OUR BEGINNING
Lift4Life was inspired during the summer of 2015, when founder and passionate powerlifter John Downing travelled to Zimbabwe. On his last day on route to the airport, John was touring through a local community center where he heard the distant and familiar sound of metal plates on concrete. Following the sound, he discovered a humble little gym and immediately bonded with the lifters on the bench press. It was here that John realized the opportunity to combine a passion for powerlifting and partnership for good, and Lift4Life was born.
WHAT WE DO
Lift4Life is a registered charity in the USA, and a non-profit in Canada.
Lift4Life empowers marginalized communities through strength training and the sport of powerlifting. Powerlifting is composed of the squat, benchpress, and deadlift, and is a low-cost accessible sport to build community and connect people around the world. Its a sport for all ages, weight classes, genders, and abilities.
Lift4Life provides funding support for lifting equipment that is all built locally using local materials to provide employment and livelihood opportunities. We take on a whole community approach to our work, and local lifters are empowered to take on projects that are important to them to ensure sustainability. Powerlifting programming through Lift4Life additionally addresses community needs including addressing substance and drug abuse as a drug free sport, fostering women empowerment and gender equality, facilitating education and developing opportunities, providing employment opportunities, promoting health and so much more. You can read more about our impact here.
WHERE WE WORK
Lift4Life is a registered charity in the USA, and a non-profit in Canada.
Lift4Life primarily works in Zimbabwe, to date establishing multiple gyms and conducting outreach country-wide. In late 2019, we began our first community partnership and gym donation with a community in the country of Lesotho. Field visits and relationships have also been established in Kenya.
Locally, Lift4Life works in North American communities in our own backyard as well. This includes through events, fundraising, teaching, and ensuring everyone has access to strength training and the opportunity to feel strong.
OUR DREAM FOR THE FUTURE
Lift4Life believes powerlifting is a sport for everyone, and that everyone should have the opportunity to participate and benefit regardless of gender, age, ability, race, religion, and socio-economic status.
hOW YOU CAN HELP
Lift4Life is always looking for sponsorship and donations – check out our SUPPORT page for our current projects and partnership opportunities. We are also always looking for innovative ideas, resource support, and avenues to raise awareness for our cause and welcome anything you can offer. Feel free to CONTACT US as well as share what we are all about.