Bell Employee

Kristin Montgomery

Duluth, MN

Nonprofit Organization

Montgomery Sports Foundation

Play It Forward Gala

The Need

Kristin Montgomery grew up playing sports, and in photos, the joy sports gave her is apparent – whatever uniform she’s wearing. As a child, Kristin played soccer, basketball, softball and hockey. She played two sports in college and spent 15 years coaching college soccer.

“Our roots just run deep into sports and in the sports community,” Kristin says.

She also knows what’s missing when families are unable to afford the fees to register their kids for recreational sports leagues. The idea of how to help those families “has been rattling around my brain for years,” Kristin relates, but it wasn’t until she began working at Bell Bank that it took shape – and became the Montgomery Sports Foundation founded by Kristin and her husband, Derek. The foundation’s mission is to provide registration fee assistance to families in need, so their kids don’t have to miss out on rec sports.

Kristin has felt strong support from Bell, thanks to the company’s philanthropy and focus on giving back to the community, especially through its Pay It Forward program. Annually, the Montgomery Sports Foundation’s Play It Forward Gala focuses attention on the need and raises funds, in fun ways, from sports- and philanthropic-minded people.

The Impact

In preparation for the gala, the Montgomerys are able to meet some of the families some of the families that have benefitted from the foundation’s mission.

“We had a mom who fled an abusive relationship, and these kids had nothing more than the clothes on their back,” recalls Kristin. “These are the kids that not only need help the most, but also they need sports the most – the emotional support, the friends, the teamwork and all these things beyond the sport.”

It’s a benefit, she adds, that can stretch into adulthood as kids and families get the support they need.

“You just put the opportunity in front of them,” Kristin says, “and you see them shine.”

Through the Pay It Forward program, Bell gives employees money each year to donate to people in need and causes they care about.