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About The BB&T Classic:
The BB&T Classic benefits the Children's Charities Foundation of Washington, D.C.

Since 1995, the Foundation has distributed over 7 million dollars to charities throughout the Washington region supporting disadvantaged and at-risk children through programs to assist with health and welfare, to build strong families, and to provide educational and recreational opportunities.

Event History:

The BB&T Classic Basketball Tournament is a Washington, DC-based basketball tournament that has been held annually since 1995, when it was known as the Franklin National Bank Classic. It is staged at the Verizon Center, on or around the first weekend in December. Organized in large part by author and journalist John Feinstein, the tournament raises funds for the Children's Charities Foundation, a fund-raising organization that financially supports Washington-area charities.

The original format of the event lasted two days and featured four teams, highlighted by local mainstays Maryland and George Washington, accompanied by two nationally-recognized programs, such as Kansas and Stanford. The first day would consist of a doubleheader pitting each of the local teams against each of the national teams. The following afternoon, a championship game would be held between the two opening round winners. A consolation game between the two teams who lost in the opening round was introduced in 1995.

In 2005, the tournament format was altered due to an inability to attract nationally-renowned programs, partially because teams would have two less home games. The event ballooned into a single-evening weeknight event with a tripleheader, as American, Howard, George Mason, and Navy all participated. The 2006 version had another tripleheader, Maryland vs. Notre Dame, George Washington vs. Virginia Tech & George Mason vs. Bucknell.

On Dec. 7, 2008, The BBandT Classic will showcase the FOUR local teams in another outstanding doubleheader. In the first game at 5:00 PM on Sunday, Virginia Tech will take on Navy and in the second game, George Washington will meet University of Maryland

The Children's Charities Foundation
Founded in 1994 by a group of Washington-area business and professional leaders, The Children’s Charities Foundation has distributed nearly $7 million to charities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area including the District of Columbia; Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; Fairfax and Arlington Counties in Virginia; and the City of Alexandria, Virginia.

There is an acute need to raise money for disadvantaged and at-risk children and youth of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. These funds are essential to maintain and support public and private programs and services for children in need. The Children’s Charities Foundation, which will raise most of its funds from an annual basketball tournament featuring college and university teams and from a gala dinner, will fund non-profit organizations that support disadvantaged and at-risk children by strengthening their health and welfare, supporting strong and cohesive families, and assisting educational and recreational programs.

The Children’s Charities Foundation is a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) organization chartered and headquartered in the District of Columbia.

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Saturday, March 20, 2010