VIDEO: Volvo Construction Equipment, Dream On 3 to Expand Collegiate Dream Team Program Across U.S., Canada
Thu February 01, 2024 - National Edition #14 Volvo Construction Equipment
Volvo Construction Equipment, one of the world's largest manufacturers of construction machinery, announced its partnership with the nonprofit Dream On 3 to become the national sponsor of the organization's Collegiate Dream Team program.
The two organizations have teamed up to bring the fastest-growing Dream On 3 (DO3) program to communities across the United States and Canada. For more than 10 years, DO3 has granted sports-tied wishes for individuals with life-altering conditions, including mental health challenges and intellectual disabilities.
The Collegiate Dream Team program, established in 2020, allows student leaders to rally behind an individual within their community who is living with a life-altering medical condition by making their sports dream a reality, within the framework of their school's athletic culture. DO3's exclusive curriculum-based program is designed to help students grow personally and professionally while giving them the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in their community.
Volvo CE is investing in the program as an expansion of its Building Tomorrow Project, a global initiative to spread social good through meaningful activities at the local level. In addition to the corporate sponsorship, Volvo CE dealers across North America are hosting Collegiate Dream Teams within their regions. To date, commitments have been signed with Ascendum, ROMCO Equipment Co., Alta Equipment Company and Cowin Equipment Company, with several more expected to be announced soon.
"Dream On 3 allows Volvo and our dealer network to step outside of our day-to-day work and rally behind a larger cause that empowers both the individual and the student leader teams," said Scott Young, head of sales Region North America of Volvo CE. "Through these events, we not only raise awareness of the challenges people with special needs face, but we also raise spirits and a sense of belonging within the wider sports community."
Dream Team activations span all genres of athletics, including football, basketball, weightlifting and soccer. Students create the experience for their school's Dream Team recipient, and Dream Team sponsors provide ongoing mentorship and event-day support. College Dream Teams are active at 18 universities nationwide. With the Volvo CE sponsorship, that number is expected to grow.
"By working together, we are confident we can help break down barriers that often prevent people with disabilities from realizing full equity, inclusion and access to community," said Brandon Lindsey, co-founder of DO3, "It's one thing to simply offer this kind of programming; we believe that engaging student leaders in the process is the critical action needed to make a lasting difference."
In September 2023, Texas dealer ROMCO Equipment helped a Dream Team wish recipient fulfill his goal of meeting the Southern Methodist University football team at their home game against the University of Nebraska. The staff also hosted a full-on tailgate in his honor and presented him with a pair of custom cowboy boots.
Upcoming activities with Volvo dealers Alta Equipment Group and Ascendum Machinery are planned at the University of Miami and North Carolina State, respectively, in early February.
For more information, visit dreamon3.org.
Photo courtesy of Volvo
Volvo CE dealer ROMCO Equipment and Dream On 3 partnered to host a tailgate for a Dream Team wish recipient at a Southern Methodist University football game in September.
