The Carly Stowell Foundation is branching out to help disadvantaged youth in Brazil.
Elena Stowell’s trip to Brazil this past summer to promote her book, “Flowing With the Go: A Jiu-Jitsu Journey of the Soul,” has led to a new project for the non-profit she founded with her husband Chuck, The Carly Stowell Foundation, in memory of their daughter who died in April 2007.
Stowell’s book, which was released in July, is about her journey into Brazilian jiu-jitsu as she coped with the grief over her daughter’s death. The first charitable project the foundation is working on is to collect used gis (the uniforms worn by jiu-jitsu practitioners) and submission grappling gear for the adults and children in the Projeto Social in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Families living in these districts have few financial resources, limited access to food, transportation and daily necessities.
The mission of the Carly Stowell Foundation is to provide enhanced skill training in athletics and music to young people who demonstrate passion for learning and a commitment to excel. Carly, who was the starting point guard for the Kentlake girls basketball team when she was a freshman there during the 2006-2007 school year, was also a talented musician and encouraged others to do what they love as well as love what they do.
The Carly Stowell Foundation helped sponsor a youth BJJ Tournament in September in Rio de Janeiro with members from the Copa Top Brother (Master Cezar Guimaraes) team. Top Brother athletes volunteer their time to teach Jiu-jitsu in the Projeto Social.
More than 370 children participated and in keeping with the foundation’s mission to support both sports and music, a young string ensemble and rock band performed. For more information on this event go to www.elena-stowell.com
Stowell encourages anyone who plans to buy a new gi for themselves soon or for their children who have outgrown theirs to consider donating used ones to the project. Donations of submission grappling gear are also on the wish list for the project.
Monetary donations will be accepted, as well, and can be made online by using the Jammin’ BJJ PayPal button at www.JamminBJJ.org. All donations will be used to purchase gear for the program which will then be sent to Brazil.
The Carly Stowell Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and all donations are tax- deductible.
For those who belong to gyms in the Greater Puget Sound area, volunteers will pick up your donations. To mail your donation of gear or to donate using a check, you can mail your items to:
Carly Stowell Foundation, JamminBJJ, 16915 272nd st SE, Suite 100 Box 101 Covington, WA 98042
For more information: www.carlystowellfoundation.org or call Elena at 206-841-1037 or send email to contact@jamminBJJ.org.
