The funding pledge is part of the world’s largest tire and rubber manufacturer’s "Chase Your Dreams with Team Bridgestone" campaign that aims to promote diversity and create more inclusive communities.

It has been launched prior to the Paralympics which are set to get underway here in Tokyo next Tuesday (August 24).

The six-figure donation from Bridgestone and the Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund is set to go to Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), Adaptive Sports Ohio and Amputee Blade Runners.

Bridgestone said the money would fund individual athlete grants for sports equipment, training and competition travel as well as support for community programming to create new access to sport while keeping existing athletes engaged.

"Bridgestone is committed to working with partners who can help drive awareness and change regarding diversity, equity and inclusion in our communities, and we have seen how sports can create opportunities and networks of support for all individuals," said Paolo Ferrari, President and chief executive of Bridgestone Americas.

"We’re proud to be a Worldwide Paralympic Partner to help promote inclusivity through sport, and we’re excited to extend this support into our local communities through our Chase Your Dream programme."

As part of the initiative, the Team Bridgestone athlete ambassadors are expected to join events to help inspire Para athletes of all ages and abilities to chase their dreams.

US athlete Scout Bassett, who competed in athletics at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, is both a member of Team Bridgestone and a long-time CAF athlete ambassador.

After losing her right leg as an infant, she turned to sports to connect with her peers.

At 14, Bassett received a grant from CAF for her first running prosthetic, starting her journey to becoming a US national champion, a World Championship medallist and a star in Para track and field.

"The pandemic has increased the need for all of us to have a strong support system and community," said Bassett.

"This is true for athletes – and even more important for athletes with disabilities who already have so much adversity to overcome,”

"Bridgestone has been so supportive of my journey and the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

"I am proud to help them promote the benefits of sport and empower a new generation of adaptive athletes to dream big."