VOICEINSPORT FOUNDATION announces partnership with CLIF BAR® and Champion Gymnast Sunisa Lee to elevate the VOICES of girls in sport

The partnership will accelerate the VIS Advocacy Program, launching 20 new VOICEINSPORT Foundation advocacy chapters and supporting Title IX trainings on campuses across the U.S.

(NEW YORK CITY), Nov. 1, 2022 – The VOICEINSPORT Foundation today announced plans to partner with champion gymnast and collegiate athlete Sunisa “Suni” Lee and CLIF BAR® to further their mission to identify and address inequities faced by young women athletes. Despite 50 years having passed since the establishment of Title IX, a lack of compliance still exists today at the majority of schools around the country. Through their VIS Advocates Program, the VOICEINSPORT Foundation is taking an innovative, grassroots approach to ACTION, leading with the VOICES of young women athletes at the center. 

Aiming to close the opportunity gap in sports while also supporting women at all critical development stages of their sports journey, CLIF is pledging funds to accelerate the VIS Advocate Program with the establishment of 20 VOICEINSPORT Foundation Advocacy Chapters (VIS Chapters) on school campuses across the United States. Through the establishment of each VIS Chapter, Advocates receive formal Title IX Training provided by the VOICEINSPORT Foundation, which they then use to evaluate their school for Title IX compliance – ultimately creating a collective voice to drive change. Today CLIF becomes one of the first brands to found individual VIS Chapters, supporting the VOICEINSPORT Foundation in its long-term goal to establish a VIS Chapter at every university and high school in the country. 

The effort is launching through CLIF CORPS, CLIF’s long standing employee-led community service program, which is bringing on CLIF athletes to help achieve equity and greater access to the outdoors and sports. New CLIF Athlete and Champion gymnast Sunisa “Suni” Lee will advocate for girls and women in sport at her school Auburn University, participate in Title IX trainings, and share advice based on her own experience as an athlete and Olympian. The VOICEINSPORT Foundation Title IX trainings are hosted both virtually and in-person, on a rolling basis, and are focused on helping girls find their voices and empowering them to use these voices to advocate for their rights. The impact that the trainings have on participants and their schools is tracked by the VOICEINSPORT Foundation year-over-year to ensure efficacy.

The VOICEINSPORT Foundation, Lee, and Clif believe the more opportunities and support girls have in sport, the stronger and more powerful they’ll be in all aspects of their lives. 

“I’m honored to be part of CLIF CORPS and support the impactful work of the VOICEINSPORT Foundation,” says Lee. “This collaborative effort will help open the doors to more young women from diverse backgrounds in sport to take action. That representation has the power to instill confidence in girls and positively impact generations to come. I want every girl to turn on their television and see athletes that look like them – that starts with youth participation and carries on with empowerment through all levels. This partnership will continue to build that representation and help girls strengthen their voice.”

The 20 new VOICEINSPORT Foundation Chapters will operate on campuses in locations including Lee’s own college town of Auburn, AL, as well as campuses near her hometown of Minneapolis, MN, and California’s Bay Area where CLIF is headquartered. Additional Chapters will be established in Twin Falls, ID, Indianapolis, IN, and Chicago, IL.

“Through this donation and partnership with CLIF BAR® and Suni, our organization will reach an expansive new audience of young athletes who want to see a more equitable future in sport, and coaches and faculty will receive the resources needed to help these young athletes thrive,” says Stef Strack, VOICEINSPORT Foundation Founder and CEO. “CLIF Bars are a staple product in so many athletes’ bags, so having this iconic brand backing our mission will take our efforts to new heights, and really accelerate the efforts of the VIS Advocate Program.”

“It’s imperative that laws like Title IX continue to be upheld to ensure women receive equal opportunity in sports,” says Jodi Olson, Clif Bar’s VP of Brands. “CLIF has long been a champion of women athletes and Suni joins a list of world-class athletes and philanthropists who have paved the way for more women to realize their full potential in sports. Similarly, VOICEINSPORT Foundation is committed to taking the real life action necessary to bring about equality, so we couldn’t be happier to partner with them.”

Lee’s partnership with the VOICEINSPORT Foundation is CLIF CORP’s latest initiative designed to drive equity and access. The program is also working with athlete partners, including Venus Williams and Daniel Romanchuk, on other efforts to increase access to the outdoors and sport.

To learn more about the VOICEINSPORT Foundation and the work with Lee and the CLIF CORPS, visit www.voiceinsportfoundation.org and https://www.clifbar.com/values/clif-partnerships.

About VOICEINSPORT  Foundation

VOICEINSPORT Foundation is a global 501c3 Non-Profit Organization on a mission to close the gap for girls and women in sport through innovative sport science research, educational content and an advocacy program for high school and college women athletes called the VIS Advocate Program. Founded in 2020 by Executive and Advocate Stef Strack. For more information please visit www.voiceinsportfoundation.org and check us out on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn and Facebook.  

About CLIF BAR® & Company 

For 30 years, Clif Bar & Company has crafted nutritious and organic food for CLIF®, CLIF Kid®, and LUNA® brands. Through its Five Aspirations, Clif Bar is committed to sustaining its people, community, planet, brands, and business. For more information, please visit www.clifbar.com, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 

Media Contacts:

VOICEINSPORT 

Contact: info@voiceinsportfoundation.org

CLIF BAR®

Contact: Courtney Simich Courtney.Simich@edible-inc.com +1 (503) 784-9718