The Olympic Games are compelling on their own, but what really makes them heroic to me are the stories behind the athletes. 2014 in Sochi brought a whole new emotional roller coaster of personal triumphs to the world. Alex Bilodeau the Canadian who won a gold medal in moguls who is inspired by his brother who has cerebral palsy. Pakistan’s Olympian Mohammed Karim who learned to ski on homemade wooden skis. The Jamaican Bobsled team of course, and in my mind none so valiant as the Paralympic athletes who had to compete with the political turmoil of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine as a backdrop. Some athletes won medals, and some won the hearts of the viewers, but there are nine U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes working with nine programs in need to bring about real positive change in people’s lives. With the positive impact they will make in others’ lives, to me they are true winners, and heroes as well.  Although the games are over for now the Citi Every Step Of The Way program is still going strong.   The exciting part is that you get to help decide where a $500,000 donation from Citi will go with just a click.

9 Athletes, 9 Charities

• Julie Chu supports giving kids the chance to try hokey for free with the USA Hockey Foundation.
• Billy Demong partners with Team For Tomorrow to spread olympic values to future generations.
• Alana Nichols supports the Team USA Paralympic Champions Fund to raise money for aspiring US Paralympians.
• Dan Jansen is helping US Olympians through hard times with the Olympians For Olympians Relief Fund.
• Erin Hamlin is searching for the next great luge athletes with the USA Luge Slider Search.
• Evan Lysacek is partners with Figure Skating In Harlem to inspire a new generation of figure skaters from urban areas.
• Picabo Street takes on injury prevention for skiers and snowboarders with the Team USA Stay On The Slopes Initiative.
• Rico Roman and Operation Comfort supports giving back to our country’s veterans.
• Ted Lightly supports giving urban youth the chance to ski and snowboard with Youth Enrichment Services.

Just last week in Washington DC I listened as 2012 gold medal winning Paralympian Dennis Ogbe

spoke as an advocate in the fight against Polio. His story was amazing and if not for programs and mentors that help inspire young athletes with disabilities he would never be where he is today. He was  born in Nigeria, and contracted Polio as a child. With eleven other siblings things could have turned out much differently for him in a country where individuals with disabilities are usually marginalized in society. Luckily he had parents who did not give up on him even when Polio left him struggling to walk. He regained his strength and tried to keep up with the other kids.  A coach noticed his athletic potential as Nigeria put together a training program for disabled athletes, and recruited him to join.  His story emphasized to me the need for mentors and programs to guide young people in the right direction, and to help them to fulfill their dreams. I greatly admire all of the athletes in the Citi Every Step of the Way program and the way they are using their stories of inspiration to help others. Who knows, one of the kids coming out of Alana Nichols US Paralympic Champions Fund could be the next Alana Nichols or Dennis Ogbe. It will be fun to keep an eye out to see!

Citi donated $500,000 to the U.S. Olympic Committee to help these programs #EveryStep Of The Way. Now fans can visit Citi® Every Step to see the athletes’ inspiring stories and help award Citi’s donation to any program with just a click.

This post was created in partnership with Citi®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.