DANA WHITE ON ROUSEY's INfluence
Gompers Middle School Judo Program
The Gompers Middle School Judo Program was established by Ronda Rousey back in 2009. The goal of this program is to enrich the students life through sport. To provide them an outlet where they can be part of a team and challenge themselves to do something they didn't think they could.
Seven Stars Foundation
On May 12, 2013 Ronda Rousey auctioned of a pair of fight shorts to benefit the Seven Stars Foundation.. The winning bid won Ronda’s autographed fight shorts which were worn in the Julia Budd fight at Strikeforce Challengers 20 on November 18, 2011. All proceeds went to benefit the Seven Stars Foundation. The Seven Stars Foundation, Inc. "Will Never Forget" the sacrifices made by the men and women who have served or are serving our country.
Free Rice Campaign
Before each title fight, Ronda hosts a Free Rice contest to raise food for the hungry, since she is cutting weight and knows what it feels like to be hungry. Between the last four fights, she has helped donated more than over 128 Million grains of rice to the World Food Programme. Since one bowl of rice is about 3,400 grains and comes out to about 3 cups of cooked rice, that is enough to feed approximately 37,778 people!
St. John The Baptist Church
Ronda Rousey auctioned off her Fight Wraps from UFC 168 when she defeated Miesha Tate to help benefit St. John The Baptist Church in Baldwin Park, California.
Didi hersch mental Health Service
Ronda was a recipient of the Didi Hirsch’s 2014 Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards – an event held annually to honor advocates of mental health. The #erasingthestigma event on April 24 celebrated the social media revolution by honoring men and women who harness the power of social media to accelerate change and help erase the stigma of mental illness. #erasingthestigma supports the work of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, which helps children, families and adults struggling with mental illness and substance abuse and runs the Suicide Prevention Center, the first in the United States to establish a 24-hour crisis line. Each year, the crisis line responds to more than 55,000 calls, chats and texts in English and Spanish.
Mike Larsen Blind Judoka
Several Ronda Rousey autographed items have been put up for auction to help Michael Larsen (and a few other great causes), an athlete of the Blind Judo Foundation with a rare eye disease leaving him blind, later deaf and bullied. Mike has since learned to overcome his disabilities with training in Judo under the coaching leadership of legendary Coach Willy Cahill.