Female athletes who give back

Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton, professional surfer, began competing at age 8. She had already won second place in the NSSA National Championship in July 2003 at age 13 when tragedy struck: She was attacked by a shark in October 2003, and her left arm was amputated as a result. Bethany didn't let this get in the way of what she loved doing, however. Just one month after her attack, Bethany returned to surfing and has since competed and placed in numerous competitions over the years. She also wrote a book about her life experience, which became the popular movie, Soul Surfer, in 2011.

Bethany not only inspires people with her courage and determination but also works hard to give back. She supports World Vision, which works with nearly 100 countries, including the U.S., to help children and their families who are in need or have been touched by disaster. Bethany focuses on helping disabled children who have suffered through natural disasters and who need everyday necessities as well as education and special-needs equipment such as wheelchairs, crutches and prosthetic limbs.

Photo credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

Serena Williams

Serena Williams, professional tennis player, has won 23 Grand Slams in her career as well as a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. She also owns a successful clothing, bag and jewelry line.

To Serena, however, giving back to others is the most satisfying part of her career. She believes that education can help any child reach her potential, and she is dedicated to bringing education to those who might otherwise not have the opportunity to pursue it. She started The Serena Williams Foundation, which provides assistance to U.S. youths and their families who have been affected by violent crime. The Foundation also provides college scholarships to young people around the world. Serena has opened two secondary schools in Kenya, as well.

Photo credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova, professional tennis player, picked up a racket at the age of 4 and hasn't stopped winning since. At just 24, Maria has earned numerous awards including 22 Women's Tennis Association (WTA) singles titles, three WTA doubles titles and three Grand Slams singles titles.

With her many sponsors, entrepreneurial activities and prize winnings, Maria is rated the top earning female tennis player, and she is very generous with her earnings. In 2007, Maria became the goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She also started The Maria Sharapova Foundation, which awards college scholarships to youths from the Chernobyl-affected areas of Belarus in association with the UNDP. Recently, the Foundation awarded 12 youths each a five-year scholarship to Belarusian State University or Belarusian State Academy of Arts. Maria, who has family ties to Gomel, Belarus, finds satisfaction in helping give young people a chance to learn and build brighter futures for themselves and their regions.

Photo credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

Natalie Gulbis

Natalie Gulbis, professional golfer, began playing golf at the age of 4, and by age 14, won the California Women's Amateur Championship. After playing collegiate golf, she turned pro and has been a consistent player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour.

Starting in 2004, Natalie produced yearly swimsuit calendars, the proceeds of which benefited the Boys and Girls Clubs. She also partners with the McGladrey Foundation to help raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and the Special Olympics of Massachusetts through golf clinics and tournaments. Natalie enjoys charity work and is a constant presence at many golf charity functions.

Photo credit: DJDM / WENN.com

Sanya Richards Ross

Sanya Richards Ross, professional runner, has been chasing down the competition on the track since 2002, earning her the title of Female Athlete of the Decade for 2000-2009. Her accomplishments include two-time world champion for the 400m and 4x400m, two-time Olympic gold medalist for the 4x400m, and bronze medalist for the 400m.

When off the track, Sanya strives to make the lives of children in her native Jamaica better. She started the Sanya Richards Ross Fast Track Program in association with the Fun 4 Kidz Foundation, which focuses on enhancing literacy and numeracy through sports for youths. The goals of the organization are to develop students' readiness for standardized tests, promote an active and healthy lifestyle through sports, and enhance social skill in youths. Sanya has also joined Lance Armstrong in the fight against cancer with the Livestrong campaign.

Photo credit: HRC/WENN.com

Laila Ali

Laila Ali, professional boxer, followed in the footsteps of her legendary father, Muhammad Ali, and began boxing professionally in 1999. Her first fight ended in only 31 seconds with a knockout; her last fight in 2007, before her retirement from boxing, ended almost as quickly. During her eight years in boxing, Laila held the IBA, WIBA and IWBF super middleweight championships. Laila is also a successful entrepreneur, with her own skin, hair and fragrance products.

Through the years, Laila has been active with several charitable associations. She partners with the Women's Sports Foundation to raise money for promoting women's and girls' involvement in sports. She is also involved in the hunger relief organization Feeding America, Until There's a Cure -- The Black AIDS Institute, and the American Heart Association. She is a proponent of exercising and eating healthy, and works with several programs that aim to instill healthy habits in young people.

Photo credit: Apega/WENN.com

Ana Ivanovic

Ana Ivanovic, professional tennis player, began playing tennis at the age of 5 and turned pro at age 16. In the short time Ana has played professionally, she has won 10 singles championships and currently holds a ranking of 23 with the Women's Tennis Association.

In 2007, Ana became the UNICEF National Ambassador for Serbia, her home country, to promote children's rights in Serbia for education and protection. She also raises money through various charity events for the School Without Violence Programme in Serbia. Ana believes in education and wants to make schools in Serbia a safer environment for children, free of bullying and aggression.

Photo credit: WENN.com

How you can give back

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