping, and not just for kids,” said Fonoimoana. “People need to learn to volunteer, and I cannot stress enough how important it is. Sometimes, people only need to do something small in order to make a big impact. No matter what you do, change makes a difference.”
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