Our History
35+ Years of Fighting for DC’s Children
From a bold vision in 1990 to a thriving network serving 50,000+ youth annually—our story is one of determination, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to ensure every child has access to the transformative power of sports.
1990
FOUNDED
YEARS OF
IMPACT
LIVES
IMPACTED
Grants Distributed
Since 1990
A Pillar in DC's Philanthropic Community
Fight For Children has been a pillar in the DC philanthropic community for more than 30 years. Founded in 1990 by the late Joseph E. Robert, Jr. with the mission of improving the lives of underserved children in the nation’s capital, we have rallied leaders in business, education, government, and philanthropy to achieve significant improvements in healthcare, education, and policy reform.
Through a combination of direct service programming, capacity building, and grant making, Fight For Children has impacted the lives of more than 440,000 young people throughout the Washington, DC Metropolitan area.
Key Milestones
Major moments in our journey from inception to today.
Our Founder
Joseph E. Robert, Jr
(1948 - 2011)
Joseph E. Robert, Jr. was a man of big ideas, with the determination and drive to turn those ideas into reality. In Fight For Children, Joe created a unique, independent organization with a history of bringing public and private sectors together to develop long-lasting, scalable solutions to many of the issues affecting children in Washington, DC.
Joe believed that every child should have access to a quality education because he knew it was the foundation for success. Joe also credited his early love of boxing and the life lessons it taught him in discipline, commitment and overcoming adversity, with turning his life around and setting him on a path to his own success.
Joe’s love and appreciation for boxing is what led him to create Fight Night in 1990; rallying the community in support of DC’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens. For thirty years, proceeds from Fight Night provided support to underserved children in DC, ensuring access to high quality programs and increasing opportunities for future success.
Joe encouraged those around him to think and act boldly and with conviction; and before he passed away in 2011, he challenged Fight For Children to do the same. Today the organization continues Joe’s legacy by forging unique partnerships that create lasting impact throughout the community.
In addition to Fight For Children, Joe was exceptionally generous with many other organizations in the area serving children, protecting the nation’s security, and honoring his faith.
Joe’s legacy continues to live on through everything we at Fight For Children do to help improve the lives of children in the Washington Metropolitan area.
Our Evolution
While our focus has evolved over 35 years from broad-based children’s issues to sports-based youth development, our core mission remains unchanged: improving the lives of underserved children in the nation’s capital.
What has changed is how we do that work. We’ve learned that the most sustainable impact comes not from doing everything ourselves, but from building the protective backbone that allows grassroots leaders to thrive.
Today, we rally communities, recruit top leaders, fuel their growth with resources and training, and accelerate systemic change through collective advocacy. We’ve become the connective tissue—the “university” for youth sports—that DC’s ecosystem has always needed.
This evolution honors Joe Robert’s challenge to think and act boldly. It’s strategic. It’s scalable. And it’s working.
Be Part of Our Story
For 35 years, we’ve been fighting for D.C.’s children. Join us as we write the next chapter, ensuring every kid has access to the transformative power of sports.