Santa Fe High School serves 1,600 students in Alachua, Florida. The varsity and junior varsity girls' softball teams, Babe Ruth Recreational League and three travel teams play home games at the school's Loretta Shane Softball Field. To improve the condition of the field, the school began renovation in 2008. To complete the project, a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the outfield, installation of a warning track and a roof over the batting cage. http://www.sbac.edu/~sfhs/
Austrian Baseball Federation - Vienna, Austria
The Austrian Baseball Federation (ABF) was founded in 1983 to provide baseball programs. The Attnang-Puchheim Athletics club was established in 1991 and is a member of ABF. The club's baseball facility, which includes one regulation baseball field, grandstand, clubhouse and batting cages, is the coaching center for Austria and is the site of national competitions and tournaments. The club also provides a school program for 200 children in five schools and summer camps. To support the growth of the youth programs, ABF and the club plan to construct a youth field adjacent to the existing field. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field construction including excavation, drainage, sod, seed, fencing and a backstop. www.baseballaustria.com
Baseball Parents, Inc. - Rapid City, SD
Baseball Parents, Inc. is the governing body of the Post 22 American Legion baseball program in Rapid City, South Dakota. For 32 years, the organization has overseen the operation of the program and now hosts more than 200 games at Floyd Fitzgerald Stadium. In addition, the organization promotes baseball to younger players with free clinics and the availability of an indoor training facility to encourage year-round programming. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for a new backstop and dugouts. The funding will help improve player safety, player retention and attract national tournaments. www.post22baseball.com
BaseballSoftballUK Ltd. - London, UK
BaseballSoftballUK, Ltd. (BSUK) was established in 2000 and serves as the development agency for baseball in the United Kingdom, providing services to the British Baseball Federation and British Softball Federation. As of 2011, approximately 2,700 youth and 14,000 adults participate in organized baseball in the United Kingdom; however, no dedicated baseball facilities are available. To address the need for regulation facilities for baseball and softball, the organization will construct a baseball complex featuring two regulation baseball fields and two youth fields in Farnham Park, Buckinghamshire. This complex will be considered the "home" of British baseball and softball and will host local, regional and national tournaments and training year-round. The project will also support the creation of a new after-school program in the local community and a girls' fast-pitch softball league. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of three fields. www.baseballsoftballuk.com
B.I.G. Baseball Academy - Chicago, IL
The B.I.G. Baseball Academy was established in 2006 to serve youth living on the south side of Chicago. The organization provides leagues, camps, clinics and private instruction. The organization plans to open an indoor baseball facility across from Hyde Park. The facility will be 5,000 square feet and will feature three batting cages, throwing area and an office. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the installation of the batting cages and artificial turf as well as equipment including pitching machines, baseballs and protective screens. www.bigbaseballacademy.com
Bishop Ward High School - Kansas City, KS
Established in 1910, Bishop Ward High School is a private, inner-city school located in Kansas City, Kansas serving 315 students. Currently, the high school varsity and junior varsity baseball teams utilize one field. The field is also utilized by the American Legion teams, Wyandotte County youth leagues and a summer camp for Wyandotte County players ages 8-19. In order to establish a freshman team, expand its camps to low-income players and increase the use of the field by the community, the school will renovate the field. www.wardhigh.org. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for fields renovations including dugouts, bleachers, backstop padding, windscreen and an irrigation system.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City - Kansas City, MO
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas City (BGCGKC) was founded in 1912 and serves 7,700 members in five branches in Kansas City, Missouri. BGCGKC began operating the RBI League in 1992, now serving nearly 800 players. In order to improve the condition of the fields and increase the number of RBI players, BGCGKC plans to address drainage issues at Cleveland Park. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field renovations including infield mix, laser grading and drainage. www.helpkckids.org
Bridgton Recreation Advancement Group - Bridgton, ME
The Bridgton Recreation Advancement Group (BRAG) was formed in 1997 to create, support and maintain recreation facilities and program in the Greater Bridgton, Maine region. The organization is currently raising funds and constructing a new recreation complex which will house all recreation fields including baseball, softball, soccer and football to address limited field availability in Bridgton and six surrounding communities. Currently, 233 youth baseball and softball players utilized one city-owned field and school fields. The local Babe Ruth League division disbanded due to the loss of the regulation baseball field to the construction of a new school. The new complex will increase field availability and facilitate the reinstitution of the Babe Ruth League program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of four new fields including three youth and one regulation baseball field.
Buck Leonard Association for Sports and Human Enrichment, Inc. - Rocky Mount, NC
Founded in 1999 by family members of former MLB player Buck Leonard, the Buck Leonard Association for Sports & Human Enrichment (BL-ASHE) supports the Buck Leonard RBI League that includes two travel teams and a recreational league. The league plans to increase tournament opportunities for its players, who are primarily low-income, minority children, with the addition of a third travel team. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms and for the funding of travel team expenses including registration fees and transportation expenses. www.eteamz/blbl
City of Moville - Moville, IA
The City of Moville, Iowa provides three baseball and softball fields for use by the Moville Youth Recreation Association (MYRA). Due to poor field conditions, the organization has experienced a loss of players in recent years. In 2010, a three-phase renovation project began to address field conditions and to create a girls' softball field. The City received a grant from the Twins Community Fund for the first phase of the renovation. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to complete Phase 2 of the renovation, including a scoreboard, infield mix and fencing. www.visitmoville.com
City of Passaic - Passaic, NJ
The City of Passaic, New Jersey provides youth athletics and facilities at Pulaski Park, which includes three youth baseball fields. Due to contaminated soil, the fields have been unused for organized baseball and softball for three years. The City plans to renovate the fields in Pulaski Park in order to serve a new girls' softball program of 400 players, the Boys and Girls Club youth program and the local youth baseball league. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the reconstruction of Roberto Clemente Field, including artificial turf, grading, bleachers, dugout benches, field equipment and fencing. www.cityofpassaic.com
City of Pocatello Parks & Recreation Department - Pocatello, ID
The City of Pocatello, Idaho plans to renovate four softball fields in the OK Ward softball complex to better serve the ASA Junior Olympic Fastpitch Softball Program and the School District #25 sponsored fastpitch softball program. The renovations will encourage participation growth from several surrounding communities, including the Shoshone-Bannock Indian Reservation. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of four fields including the re-placement of fencing, installation of infield mix and conditioner and the construction of pitching mound areas. www.pocatello.us
City of Vineland - Vineland, New Jersey
The City of Vineland, New Jersey has provided organized baseball and softball programs for 56 years. The Vineland Pigtail League of 26 teams will utilize two, recently constructed softball fields within the City's Fiocchi Field Complex. The league has grown significantly over the past five years due to the population growth of the City. In the spring 2011, two teams were turned away from the league due to limited field availability. The City and league plan to increase field availability by installing lights on the two softball fields. www.vinelandcity.org. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase and installation of field lighting on one field and to provide bleachers and scoreboards at both fields in the Fiocchi Field Complex.
Cleveland County ALWS Baseball, Inc. - Shelby, NC
Cleveland County ALWS Baseball, Inc. (ALWS) in Shelby, North Carolina was selected to host the American Legion World Series at Keeter Stadium located at Shelby High School, and will continue to host until 2014. The field is used by various baseball and softball programs, including Cleveland County Schools, American Legion Baseball, AAU Baseball and Shelby High School. ALWS and Cleveland County Schools have partnered to make overall stadium improvements that will increase participation in the local youth leagues, serving over 2,000 participants per year. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for Musco Lighting equipment for the field. www.clevelandcountybaseball.com
Community Preparatory School - South Providence, RI
Founded in 1984, Community Preparatory School is an independent middle school (grades 3-8) serving 152 low-income, inner-city children in South Providence, Rhode Island. The school offers a baseball program, which is a collaboration with the Gordon School in East Providence. The Community Preparatory School hopes to increase fundraising efforts for the baseball program to eliminate students' inability to participate due to lack of funds. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for equipment and uniforms for the 2011-2012 season.
East York Baseball Association - Toronto, ON
The East York Baseball Association (EYBA) was founded in 1956 in Toronto, Ontario, providing house league divisions, select and rep teams. To increase field availability at its sole facility, EYBA is working with the City of Toronto, the Toronto Blue Jays and Jays Care Foundation to install field lighting at Stan Wadlow Park. The lighting will be installed on south diamond #2, a rectangular space which has two opposing youth fields with a shared outfield and a t-ball field in a third corner. Currently, EYBA utilizes seven fields; however, only one field is lighted. The additional field lighting will support the growth of the house league by three teams in 2012. The fields are also the site of the Blue Jays youth camps and Rookie League. www.eastyorkbaseball.com. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase and installation of field lighting.
Five Cities Youth Baseball - Pismo Beach, CA
Five Cities Youth Baseball (FCYB) was formed in 2008 to provide organized youth baseball to players in Pismo Beach, Oceano, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Avila and Nipomo on the central coast of California. Participation in the program has grown significantly in each of its first two years. Due to the impact of the economy in the community, the organization recently reduced its registration fees. The organization would like to continue its current growth and improve the participation of minority players. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide partial funding for the purchase of equipment, uniforms, coaches salaries (clinics), scholarships and a minority recruitment program. The recommended grant includes total funding for field and baseball equipment and scholarships for 25 players.
Hendersonville High School - Hendersonville, TN
Henderson High School serves 1,400 students in Henderson, Tennessee. The high school varsity and junior varsity baseball teams, Babe Ruth Recreational League, middle school spring league and 3-5 travel teams play home games at Drakes Creek Park, which was damaged by the major flood of May 2010. All of the school's baseball equipment was lost in the flood. The school and City began to renovate the field in 2010; however, in order to return the field to its previous condition and address the drainage issues resulting from the flood, additional work is needed to the outfield and fencing. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the outfield including the installation of an automatic irrigation system, warning track and outfield fence.
L.E.A.D., Inc. - 2011 - Atlanta, GA
Established in 2007, L.E.A.D., Inc. (Launch, Expose, Advise and Direct, Inc.) is a non-profit organization established by former Major League player, C.J. Stewart, to increase the number of African-Americans playing competitive high school baseball in the inner city of Atlanta and to prepare them to compete at the college level.
The organization provides year-round programs for the 14-18 year old age group including baseball skill development, educational/leadership development, community service and coaches training through its Legacy League, an instructional fall league for inner-city players; the Urban Coaching Mentoring Program and the Ambassador Elite Exposure Team, a travel/tournament team for inner-city players aimed at providing exposure to college recruiters. L.E.A.D., Inc. Is a partner of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and the Metro Chamber of Commerce's Atlanta Partners for Education Program. To date, 100% of L.E.A.D., Inc. players have graduated from high school and entered college. Eighty-three percent of the players received college baseball scholarships.
The organization plans to create a similar program targeting Atlanta public middle school students ages 10-14 in King Middle School, BEST Academy and Kennedy Middle School. This will be the first baseball program for APS's middle school students.
A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for equipment, uniforms and travel team expenses for the new middle school program.
Louisa Little League - Louisa, VA
Established in 1965, Louisa Little League serves over 300 children in Louisa, Virginia. On August, 23, 2011, Louisa County was hit by a 5.8-magnitude earthquake that caused significant damage to homes, businesses and schools. The county's only high school and elementary school were damaged upon repair. Nearly 100 trailers were placed on the middle school baseball, softball and football fields to house over 2,000 students. To address the loss of the fields and to accommodate the number of baseball and softball games played, Louisa Little League will renovate the Louisa Junior League Field including improved drainage, infield and outfield repair and minor renovations to the dugouts and backstop. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of Musco Lighting on the field. www.eteamz.com/louisalittleleague/
Miramar Police Athletic League, Inc. - Miramar, FL
Established in 1989, Miramar Police Athletic League, Inc. (Miramar PAL) provides educational, athletic, civic and crime prevention activities to 2,500 children in the south Broward County. Miramar PAL plans to develop a new baseball/softball league for low-income children ages 10-16. Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for equipment and umpire fees. A total of 300 youth will be served. www.miramarpal.org
Plant A Seed Ministries - Ft. Pierce, FL
Plant A Seed Ministries is a non-profit, faith-based organization dedicated to housing the homeless and rehabilitating drug and alcohol dependent adults. Since 2008, the organization has operated the Treasure Coast Angels, a baseball program targeting at-risk youth. As a result of the success of its existing two boys' teams, the organization will add two boys' baseball teams and a girls' softball team in 2011. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for team equipment and uniforms.
South Houston Little League - South Houston, TX
The South Houston Little League (SHLL) is a member of the Chartered Houston Inner-City Little League (CHILL) serving the City of South Houston for 58 years. The league utilizes Christy Field which features four fields, a concession stand and restrooms. The league plans to renovate its outdated facility to encourage continued participation growth of 10% of the next two years. (HOLD)A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide complete funding for the renovation of the teenage and major/minor fields of play and Musco Lighting equipment and installation on the teenage and pee-wee fields.
Tobyhanna Little League - Tobyhanna, PA
The Tobyhanna Little League (TLL) provides the youth baseball and softball leagues in the Pocono Mountain region of Pennsylvania. To increase the amount of field time available in the early spring and fall, TLL plans to install field lighting at Volunteer Field and Armed Forces Field in Coolbaugh Township Municipal Park, the township's main public park and the league's only facility. The league expects the addition of field lighting to increase the involvement of parents that commute to New York and New Jersey by allowing practices and games to begin later in the evening. www.tobyhannalittleleague.org. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase and installation of Musco Lighting equipment for Armed Forces Field.
Wenatchee Youth Baseball - Wenatchee, WA
Wenatchee Youth Baseball has provided recreational youth baseball for more than 50 years in Wenatchee Valley, Washington. The organization plans to renovate its four fields within Morris Park, which serve 500-700 players each year. The organization also recently renovated its parking lot, concession stand, storage and restrooms. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field renovations including excavation, irrigation and infield mix. The funding will help improve playability of the field and player safety. www.wyb.org
The City of Avenal, California supports local baseball and softball leagues with the use of city-owned fields and facilities. To address the lack of recreational opportunities for girls in the community, the city plans to establish a girls' softall program with the help of the local youth service organization, Responsible Athletes Program (RAP). A BTF grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms to establish the program. Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond - Richmond, VA (2010) BGCMR is working with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation (CRSF) and the City of Richmond to construct a synthetic turf field to serve the RBI and Rookie League programs.The BTF grant will provide funding for the artificial turf and a drainage system, infield construction, fending, earthwork and concrete. The field will replace an under-utilized youth baseball field and will replicate Fenway Park. The overall project will support the growth of an after-school baseball and girls' softball program for 6-12 year olds residing in the Bainbridge, Blackwell and Broad Rock neighborhoods of south Richmond.
City of Delano - Delano, CA
BTF will provide a grant to the City of Delano, California to provide funding for a field renovation including a backstop, fencing, a scoreboard and bleachers. Three youth baseball/softball fields are available/ however, only one is a regulation size for youth baseball. With the grant, the city will renovate the field to provide a second, regulation youth field to support the growth of the program (especially girls' softball). The City of Delano has provided organized recreational opportunities including youth baseball and softball to children for more than 50 years. www.cityofdelano.org
City of Ferris - Ferris, TX
The grant will provide funding for field renovations to two baseball fields used by the Ferris Baseball & Softball Association. Upon completion of the renovation, the league will create a fall league, becoming the North Ellis County hub for the Challenger Division for children with disabilities, and will offer a junior girls' summer softball tournament. A total of 280 children is projected to be served.
City of Fort Lauderdale - Fort Lauderdale, FL
The City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department, partnered with the Front Porch/Dorsey Riverbend Revitalization Council, will implement the baseball program for at-risk youth residing in the Carter Park area. This organization will sponsor clinics, fundraising efforts and the marketing of the program. A BTF grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms for the participants in the Carter Park baseball program. In 2001, BTF awarded a grant in the amount of $55,000 to the City of Fort Lauderdale for the purchase of baseball/softball equipment and uniforms for a Little League, girls' softball league, summer baseball and softball camps/clinics in Carter Park. Some of the equipment funded in 2001 is still used in the leagues.
City of Grand Island - Grant Island, NE
The grant will provide funding for the purchase of batting cages, pitching machines, portable pitching mounds and pitching tunnels at the recently constructed 70,000 square-foot Community Field House, which provides year-round training opportunities for nearly 5,000 youth. The field house will also be used by the Nebraska State Fair for two months each summer.
City of Huntington Park - Huntington Park, CA
The grant will provide funding to install a lighted, divided batting cage and protective netting along the perimeter of four baseball and softball fields at Salt Lake Park. The City of Huntington Park Parks and Recreation Department has provided youth baseball and softball since 1999 and 2000, respectively. The funds will benefit nearly 800 youth.
Department of Parks and Recreation, Township of Irvington - Irvington, NJ
The grant will provide funding for the renovation of a Little League baseball field and practice field. The grant also includes the purchase of equipment and uniforms to support the local youth league of over 120 participants. The renovations are being made to address the recent decline in participation and field conditions and to provide a safe alternative for the community's at-risk children.
Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Inc. - Lawrence, MA
The grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms for 288 participants in the Roberto Clemente Little League, which consists of 18 teams. For 44 years, the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council has improved life for low-income residents of Lawrence, Methuen, Andover and North Andover, Massachusetts.
Household of Faith Church, Inc. - Gonzales, LA
The grant will provide funding to construct a new softball field and to develop the existing practice field into a regulation baseball field for use by local high school teams, the newly-created middle school teams and local travel teams. The Household of Faith Church operates four schools in the area serving children from early education through high school in Ascension Parish.
Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation - Oskaloosa, IA
The grant will provide funding for infield and warning track material and fencing for the construction of a five-field complex. The fields will serve approximately 1,200 players, ages 5-16. The complex will be constructed in a low income community in Oskaloosa, and will serve the Oskaloosa Little League, Mahaska County Little League and 12 travel teams.
Miami Chiefs Baseball, Inc. - Miami, FL
Founded in 2005, the Miami Chiefs Baseball, Inc. provides baseball skills training, conditioning, strength development, tournament exposure and educational counseling to top athletics. To increase tournament opportunities for players who primarily reside in low-income households, BTF will match local fundraising efforts for registration fees and travel expenses for proposed tournaments in June-December 2010. www.miamichiefsbaseball.org
Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc. - Gary, IN
The grant will provide funding for equipment and player and coaches training material to support a learning and resource center, a groundskeeping academy for youth and coaches training and a college readiness program. Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc. was established in 2005 to provide year-round educational and recreational opportunities in the community. The academy provides baseball and softball camps and clinics, an all-sport camp and workshops to more than 800 children.
Orlando After-School All-Stars - Orlando, FL
The grant will provide funding to increase the number of players in the summer and fall leagues of the organization's Youth Baseball Development League, a free baseball program to middle school, at-risk children. The local chapter of a national program serves 1,600 children from Orlando middle schools.
Portland Bayside Little League - Portland, ME
The grant will provide funding for improved coaches training and field conditions at Loring Field. The Portland Bayside Little League is one of three leagues serving the largest school system in the state of Maine. The league serves the downtown area, which is experiencing an influx of immigrant families, and it plans to increase participation in the program by targeted outreach to those families through a partnership with the local Police Athletic League and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Raiders Baseball, Inc. - Bayamon, PR
The grant will provide funding for the purchase of baseball equipment to support additional teams and field equipment at their year-round baseball instruction complex in the Municipality of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The non-profit organization provides instruction to develop future college baseball players, and, so far, 14 players have received college baseball scholarships to universities in the United States. The grant will serve a projected 200 participants.
Roseville Sports Group of North Newark - Newark, NJ
The North Newark Little League (NNLL) and the city of Newark have partnered to construct an indoor practice facility located adjacent to the recently renovated Kasberger Field Complex, an artificial turf, multi-use field that includes three youth baseball fields, that serves as the home fields for NNLL and the RBI program. The BTF grant will provide funding for the purchase of batting cages, pitching tunnels and related equipment for the indoor facility as well as coaches training clinic expenses. www.northnewarklittleleague.com
South Florida After School All-Stars - Miami, FL
The grant will provide funding for the development of its first organized sports program, which will be a baseball league with partner M-E Baseball, a local recreational youth baseball league. The South Florida After School All-Stars program is the local chapter of a national program that provides year-round, school-based academic, enrichment and health programs to middle school students.
Synergistic Youth Enterprise, Inc. - Union City, GA
The grant will provide funding to purchase team equipment and one set of uniforms for the Synergistic Youth Enterprise (SYE) Academic Athletics Program baseball program serving 60 children. SYE is a non-profit, community-led after-school program created in 2001 to support children living in underserved areas of South Fulton County, Georgia. The baseball program was established in Spring 2010 to increase participation in baseball, incorporating mandatory participation in weekly tutoring sessions and monthly service projects.
Tattnall County High School - Reidsville, GA
The grant will provide funding for an indoor baseball and softball training facility to serve the players involved with school teams, as well as programs provided by the parks and recreation departments in the communities of Reidsville and Glennville, Georgia. The facility will contain two retractable batting and pitching tunnels, eight soft-toss stations and an instructional area. Tattnall County High school is a consolidated school serving rural Reidsville and Glennville.
Tripark Little League - Lawndale, CA
Founded more than 50 years ago, Tripark Little League located in Lawndale, CA currently utilizes two youth fields for its program of 300 players. The league plans to renovate the youth baseball field located on Lawndale School District property to support its plans to increase partcipiation by adding a second 12 and under girls' softball team and a 4 to 6-year-old program. The BTF grant will provide funding for field renovation costs including fencing, infield mix and sod.
Woodford Parks Foundation, Inc. - Frankfort, KY
The grant will provide funding for the installation of Musco Lighting equipment to complete construction of a new softball field that will benefit nearly 260 children. Woodford Parks Foundation is a non-profit organization established to support the maintenance and capital construction of recreational facilities in Woodford County.
Archbishop Curley Notre Dame High School - Miami, FL
Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School is located in the "Little Haiti" community of the City of Miami, Florida, a community experiencing high crime levels and poverty rates. The school has a baseball field and softball field which serves the school teams. The school plans to renovate the baseball field to support the introduction and the growth in participation among the under-served community and to increase field availability for community teams and leagues. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant was requested to provide funding for field renovations including field work, dugout relocation and the relocation of utility poles. The field will is expected to serve 750 players. www.ACND.net
Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis - Corvallis, OR
The Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis, Oregon has offered a youth baseball/softball program to children living in Corvallis and the surrounding rural areas since 1971. In 2006, the club began in the process of renovating the four fields at the Williams Field Complex to support its growing youth baseball program for the 13-14 age division and its girls softball program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to complete the field renovations. The project is expected to serve approximately 215 kids. www.bgccorvallis.org
Boys & Girls Club of Evansville - Evansville, IN
Boys & Girls Club of Evansville (BGCE) opened its new main facility in the inner city of Evansville, Indiana, on June 1, 2009. The facility is located near Bellemeade Park, a city-owned public park with an existing youth baseball field. In partnership with the city parks and recreation department, Evansville Parks Foundation and Tri-State Hot Stove League, the club will renovate an unused youth baseball field adjacent to its facility. The field will serve the club youth baseball and slow-pitch softball program as well as the local leagues. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will help to benefit the projected 700 youth players between the ages of 6 and 17. www.bgclubevv.org
Bridgeport Township Parks & Recreation Department - Bridgeport, MI
The Bridgeport Township Parks & Recreation Department provides the youth baseball and softball leagues in Saginaw County, Michigan including the Valley Youth Baseball League, Dixie Youth Softball League and the Tri-Valley PONY League, all of which have increased in participation since 2006. The department plans to construct the Frank N. Anderson Recreational Complex in Liberty Park in Bridgeport. The complex will include an accessible field to serve the Tri-Valley Miracle League of 60-100 players, the Valley Youth Baseball League t-ball program as well as the Millet Learning Center, a school for children with disabilities. This project is supported by the Detroit Tigers Foundation and Tigers pitcher, Zach Miner. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the accessible field including the synthetic rubber surface, backstop and player benches. www.bridgeportmi.org
Carrick Community Athletic Association - Pittsburgh, PA
The Carrick Community Athletic Association (CCAA) has provided youth sports programs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since 1946. The association serves 500 children residing in the Carrick, Overbrook and Mt. Oliver/Bon Air communities. The association has experienced an increase in participation in recent years due to the reduction of community athletic programs. To accommodate this increase and support the continued growth, CCAA plans to construction one new field and renovate three existing fields located in Volunteers Park. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the field including infield mix, fencing, a backstop, dugouts and field equipment.
Central Accomack Little League - Onanock, VA
Central Accomack Little League in Onancock, Virginia has provided youth baseball for 50 years at the Onancock Fireman's Field for more than 400 players. The league offers spring and fall leagues as well as camps each year. Due to the sale of Fireman's Field in 2009, the league will relocate. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of four youth fields to support the continued operation of the league. www.eteamz.com/cenacc
City of Brownwood - Brownwood, TX
The City of Brownwood, Texas plans to construct a sports complex consisting of four girls' softball fields, four Little League baseball fields, two teenage baseball fields, two adult softball fields, a swimming pool and walking trail. The city partners with local youth baseball and softball programs by providing facilities. The city's existing baseball and softball fields are 45 years old and no longer accommodate the growing programs in the community, which serve 800 players. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the automatic irrigation systems on the 10 new youth baseball and softball fields to support the continued growth in participation. www.ci.brownwood.tx.us
City of Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids, IA
On June 13, 2008, the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa was devastated by a major flood, which affected the entire city including the majority of the public parks and sports facilities. To address the loss of the fields, the city will relocate the fields to Jones Park, located on higher ground in a low-income neighborhood which was also affected by the flood. The construction of the facility will allow a higher quality complex and for all local leagues which serve 2,900 players and will facilitate the addition of an instructional program for at-risk youth. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of one PONY League field and the renovation an existing regulation and youth/softball field to help the city recover from the flood. www.crrec.org
Community Boys & Girls Club of Wilmington - Wilmington, NC
The Community Boys & Girls Club of Wilmington began as the Boys Club in 1937 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Since that time, the club has provided youth development programs and services primarily to African-American children residing in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties. The club partners with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and the Wilmington Police Department to offer the Badges for Baseball program to 100 children. The club plans to renovate its Joe McGuire Field to better serve its baseball program and to increase participation. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for renovations including an irrigation system, sodding, grading and field equipment. www.cdgcw.org
Colusa High School - Colusa, CA
Colusa High School in California provides the only two regulation baseball fields in the city. The fields are utilized by the high school baseball teams, American Legion team and Little League Junior team. Poor field conditions have adversely affected interest and participation in the 13-19 year old age groups. The school plans to renovate both fields to improve field conditions and to support the growth of the American Legion and the Little League Junior programs by 40 players. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field renovations to encourage participation growth within the local programs. www.colusahigh.org
Diamond Youth Promotion, Inc. - Sunny Isles, St. Croix
Diamond Youth Promotions, Inc. promotes pro-social behavior and academic integrity among St. Croix's low-income, at-risk boys ages 14-18 by providing the opportunity to participate in local baseball games and practices and travel tournaments. Several participants have received college baseball scholarships and three have been drafted into the Minor Leagues. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for equipment, uniforms and travel team expenses for the 2010 season.
Emerald KIDSPORTS - Eugene and Springfield, OR
Emerald KIDSPORTS provides youth sports and activities to 15,000 children in Eugene and Springfield, Oregon each year. The organization offers football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, baseball and softball. KIDSPORTS requires low registration fees and offers a prolific scholarship program. One-third of the baseball and softball participants receive a scholarship to participate which limits the organizations funds to replace outdated equipment. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of baseball and softball equipment to support the continued availability of quality youth baseball and softball programs. www.kidsports.org
Friends of St. Paul Baseball - St. Paul, MN
Friends of St. Paul Baseball in Minnesota is a non-profit organization dedicated the enhancing the opportunity for youth to play baseball. The organization is collaborating with the St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department, the Minnesota Twins RBI program and the Dunning Boosters to develop a hub for inner-city baseball leagues. The project will include the construction of a youth baseball field and two t-ball fields at Dunning Park. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the youth baseball field. The complex is expected to serve 1,300 kids. www.fspbb.com
LA's Best - Los Angeles, CA
The LA's BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) After-School Enrichment Program has provided structured educational and recreational programming in 180 elementary schools in Los Angeles, California since 1988. The program includes a year-round, formalized sports program, which began in 1991. One of the most popular sports offered is the slow-pitch softball program. Four thousand children on 250 teams from 172 LA's BEST sites participate in the eight-week season. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for coaches training expenses and equipment to support to the program serving 4,000 children. www.lasbest.org/
L.E.A.D., Inc. - Atlanta, GA
L.E.A.D., Inc. (Launch, Expose, Advise and Direct, Inc.) is a 501c3 non-profit organization established by former Major League player, C.J. Stewart, to increase the number of African-Americans playing competitive baseball in middle school and high school in the inner city of Atlanta. Through its programming, L.E.A.D. prepares young men to compete for scholarships at the college level. The fall Legacy League (instructional league play), Middle School Baseball Development League and Ambassador and Jr. Ambassador programs all provide a year round development opportunity that includes baseball skill development, education/leadership development and monthly community service opportunities. L.E.A.D. also provides coaches training through its Legacy League via the Urban Coaching Mentoring Program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the purchase of equipment, uniforms, travel expenses and selected program expenses to support the availability of quality programs to inner-city players and coaches in 2010. www.lead2legacy.org
Near West Side Community Development Corporation - Chicago, IL
The Near West Side Community Development Corporation has served the West Haven community of Chicago, Illinois since 1988. Its services include job preparation, life skills training, financial literacy, affordable real estate and youth sports programming. In 2007, the organization created the West Haven Baseball Club, a program providing free league play to 45 inner-city, African American children. In order to expand into a year-round program and to offer girls softball, additional equipment, access to indoor facilities and professional coaching is needed. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment, uniforms and for the funding of travel team expenses including tournament fees, coaches training and transportation expenses. www.nearwestsidecdc.org
PIDC-Regional Development Corporation - Philadelphia, PA
The PIDC-Regional Development Corporation (PIDC-RDC) is working with the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation and the Phillies to renovate two youth baseball fields in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park. The fields will become a development component of the Philadelphia Urban Youth Academy. The fields will serve the Urban Youth Academy and the city youth baseball and softball programs. The academy, which will be located at Marian Anderson Recreation Center. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field renovations. www.pidc-pa.org
Young Men's Christian Association of Metropolitan Denver - Denver, CO
The YMCA of Metropolitan Denver was established in 1875 and now serves 50,000 people each year in Denver and four other surrounding counties. Its Junior Rockies Baseball Program is a skills-based, recreational program for 2500 children ages 3-12. In 2010, the YMCA plans to increase the number of participants in the program by 10% and increase financial assistance to children in need by 10% through its Open Doors Program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment to accommodate additional players in the Junior Rockies Baseball Program at seven YMCA branches. www.denverymca.org
Manor Youth Association - Manor, TX
Manor Youth Association (MYA) has provided baseball, t-ball and softball in Manor, Texas since 1983. MYA has experienced steady growth in all divisions, especially girls' softball, serving 400 players. MYA will renovate its three youth fields, located on property owned by the Manor Independent School District. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the much-needed renovation of three fields to support the continued growth of the programs. www.themya.org
New Britain Parks and Recreation Department - New Britain, CT
The New Britain Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for programming and coordinating the use of all sports facilities in New Britain, Connecticut. The city plans to install lighting at a new youth baseball/softball field at Martha Hart Park to increase field availability for Little League and softball programs. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase and installation of field lighting. This project is expected to serve 1,600 kids. www.new-britain.net/liv_prknrec.html
Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County - Reading, PA
The Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading and Berks County has provided youth services since 1898. Since 2001, the club has provided the local RBI program, serving 165 players and growing, at Gordon Hoodak Stadium. Improvements to the outfield are needed to improve safety and support the increasing use of the field. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the outfield to support the availability of safe and quality fields. www.olivetbgc.org
Rock Island Girls Softball League - Rock Island, IL
The Rock Island Girls Softball League was formed in 1971 as a fastpitch softball league but developed into a low-cost, recreational slow-pitch league as an alternative to the more competitive fastpitch teams that began to expand. The league recently completed the construction of a new home field to replace its 30-year old field that was condemned by the city due to unsafe conditions. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase and installation of Musco Lighting on the newly constructed field to provide greater use and field availability to support the growth of the league. www.rigsl.org
Simpson University - Redding, CA,
Simpson University in Redding, California will construct a regulation baseball field on its campus to serve its baseball team as well as local competitive and recreational youth baseball teams. The field will be constructed reusing materials from a stadium scheduled to be demolished in a neighboring city. A joint use agreement was created between Simpson University and local youth sports non-profit agency, Add Some Color (ASC), to provide priority use in the summer to the youth organization. The City of Redding Parks and Recreation youth programs will also benefit from this facility. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the field. www.simpsonuniversity.edu/
South African Baseball Union - Athlone, South Africa
The South African Baseball Union, the national baseball federation, and the Athlone Athletics Baseball Club, a local competitive baseball club, plans to construct the Baseball Indoor Intensive Training Centre, which will feature batting cages and other multi-purpose areas. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the indoor batting cage facility. This project is expected to serve over 400 players.
Special Olympics Arizona - Phoenix, AZ
Special Olympics Arizona (SOAZ) provides year-round sports training and athletic competition opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities and close-related developmental disabilities. SOAZ offers softball, as well as a Unified Sports softball program, which brings together people with and without disabilities in training, competition and social activities. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms to expand the program by nine teams. This project is expected to serve 160 players. www.soaz.org
T.E.A.M. Inc. - Chicago, IL
Teach and Equip Young Women through Social Awareness and Mature Ethics (T.E.A.M., Inc.) was founded in 2002 to provide a mentoring program for African-American children living in the inner city of Chicago. The organization established the T.E.A.M/K.I.T. Softball Program in 2006 as a free initiative in partnership with the Chicago Park District/West Chatham Park. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms for the softball program. This project is expected to serve 50 kids.
Wayne Gomes Youth Baseball Diversity Foundation - Hampton, VA
The Wayne Gomes Youth Baseball Diversity Foundation (WGYBDF) was founded in 2007 by the former MLB pitcher and Hampton, Virginia native to provide opportunities for youth baseball and softball. The foundation partners with the YH Thomas Athletic Association to conduct the Hampton RBI program, which serves more than 120 players. The foundation will renovate a local, unused baseball field to support the Hampton RBI program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the baseball field to increase the availability of quality fields and to support the growth of the program.
Waynesboro Parks and Recreation - Waynesboro, VA
The Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department provides recreational and leisure activities to the citizens of Waynesboro, Virginia. Due to plans to develop a new storm water detention facility to alleviate neighborhood flooding, the city must relocate the city's youth baseball field. The city, working with Waynesboro Youth Baseball, plans to renovate an existing softball field into a youth field for the 11-12 year old age group. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the field. This project is expected to serve over 400 kids. www.waynesboro.va.us/pr.dhp
Westhab, Inc. - Elmsford, NY
Westhab, Inc. is the largest non-profit provider of housing and social services for homeless and low-income families in Westchester County, New York. The organization plans to form a new co-ed baseball/softball programs that will be free-of-charge for at-risk, minority children who attend the Elm Street Neighborhood Center in Yonkers. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms. This project is expected to serve 50 kids. www.westhab.org
Yonkers Police Athletic League (PAL) - Yonkers, NY
The Police Athletic League of Yonkers (PAL) in New York has provided athletic and educational programs since 1941. PAL is open to all children living in Yonkers and lower Westchester County, serving 100-150 children daily. PAL's core programs include baseball/softball, basketball, boxing, flag football, karate, weightlifting and golf. PAL's goals include the continued growth in the participation of girls and low-income players and to improve the quality of training offered to the players. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for equipment, uniforms, travel team expenses, professional coaching and repairs to its indoor practice facility. www.yonkersny.gov/index.aspx?page=977
Asociacion Esperanza International, Inc. - Dominican Republic
Esperanza International provides programs and services to communities in the Dominican Republic, including education, medical, and business development assistance. Esperanza International will renovate baseball fields in Palmar Arriba and Mao Valverde. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovations. The fields are expected to serve over 1,000 children. www.esperanza.org
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth - Fort Worth, TX
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Ft. Worth provide services to 12,000 disadvantaged youth in Ft. Worth, Texas each year. The Club began the renovation of its sports complex at its East Side Branch with the construction of Will Clark Field, a Little League baseball field, in conjunction with the Texas Rangers Baseball Club. In addition, the organization will construct a 300 ft. baseball field to create a 13-18 year old program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction including field lighting. This project is expected to serve 300 players. www.fortworthkids.org
Boys' Club of New York - New York, NY
The Boys' Club of New York (BCNY) has served underprivileged boys in New York City for over 130 years, stressing scholarship, moral development and physical achievement. Following the success of their Basketball Academic All-Star program, BCNY created the Baseball Academic All-Star team in 2003. Through academic support and extensive skills training, the Academic All-Star program's ultimate goal is to help the athletes gain acceptance to independent day and boarding schools. In addition to the Academic All-Star program, BCNY also offers recreational baseball. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding for the purchase of uniforms and equipment to support the operation of the Baseball Academic All-Star team and recreational baseball program, serving over 300 boys in total. http://www.bcny.org
Centreville Public Schools - Centreville, MI
Centreville Public Schools serves St. Joseph County in rural southwest Michigan. In 2008, the school system began the construction of a new sports complex including one regulation baseball field and two softball fields, which will be utilized by the school teams and local summer leagues. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the completion of the baseball and softball fields. The complex is expected to serve 400 children. www.cpschools.org
City of Barnwell - Barnwell, SC
The City of Barnwell, South Carolina will expand its city sports park, Lemon Park, to include four youth baseball/softball fields, one 300 ft. baseball field, a t-ball field, soccer fields, a playground and other amenities. This complex will serve the youth of Barnwell County. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of one youth baseball field. This project is expected to serve 400 children. www.cityofbarnwell.com
City of Hamburg - Hamburg, AR
In 2000, the City of Hamburg, Arkansas established the Hamburg Baseball Commission to provide activities and resources for the children of Hamburg and Ashley Counties. The commission oversees the summer baseball leagues and will renovate the local baseball field located in Norman City Park. The field is utilized by the local high school teams and the summer Babe Ruth League. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field lighting. This project is expected to serve 70 players.
City of Tyler Parks & Recreation Department - Tyler, TX
The City of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department will transform one baseball field into a girls' softball complex in Faulkner Park in Tyler, Texas. This complex will be used by the Tyler Fastpitch Association and two local high school softball programs. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the third softball field. This project is expected to serve 600 girls. www.tylertexas.com
Community Life Improvement and Multicultural Bridging - San Diego, CA
Established in 2004, Community Life Improvement and Multicultural Bridging (CLIMB) is a non-profit organization in San Diego with the mission of improving the quality of life of residents in under-served or impoverished urban areas. CLIMB's programs include Summer Boot Camp, a 3-4 week, youth program that provides leadership skills, financial literacy, crafts and field trips. In 2008, CLIMB will incorporate youth baseball into the program to teach leadership skills, strategies for academic success, athleticism and sportsmanlike behavior on and off the field. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms to create the baseball program to the camp. The program is expected to serve more than 20 children in its first year. www.communitylimb.com
Eagle Sports Club - Detroit, MI
Since 1998, Eagle Sports Club has provided the youth of Detroit's east side with sports programming, including baseball, soccer and flag football, and literacy tutoring. The baseball program utilizes Balduck Memorial Park, a six-field complex. In 2003, Eagle SC replaced the backstops and dugouts on four of the fields at the complex. In 2008, Eagle SC will replace the backstops and dugouts and renovate the infields on the two remaining fields. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of one of the fields. This project is expected to serve 900 children. www.eaglesportsclub.com
French Baseball Federation - Ramonville-Saint-Agne, France
The French Baseball Federation trains the country's junior and senior national teams and provides clinics and training facilities for local recreational youth baseball programs. The federation will construct a lighted batting cage facility and practice infield to support the national teams, as well as the recreational programs, at CREPS, a multi-sport academy in Toulouse, France. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding for the purchase and installation of the batting cage structure. Over 450 players are expected to benefit from this project. www.ffbsc.org
Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church - Pickens, SC
In partnership with the Pickens County Recreation Department and Pickens County Council, the Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church plans to renovate a baseball field at McNewton-Sullivan Park, which was once a centerpiece of activity in the community. This project aims to improve youth baseball and fastpitch softball programs in the community. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the field and for the purchase of equipment. Approximately 430 children are expected to benefit from the project.
Josh Gibson Foundation - Pittsburgh, PA
The Josh Gibson Foundation (JGF) was established to preserve the memory of Josh Gibson and the Negro Leagues. Since its inception in 1994, the foundation has developed several programs and activities including the Josh Gibson Baseball Academy, an after-school homework program, a scholarship program and a mentoring program. The foundation will renovate the two youth fields at Josh Gibson Field, located in the Hill District, a low-income neighborhood of Pittsburgh. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the fields. This project will serve approximately 250 children. www.joshgibson.org
Lancaster Recreation Commission - Lancaster, PA
The Lancaster Recreation Commission (LRC) provides year-round, youth recreational programs to improve personal health, strengthen community and prevent crime in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 2005, the LRC took over the operation of the local youth baseball and softball program and became affiliated with Little League, Inc. The commission will increase participation in the program by improving ten youth baseball fields located at the local parks and schools. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the fields. Approximately 400 children are expected to benefit from this project. www.lancasterrec.org
Little Rock Recreation Department - Little Rock, AR
The Little Rock School District (LRSD) and Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department (LRPRD) are partnering to renovate Kanis Park, which has the only senior youth baseball field on the west side of Little Rock. To address the lack of facilities for the 12-18 year old age group and to re-establish the city's PONY League, LRSD and LRPRD plan to renovate the field. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation. The field is expected to serve 250 players. www.lrsd.org
Montana District #1 Little League - Billings, MT
The Montana District #1 Little League has been in existence for over 50 years, serving the youth of Billings and the surrounding areas. The organization currently provides youth baseball and softball for children 5-18. To better accommodate the large number of teams and to facilitate the continued growth in the older age group, the organization will construct a regulation baseball field in Centennial Park. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the field. This project is expected to serve approximately 520 players.
New York Gothams Youth Baseball, Inc. - New York, NY
Founded in 2000, New York Gothams Youth Baseball, Inc. is a competitive, travel program with the goal of providing talented, motivated players in New York City the opportunity to develop their skills and participate in competitive, national tournaments and showcases. To date, 15 alums have played college baseball and six have been drafted by MLB Clubs. The program will increase the number of full scholarships available to players in financial need. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the uniforms, tournament fees and travel expenses for eight additional scholarship players. www.gothams.org
North-West Trenton Athletic Fund - Trenton, NJ
The North-West Trenton Athletic Fund was established in 1988 to provide baseball and tackle football programs and other activities for youth in Trenton, New Jersey. This organization also serves as the administrative and financial benefactor of the Trenton Elite Giants Travel Baseball Team. Formed in 2008, it is the first travel team to serve players living in the inner city of Trenton. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms to support the operation of the new team.
Pittsfield Youth Baseball - Pittsfield, NH
The Pittsfield Youth Baseball Association (PYBA) provides spring and summer baseball and softball programs to the youth of Pittsfield, New Hampshire. To address inadequate facilities and a lack of field space for the 13-18 year old division, PYBA plans to renovate three youth fields and construct a regulation baseball field. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field renovations and construction. As a result of this project, participation in the league is expected to increase to 310 children.
Porter Youth Center - Seaside, CA
The Porter Youth Center in Seaside, California provides high-quality recreational sports activities for the children of military and Department of Defense families. In 2006, the Porter Youth Center Little League program merged with the U.S. Navy Youth Program to form the Monterey Peninsula Armed Services Little League. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of additional player and field maintenance equipment to support the growth of the program. This grant is expected to serve approximately 130 players.
River Kings & Queens Athletics Booster Club - Clinton, IA
The River Kings & Queens Athletic Booster Club in Clinton, Iowa provides financial support for school and community-based athletics. In March 2008, the club launched "Restoring Royalty," a fundraising campaign to address the condition and availability of athletic facilities at Clinton High School. With the endorsement of the Clinton Community School Board and superintendent, the club will renovate the football stadium and construct soccer, baseball and softball fields. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the baseball and softball fields. This project is expected to serve approximately 580 players.
Sebaco Valley Little League - Sebaco, Nicaragua
Sebaco Valley Little League provides youth baseball and softball to 500 children in rural, central Nicaragua. The organization has developed 12 rudimentary fields for the practice of baseball. To improve safety and grow participation, the league plans to add backstops, dugouts and bleachers to five of the fields. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field improvements, which are expected to help participation grow to 600 children.
Sebastian PONY Express - Sebastian, TX
Sebastian PONY Express (SPE) provides the only after-school sports activity for youth living in several rural communities in Willacy County in south Texas. The organization offers youth baseball and softball. In 2005, the organization, in conjunction with the Lyford Consolidated Independent School District and Willacy County, began the construction on a baseball field to accommodate their players. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to complete the field construction. The field will serve approximately 328 players.
Shadywood Baseball Association, Inc. - Columbus, OH
Shadywood Youth Baseball Association, Inc. has provided recreational baseball for more than 50 years in the inner city of Columbus, Ohio. To address the recent decline in participation, the organization will renovate its six-field complex and reduce the player participation fees. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of two of the fields. This project is expected to serve approximately 375 players.
Slidell High School - Slidell, LA
Founded in 1909, Slidell High School is the oldest high school in Slidell, Louisiana. The school sustained significant wind damage during Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed the dugouts, batting cages and benches at the baseball field. Funding originally raised to install lighting was used to replace the damaged items. The school plans to install field lighting to mark its 100 year anniversary. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field lighting equipment. This project will benefit approximately 225 players. slidellhigh.stpsb.org
St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners - Fort Pierce, FL
The St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners oversees the St. Lucie County Parks and Recreation Department, which provides recreational programs to residents in Fort Pierce, Florida. The Parks and Recreation Department will reconstruct two youth baseball fields at the Martin Luther King, Jr. - Dreamland Park to support the local Little League program and to create an instructional program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the fields. Approximately 450 children will benefit from this project. www.co.st-lucie.fl.us
Town of Rutherfordton - Rutherfordton, NC
The Town of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, supports several youth baseball and softball programs in the community, including Rutherfordton Little League, the Carolina Rally Katz fast-pitch softball program and the Rutherford County Firedogs travel baseball team. These programs utilize one senior league field and three youth fields at Crestview Park. Due to safety concerns related to the existing wooden light poles and inadequate electrical wiring, the town will replace field lighting at the four fields. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field lighting. This project will serve nearly 600 children. www.rutherfordton.net
Village of Morristown - Morristown, OH
As a result of a considerable donation of land from a private citizen and funding from the United States Department of Interior and Ohio Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Village of Morristown, Ohio will construct its first community park. This park will feature four youth baseball fields and one regulation field. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the four youth fields, which will serve approximately 370 children.
Warren County Foundation - Maineville, OH
Founded in 1997, the Warren County Foundation, located in Lebanon, Ohio, manages and administers various charitable funds and distributes income from these funds to community organizations and scholarship programs. The foundation applied for the grant on behalf of the Kevin C. Barnhill Memorial Community Outreach Fund, which was established by the family of Kevin Barnhill, a Warren County resident and Cincinnati Reds front office employee who was killed in August 2006. The fund will construct the Kevin C. Barnhill Championship Field at Testerman Park in Maineville. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction. Approximately 1,500 children are expected to benefit from this project. www.warrencountyfoundation.org
Washoe County School District (McQueen High School) - Reno, NV
The Robert McQueen High School Baseball Booster Club in Reno, Nevada developed the Building a Lancer Legacy (BALL) Project to ensure that all youth who want to play baseball have the opportunity. The BALL Project addresses two problems facing the youth in the community: 1) the lack of baseball facilities and 2) the use of performance-enhancing drugs by Nevada youth. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the high school baseball field and for the creation and installation of signage at the field promoting drug abuse prevention, which will be developed by the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) at the University of Nevada-Reno. This project will benefit 130 players. www.mcqueenbaseball.com
W.P. Davidson PTSA - Mobile, AL
W.P. Davidson PTSA is the parent-teacher student association for Davidson High School in Mobile, Alabama. To promote participation in youth baseball and softball at the high school and middle school level, the PTSA will construct an indoor baseball/softball practice facility on the high school's campus. This facility will serve high school, middle school and summer teams. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the facility, which is expected to serve approximately 133 children.
A. A. Comeaux Youth, Inc, located in Abbeville, Louisiana, has provided baseball and softball programs to children in Vermilion Parish since 1954. The baseball and softball leagues utilize fields located at A. A. Comeaux Park. The organization will refurbish their flagship field, Roy Theriot Field, which sustained damage during Hurricane Rita in 2005. The project will serve approximately 175 to 200 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to renovate the baseball field. www.aacomeauxyouth.com
Baseball Incorporated - Jackson, KY
Baseball, Incorporated, located in Jackson, Kentucky, was created to promote the values of integrity, sacrifice, commitment and teamwork through youth baseball. Currently, Baseball, Incorporated collaborates with Lee County Youth Sports and the local school district to organize youth baseball in the community. The organization plans to establish two Babe Ruth leagues, offering summer and fall baseball programs; however, the lack of field space presents a major obstacle. In 2002, the organization began a three-phase plan to construct a regulation baseball field, Delver Field in Happy Top Park located in Beattyville. The project is now in its second phase. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field lighting, fence cap, compound mix and tarps for home plate and the pitchers mound. This project will serve approximately 125 children. www.delverfield.com
Burlington Department of Parks & Recreation Field of Dreams Project - Burlington, VT
The Burlington Department of Parks & Recreation Field of Dreams Committee is comprised of community members that have shown success in building Burlington, Vermont's Little League into a successful program. Due to a lack of suitable facilities, there is a significant drop-off in participation between Little League and Babe Ruth. To address this problem, the Field of Dreams Committee will refurbish a regulation-size field in Calahan Park. This project will serve approximately 100 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field refurbishment and field equipment.
Burlington United Methodist Family Services - Burlington, WV
Located in Burlington, West Virginia, Burlington United Methodist Family Services, Inc. (BUMFS) has provided social services to children and families in West Virginia and Maryland since 1913. The organization, which began as an orphanage, provides residential group homes, treatment facilities and specialized foster care. Last year, over 1,300 children and families were served. To accommodate these children, as well as other children in the Burlington area, BUMFS will construct a baseball field at Burlington Children's Home, its residential children's campus. In total, approximately 100 children will benefit from the project. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund will fund the construction of the field. www.bumfs.org
City of Hammond - Hammond, LA
The City of Hammond, located one hour north of New Orleans, experienced a 23 percent increase in population as a result of Hurricane Katrina. In order to serve its growing population, the city has begun to improve its three existing youth baseball fields in Zemurray Park, the area's largest park. Approximately 630 will benefit from this project. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field renovations to accommodate the continued growth in baseball participation. www.hammond.org
City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts - Pittsfield, MA
The City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts first offered youth softball in 1965, making it one of the first municipalities in the state to establish a city-sponsored girls' softball team. In 1997, the city constructed the Doyle Softball Complex. Due to the growth of the program, the City will add field lights to one of the softball fields, allowing the complex to accommodate the entire girls' softball program. Approximately 450 girls in the community will benefit from this project. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funds for the field lighting. www.pittsfield.com
City of Socorro - Socorro, TX
In 1989, the City of Socorro, Texas created the Socorro Youth League to provide youth the opportunity to participate in sports programs. Due to the lack of quality facilities, the league has suffered a decline in participation by community youth, despite a significant growth in Socorro's population. In order to reverse this trend, the league will renovate three youth baseball fields located in Rio Vista Park. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant was awarded to provide funding for basic renovations to these fields, including sod, fencing and dugouts. This project will serve 400 children. www.socorrotexas.org
Del Corazon de Jesucristo - El Catey, Dominican Republic
Del Corazon de Jesucristo is a non-profit organization in the Dominican Republic founded by an American doctor, Steve Dorsey, in 2001. Dr. Dorsey and his wife moved to the country and now provide medical and educational services to the community of El Catey in the northeast region of the Dominican Republic. The organization has built and operates a medical clinic and small school in the community and will now construct a youth baseball field and organize a new youth baseball league in 2008. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of a youth baseball field, including excavation, grading, fencing, sod, dugouts and irrigation. www.delcorazon.org
Elm City Parks Conservancy - New Haven, CT
The Elm City Parks Conservancy (ECPC) is a parks advocacy organization with a mission to strengthen public awareness of and participation in the parks of New Haven, Connecticut. The ECPC applied for a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant on behalf of the Annex Little League, which has served the youth of New Haven and East Haven since 1951. The Annex Little League will install lights on both of the little league fields in order to accommodate the expansion of the program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field lighting on both little league fields. This project will serve 750 children. www.cityofnewhaven.com/parks/ecpc.asp
Elmwood Little League - Providence, RI
Elmwood Little League, the largest Little League in Providence, Rhode Island, has served the community for 56 years, providing youth baseball and softball programs. Currently, the league utilizes three fields located at J.T. Owens Athletic Complex. Without field lighting, the league must cancel games due to darkness and cannot accommodate many of the children that would like to participate. To ease the high field demand, the league would like to install lighting on the Major League field. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to purchase field lighting for the Major League field. As a result of this grant, the league will be able to add four new teams immediately. Approximately 631 children will benefit from this project.
Grafton Parks and Recreation - Grafton, ND
As Grafton, North Dakota celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2007, its Parks and Recreation Department continues to provide sports facilities and programs to the citizens of the community. The department maintains four youth baseball fields and one regulation baseball field. To better serve the number of existing teams in the area, the department plans to transform Chandler Field, named after A.B. "Happy" Chandler, into a regulation field and youth field with a shared outfield to accommodate several age groups. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the field, including the reconstruction of the field, dugouts, scoreboard and bleachers. This project will benefit approximately 120 children, ages 5-16. www.graftonparks.com
Guadalupe Youth League - San Bernadino, CA
Guadalupe Youth League has been in existence for more than 40 years, serving the youth of San Bernardino and the surrounding communities. In order to add a PONY Palomino Division of 17-18 year olds, the league will renovate a baseball field in Nunez Park. The field will serve approximately 400 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field renovation.
Hampton City Schools - Hampton, VA
Hampton City Schools is an urban school district, operating 36 schools in Hampton, Virginia. Hampton High School is the only high school in the district that does not practice, play or compete on its own girls' softball field; therefore, the school district will construct a softball field to be used by the high school softball teams as well as the City of Hampton Parks and Recreation Department softball leagues. In total, approximately 200 girls will benefit from this project. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding for the construction of the field. www.sbo.hampton.k12.va.us
Hollywood Little League - Portland, OR
Hollywood Little League, located in Portland, Oregon, offers softball and baseball to 5-14 year olds in the northeast section of the city, a dense urban environment. The league currently uses fields located on the property of local public schools. To address the need for a quality field, the league will renovate an existing youth field located at Fernwood Middle School. This project is expected to serve 550 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will help fund the renovation of the field.
Huntington Little League #3 - Huntington, WV
Huntington Little League #3 is one of the oldest Little Leagues in Huntington, West Virginia, offering t-ball through Little League. Due to school consolidation, the existing Cammack Middle School and Elementary School building in south Huntington will be expanded in the summer 2007. The expansion will be built on the current Little League fields used by the league. In order to continue operation of the program, the league plans to build two fields at another location. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase and installation of field lighting on the two new fields. This project will serve 400 children.
Imlay City Community Schools - Imlay City, MI
Imlay City Community Schools has been in existence since the 1800's, serving small, rural communities in Lapeer County, Michigan. To provide regulation baseball and softball fields for the school teams and summer leagues, the school will construct a baseball and a softball as a part of a larger sports complex. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to complete the construction of the baseball and softball fields including dugouts, fencing and field work. This project will serve 600 children. www.imlay.k12.mi.us
Lindos Suenos Program - Santo Domingo, DR
The Lindos Sueños Program began as a program in which 12, 15 and 16-year-olds from Boston and Washington, DC of various socio-economic backgrounds travel to the Dominican Republic for one week in the summer to meet, play baseball and engage in a community service project with 12 Dominican youth. For its 2007 community service project, the program will construct a youth baseball field in the city of Haina to serve five existing leagues in the the community. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of a youth baseball field including a drainage system, grass, infield dirt and fencing. This project will serve 375 children.
Manna Project International - Weatogue, CT
Manna Project International (MPI) was created in 2004 by a group of Vanderbilt graduates to serve communities in need. The MPI Sports Program in Managua, Nicaragua currently includes two boys' soccer teams, a girls' soccer team and a boys' baseball team, all coached by MPI volunteers. To support the development of the boys' baseball league, MPI will renovate Chiquilistagua Baseball Stadium. Approximately 150 boys and girls are expected to benefit from this project. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the completion of the field renovation. www.mannaproject.org
Marmaduke Public School - Marmaduke, AR
In April 2006, a tornado devastated the community of Marmaduke, Arkansas, damaging the high school building, as well as the baseball and softball fields. After the tornado, the school's baseball and softball teams were not able to play any home games and were forced to practice in any open space available. In response, the Marmaduke School District will reconstruct the baseball and softball fields. The fields, which will also be utilized by the local Little League teams, will serve 250 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the reconstruction of the baseball and softball fields. www.marmaduke.nesc.k12.ar.us
Merrimack Valley YMCA - Lawrence, MA
The Merrimack Valley YMCA is a community-based organization, serving the communities of Lawrence, North Andover, Andover, Methuen and Southern New Hampshire for the past 126 years. Ten years ago, the Lawrence branch (Lawrence YMCA) created a baseball program in response to a need for more physical education programs. Lawrence YMCA is committed to encouraging underserved, at-risk youth to participate in its various comprehensive sports programs. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for equipment, including baseballs, helmets, batting tees, cleats and gloves, to support the growth of the Lawrence YMCA baseball program. This project will serve 100 children. www.mvymca.org
Mountain View Little League - Boise, ID
Mountain View Little League provides youth baseball in the cities of Boise and Meridian, Idaho. In 2004, a developer purchased the property on which the league's four fields are located. This purchase will result in the loss of the fields in 2009. Through a partnership with the Lake Hazel Middle School, the league will renovate five fields located at the school which are currently unplayable. When completed, the fields will be used by approximately 600 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of four fields. www.mountainviewll.com
Mt. Airy Baseball - Philadelphia, PA
Mt. Airy Baseball has provided quality programs to boys and girls living in the Mt. Airy and Germantown neighborhoods of Philadelphia for more than 20 years. In addition to a summer league, the organization provides indoor winter clinics to all interested children. The organization plans to renovate an abandoned baseball field at Pleasant Playground to expand its capacity to serve additional children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the infield, pitcher's mound and fencing. This project will serve 600 children. www.mtairy.org/mtairybaseball
Mt. Sterling/Montgomery County Parks & Recreation Commission - Mt. Sterling, KY
The Mt. Sterling/Montgomery County Parks & Recreation Commission provides recreational programs, leisure activities and facilities to communities in Montgomery County, Kentucky. To address a large growth in population, the commission will construct a fourth youth field, to be utilized for both baseball and softball, in Easy Walker Park. The new field is expected to serve over 750 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funds for the construction of the field. www.mtsterlingparks.com
Nicholas County Board of Education - Carlisle, KY
The Nicholas County Board of Education, located in Carlisle, Kentucky, began offering high school softball in the 1980's. Due to increasing interest in the community, softball was offered at the middle school level in 2005. The Nicholas County Middle and High School Softball field was constructed in the 1970's. Since then, little work has been done to repair the field's backstop and fencing which has resulted in safety concerns. In conjunction with the Nicholas County Softball Boosters, the Board of Education plans to replace the backstop and fencing. The field will be utilized by high school, middle school and the local Ponytail softball league. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the backstop and fencing. Approximately 130 girls will benefit from this project. www.nicholas.k12.ky.us
Noble Network of Charter Schools - Chicago, IL
The Noble Network of Charter Schools, located in Chicago, Illinois, was founded in 2005. The five schools in the network are open to any student living in Chicago. With baseball and softball teams already established at three of the schools, the Network will add teams at Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy and Golder College Prep, serving approximately sixty students the first year. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used for purchase equipment and uniforms for the new baseball and softball programs. www.noblenetwork.org
Oxford Parks & Recreation Department - Oxford, NC
The Oxford Parks & Recreation Department serves Granville County, North Carolina. To encourage participation in youth sports by under-served populations, the City of Oxford will construct its first multi-field facility, which will include four youth baseball/softball fields. These fields will accommodate over 1,300 youth. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the four fields, including field lighting. www.oxfordparksandrecreation.com
Ozark Area Youth Organization - Ozark, AR
The Ozark Area Youth Organization (OAYO), located in Ozark, Arkansas, is the only non-profit agency in Franklin County that provides recreational activities for the community's youth. OAYO programs include baseball, swimming, football, cheerleading, basketball, soccer and a literacy program. Since its inception in 1992, the organization's participation has tripled to more than 700 children; however, participation in the baseball program has recently experienced a decline. The organization plans to construct a regulation baseball field for the 13-18 age group in order to grow the program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for team uniforms and field construction, including fencing, benches, bleachers, foul poles, field lighting and a scoreboard. This project will serve 75 children.
Renwick Education Foundation - Andale, KS
Renwick School District serves communities located west of Wichita, Kansas. The school district will construct a four-field baseball and softball complex to address the need for regulation baseball and softball fields in this fast growing community. The new fields will be used by the Andale High School teams and summer league teams from throughout the area. In total, almost 200 children are expected to benefit from this project. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the varsity baseball and softball fields. www.usd267.com
Round Lake Area Park District - Round Lake, IL
The Round Lake Area Park District, located in the Village of Round Lake, Illinois, has provided area communities with recreational programs since 1974. Currently, the Round Lake Area Park District will develop a $1.5 million, 14.25 acre outdoor sports complex, which will include an adult softball field, a football/soccer field, a t-ball field and walking trails. The first phase of the project is the construction of the t-ball field. As a result of this project, participation in t-ball is expected to grow by 50 percent, from 100 to 150 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the t-ball field. www.rlapd.org
Tallapoosa County Board of Education - Jackson's Gap, AL
The Tallapoosa County Board of Education, the City of Dadeville, Alabama, the Tallapoosa County Commission and the Dadeville High School Diamond Club will construct a baseball field and softball field to be used by the children in the county schools and city parks and recreation programs. The fields will be located in McKelvey Park, which is adjacent to Councill Middle School. Baseball and softball are currently played at the middle high, high school and recreational levels; however, the existing fields cannot accommodate the continued growth in participation. As a result of this project, participation in baseball and softball is expected to grow by 200 children, to 560 participants. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of the fields, including fencing, sod, irrigation and field lights. www.dadeville.com
Think Detroit/P.A.L. - Detroit, MI
Think Detroit PAL (TDP) provides athletic and educational programs for Detroit youth, ages 4 to 19. The Detroit Youth Baseball League, which is operated by Think Detroit PAL and co-sponsored by Orchards Children's Services, provides baseball and softball programs to 1,500 children in the city. In order to serve the league's older participants, TDP is partnering with Wayne State University (WSU) to reconstruct the dugouts at its baseball field. TDP will use the field at no-charge for its Connie Mack, Mickey Mantle and RBI travel teams during the summer months. Approximately 160 children will benefit from this project. Baseball Tomorrow Fund will help fund the construction of new dugouts. www.thinkdetroitpal.org
Town of Olla - Olla, LA
In 2004, the Town of Olla, Louisiana was devastated by a tornado which destroyed the local high school and 167 homes. As a part of the rebuilding the community, the Town of Olla Sports Complex will be constructed to serve as a regional facility for the citizens of Olla, Urania and Tullos. When completed, the complex will include three youth baseball fields, one regulation baseball field, a walking trail, playground and a skateboard park. The baseball fields will serve approximately 325 children. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding for the construction of the two youth fields.
Village of Rhineland - Rhineland, MO
The Village of Rhineland, Missouri is working in conjunction with the Hermann Little League to renovate the Rhineland baseball field. The Hermann Little League provides youth baseball and softball to children living in Gasconade County, Missouri. The field requires renovation to better serve the growing number of teams in the league. Approximately 800 children will benefit from the field renovation. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the field.
Village of Spring Valley - Spring Valley, NY
The Village of Spring Valley, New York Parks & Recreation Department provides safe, fun, healthy and life-enhancing activities to all young people. The Village of Spring Valley has not offered youth baseball or softball programs in the last 20 years. In order to create a new instructional softball league for boys and girls in the community, the Village will to renovate its only softball field, located in Memorial Park, which is currently not playable due to safety concerns. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the field renovation, including grading, topsoil, seeding, drainage, backstops and fencing. This project will serve 55 children. www.villagespringvalley.org
White Earth Reservation Tribal Council - Naytahwaush, MN
The White Earth Reservation Tribal Council governs the White Earth Reservation in northwestern Minnesota. The Tribal Council is responsible for carrying out all planning, policies, programs and legal aspects for the reservation. As a part of its drug and alcohol prevention program, the Tribal Council established the White Earth Youth Recreation Program, which provides youth sports programs in five tribal villages. The White Earth Recreation Center currently offers basketball, softball and volleyball; however, it plans to expand and better organize its softball/baseball program and improve facilities in the villages. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding for the construction of the first softball field in the village of Rice Lake. This project will help the program more than double its participation to 55 children. www.whiteearth.com
The Amelia Little League has baseball programs for players ages 5-18 and softball for girls ages 5-16. The league's baseball facility sustained major damage during Hurricane Rita in September 2005. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the replacement of field lighting and the storage shed. The project will serve approximately 388 children in the southwest section of Beaumont. www.eteamz.active.com/ameliallb/index.cfm
Boston Area Church League, Inc. - Boston, MA
Founded in 2002, the Boston Area Church League (BACL) provides mentorship to at-risk youth in the Boston area through athletics, education, heath and nutrition, life enrichment and the arts. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide equipment for the organization's youth baseball league, which is expected to serve 600 children.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh, PA
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for youth, joined the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Roberto Clemente Foundation to ensure the long-term sustainability of the local RBI program and expand the program to new neighborhoods. To provide year-round programming, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania will renovate an indoor swimming pool at the Shadyside/East Liberty Branch into an indoor baseball training complex. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of the indoor facility including replacement doors, flooring, painting and electrical repairs. This project is expected to serve 540 children in the RBI program. In addition, the facility will be used by members of the City of Pittsburgh CitiParks Big League Program and the Shadyside/East Liberty Boys & Girls Club. www.bgcwpa.org
Central Lafourche High School - Raceland, LA
Central Lafourche High School is located in Raceland, Louisiana, a rural community. The school serves several communities located near New Orleans. Elmo Broussard Field, the school's only baseball field, suffered substantial damage during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to replace the field lighting and will serve 88 kids from teams from surrounding schools and summer leagues.
City of Belton - Belton, TX
The City of Belton's Chisholm Trail Park is the newest community park in the city. The park currently features two lighted youth softball fields. The City will construct an additional softball field to be used by the Belton Youth Softball Association's girls' 12 and under program and special needs program. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for fencing, a backstop, dugouts, sod and topsoil. This project will serve approximately 390 girls. www.ci.belton.tx.us
City of Phoenix Parks & Recreation Department - Phoenix, AZ
The City of Phoenix Parks & Recreation Department, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation formed a partnership to construct a four-field complex, including two fields designed for children with disabilities and two youth baseball fields. The complex will be located in the Reach 11 Recreation Center, which is located in the northeast section of Phoenix. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the rubberized turf for one field designed for children with disabilities. More than 400 disabled youth in Phoenix participating in 12 organized youth baseball teams will benefit from this project. www.phoenix.gov
City of Wayland - Alexandria, MO
The City of Wayland is a fast-growing, rural community in which youth service agencies are not available. Recently, the city lost its only athletic field due to the construction of an interstate highway. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of a new baseball field which will be used by the Wayland Youth Baseball Association which serves 125 kids.
Clay County High School - Clay, WV
Clay County High School, located in rural West Virginia, has a student population 625. Clay County has one park that serves communities within a 50-mile radius. The park, which is owned by Clay County Parks and Recreation, has one regulation baseball field that is used by the American Legion and high school teams. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant was awarded for the installation of a drainage system and lights to the baseball field, which will allow for a fall program to be established. This project is expected to increase participation by 100 percent, to 400 players. www.claycountyschools.org/68.html
Fort Towson Public Schools - Fort Towson, OK
The Fort Towson Public School District is located in rural, southeast Oklahoma, in the territory of the Choctaw Nation Indian Tribe. In 2001, the school district began work on a baseball/softball complex that now includes two softball fields and one baseball field. Before this project, the baseball and softball programs used a cow pasture next to the school. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to install lighting on the baseball field, which is the final component in completing the complex. This complex will serve 222 kids.
Franklinton High School - Franklinton, LA
Franklinton High School, located in Franklinton, Louisiana, is the largest school in the Washington Parish School System. Prior to 2007, the high school baseball and softball teams utilize fields located approximately five miles from the school, which sustained major damage due to Hurricane Katrina. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of two new fields on the school property, including the installation of fencing and backstops and the construction the infields. Though used primarily by the 90 high school baseball and softball players, the fields will be available to approximately 1,200 children participating in youth baseball and softball programs throughout Washington Parish.
Hattiesburg Dixie Youth Baseball - Hattiesburg, MS
Founded in 1953, Hattiesburg Dixie Youth Baseball (HDYB), the largest and most long-standing youth sports program in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, provides fall and spring baseball programs to over 500 children annually. Due to growth in participation and various safety concerns, the organization will relocate their fields, building five new fields in Tatum Park, a city-owned recreational complex. Some families participating in the league are still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the area. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for baseline and outfield fencing for all five Tatum Park baseball fields. This project is expected to help HDYB serve 700 children.
Hull-York Lakeland Resource Conservation and Development Council - Jamestown, TN
The Hull-York Lakeland Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council is a partnership between the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Services and local volunteers intended to improve the quality of life and conserve natural resources in Fentress County, located in the heart of Appalachia. The council's past projects include community parks, farmers' markets and outdoor classrooms. The organization is now spearheading fundraising efforts to construct a regulation size baseball field at York Institute, one of two high schools in Fentress County. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding for the construction of the field including excavation, grading, sod, irrigation, a backstop and fencing. This project will serve approximately 350-400 children, ages 5-18. www.hylrcd.org/
Inner City Sports Little League - Brooklyn, NY
Since its inception in 2003, the Inner City Sports Little League, a year-round youth development program located in Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, has grown to serve over 700 children annually. To help children overcome the challenges of urban life, the league requires that all children participating in baseball and softball programs also enroll in off-field educational activities to help build skills and confidence. Currently, the league offers several levels of baseball from Tee-Ball to Majors, and will add a girls' softball program in 2007. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for equipment and uniforms, helping the league expand participation to 975 children.
Liberty Technology Magnet High School - Jackson, TN
Liberty Technology Magnet High School opened in 2003 to provide a strong academic focus with an enhanced curriculum in six technology academies. The school serves grades 9-12 for 1,078 students living throughout the county. The school's baseball and softball booster club is installing field lights on the baseball and softball fields located at the school to support the growth of summer leagues and camps. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field lighting fixtures and equipment rental for the installation of the lights. This project will serve approximately 200-275 children. www.jmcss.net/liberty/liberty/
Mountaineer Little League - Waynesville, NC
The Mountaineer Little League is one of the oldest youth baseball organizations in Western North Carolina and one of the first integrated leagues in the state. The league is spearheading a community-wide effort to construct a 5,500 sq. ft. indoor baseball facility, named the David Sherrill Diamond Skills Center, as a memorial to a local high school baseball player who was killed in a car accident in March 2006. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to purchase equipment for the facility, including the batting cages, portable pitching mounds, pitching machines, artificial turf and protection screens. The facility will serve 560 kids participating in baseball and softball teams.
North Riverdale Baseball/Softball, Inc. - Dayton, OH
North Riverdale Baseball/Softball, Inc. (NRBS) provides youth baseball and softball at five fields at Fenner Field in Harrison Township, serving children from the City of Dayton. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to purchase equipment and provide scholarships to low-income players to enter the league.
Phenix Dixie Youth, Inc. - Phenix, VA
Phenix Dixie Youth, Inc. was created by concerned citizens in 2000 to plan and construct two youth baseball fields. The fields will be used by the Phenix Dixie Youth teams and the J. Murray Jeffress Elementary School students. This project is a collaboration of Phenix Dixie Youth, Inc., Jeffress Elementary School and the Old Dominion Resource Conservation and Development Council. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to complete the construction of the fields including fencing, field lighting installation and field equipment such as bases, pitcher's plate and field maintenance equipment. This project will serve 250 children from Phenix, Virginia and Charlotte County.
School District of Philadelphia - Philadelphia, PA
The School District of Philadelphia serves more than 210,000 K-12 students. Since the 1950s, the school district has provided boys' and girls' softball in the middle schools; however, baseball has not been offered. The school district plans to promote baseball in the 10-16 age group by offering baseball in the middle schools, providing skills clinics and training for coaches and physical education teachers. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant was offered to renovate the baseball field at Washington High School and purchase equipment for the boys' middle school baseball program which will serve 1,050 kids.
Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America - Bakersfield, CA
Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America serves 8,500 youth and adults in the San Joaquin Valley and Mojave Desert region. The organization offers a summer baseball program to Cub Scouts, ages 7-11. The program emphasizes skill development and teamwork. The organization plans to expand the availability of the program to rural and low-income neighborhoods through its Scoutreach program, an outreach Scouting program offered in rural and low-income urban areas. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and the provision of scholarships to low-income players. This project is expected to serve 450 children. www.sscbsa.org/
West Allis-West Milwaukee School District - West Allis, WI
The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District consists of two high schools, two middle schools, 12 elementary schools and one alternative school and serves 8,800 students. Through its Recreation Department, the school district offers baseball and softball leagues for grades 3-8 and high school baseball and softball teams. The School District plans to renovate the West Allis Athletic Complex, which houses four baseball/softball fields, soccer and football fields. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant was awarded to provide funding for the renovation of the baseball and softball fields, including player benches, fencing, dugout and infield renovations. http://www.wawm.k12.wi.us/recreation/
The Bayonne Little League provides the only Little League program in Bayonne, New Jersey. The league will rebuild its Minor League Stadium and upgrade its Major League Field for improved safety. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to purchase and install lighting and a backstop at the Major League field. More than 600 children, ages 6-18, will benefit from this project. This marks the first Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant awarded in New Jersey. www.eteamz.active.com/bayonnelittleleague/
The Bound Brook Recreation Commission provides youth sports and recreation including baseball, softball basketball, soccer and wrestling. The organization provides facilities for the local Little League and school district. After a major flood in 1999, a result of tropical storm Floyd, the town had to relocate its two youth baseball fields to accommodate the construction of a levee. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund Grant will help serve approximately 200 children.
Boys & Girls Clubs in Orange County - Santa Ana, CA
The Boys & Girls Clubs in Orange County is an alliance of 16 Boys and Girls Club branches in Orange County, CA. The alliance has provided the Gene Autry RBI League, established in 1999, to eight branches. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms to support the growth of the program to five additional branches, serving 200 new players in 2005.
Boys & Girls Club of Vista - Vista, CA
The Boys & Girls Club of Vista, California is in the process of renovating an unused field into a baseball field in the low-income area of Townsite. The Boys & Girls Club of Vista plans to start a Rookie League and PONY League program. The field will also be used for the local Little League and youth baseball tournaments. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for field lights and dugouts. The field project has been designated as a Little Padres Park, the field renovation program of the San Diego Padres. Approximately 500 children will benefit from the field on a regular basis and an additional 200 children will participate in tournaments at the field. www.bgcvista.com
Brandywine Little League - Wilmington, DE
The Brandywine Little League serves the northern suburb of Wilmington, Delaware. The league will construct a complex of four fields: one Senior size field, two Major size fields and one t-ball/Challenger League field. Upon completion of the complex, the league will also establish a new Challenger League. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the completion of the complex, including fencing, backstops, gates, sod and batting cages. The league serves 660 players, ages 5-16. The Challenger League will attract children from Delaware and Pennsylvania. This marks the first Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant awarded in Delaware. www.angelfire.com/mb/brandywinell/
City of Dayton - Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture - Dayton, OH
The City of Dayton (OH) Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture offers two softball programs: the Summer Fun Youth Softball Program and the Girls' Fastpitch Softball League. Serving children ages 5-12, the Summer Fun program is a recreational program and collaboration with the Dayton Board of Education and the Dayton Amateur Softball Association. The fastpitch softball league is a competitive program for girls, ages 12-18, graduating from the Summer Fun program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for dugout fencing at four fields and supplemental equipment to support the growth of both softball programs.
City of Gretna - Gretna, LA
The Gretna Recreation Instructional Department provides free youth baseball programs in Gretna, Louisiana. Located 10 minutes from downtown New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River, the city maintains Mel Ott Park, which serves as the location for the youth baseball program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to purchase equipment to support the expansion of the program. This project will benefit over 250 children, ages 5-16. www.gretnala.com
City of Lakewood - Lakewood, WA
The City of Lakewood is located near Tacoma, Washington and is home to two military bases: McChord (Air Force) and Fort Lewis (Army). A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to establish youth baseball and softball leagues through the purchase of start-up equipment and scholarships for low-income children. This project will serve over 600 kids, ages 5-13. www.cityoflakewood.us
City of Norfolk - Norfolk, VA
The City of Norfolk (VA) Department of Neighborhood and Leisure Services operates one of the oldest RBI Leagues in the country. To support the growth of the league expected from the new baseball and softball programs now offered in the public middle schools, a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the renovation of a softball field at Barraud Park into a youth baseball/softball field for use by the RBI program. Approximately 200 children are expected participate in the league upon completion of the project. This project will allow the program to include 9- to 15-year-olds, including 100 additional players from the eight local middle schools. www.norfolk.gov
Coalition for Kids, Inc. - Johnson City, TN
Coalition for Kids, Inc. is a non-profit organization which operates "The Rock," a community center for at-risk children in East Johnson City. The organization provides after-school activities and tutoring. Coalition for Kids, Inc. wants to establish an organized youth baseball program for the children of the community and is in the process of constructing a youth baseball field at the community center. The field will be named "Mooneyhan Field." The BTF grant will help complete the field. Grant funds will be used for a backstop, fencing and protective netting. This project is expected to serve 200 children. At this time, youth baseball is not offered.
Columbus Braves Baseball - Columbus, OH
Since 1995, the Columbus Braves Baseball organization works to reconnect inner-city youth ages 17 to 19 with competitive baseball in Central Ohio. Currently serving 100 children annually, Columbus Braves Baseball will expand to serve ages 10 to 16 for both boys and girls' baseball and softball. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for equipment and uniforms to support the expansion of the program by 100 new players. The program will provide baseball at the community centers that currently do not offer an organized program and will be free-of-charge to participants. http://eteamz.com/columbusbraves.com
Cranberry Girls Softball Association - Oil City, PA
The Cranberry Girls Softball Association operates 18 teams in ASA softball, serving the townships of Cranberry, Rockland and Pinegrove, Pennsylvania. In response to the loss of two fields due to school consolidation, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund awarded a grant to provide funding for the construction of a softball field near Cranberry High School. Over 200 players, ages 5-18, will benefit from this project. In addition, the high school varsity and junior varsity teams will use the field. Baseball and softball are the only recreational sports offered in the community.
DC Sports & Entertainment Commission - Washington, DC
To mark the return of Major League Baseball to the nation's capital in 2005, a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant was awarded for the renovation of the baseball fields at Fort Greble Recreation Center in Ward 8 of Washington, DC. The complex will be home to Ballou High School's baseball program. In addition, approximately 12,500 children who live in Ward 8, a predominantly African-American community, will have easy access to the park.
District 30 Little League Baseball, Inc. - Santa Ana, CA
District 30 Little League Baseball, Inc. in California oversees 16 Little League programs in Orange County, which serves 7,500 players on 500 teams. One such league is the Valley Little League baseball program that serves a predominantly Hispanic community in Santa Ana, California. Valley Little League will expand their existing program as a result of a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant. A grant provided funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms to increase opportunities to underprivileged children. This project will benefit nearly 300 youth, ages 6-16. http://eteamz.active.com/cadist30/locations/
Dunmore Little League - Dunmore, PA
The Dunmore Little League is a volunteer organization that provides t-ball and Little League baseball. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the installation of Musco Lighting on one youth field to maximize the use of the fields and accommodate the growing number of participants. This project will benefit over 400 children, ages 5-12.
Giltner Lion's Club Recreation Association - Giltner, NE
In the rural town of Giltner, Nebraska, the Giltner Lion's Club Recreation Association was formed to assist the local summer baseball and softball programs. The association helps with player and coach recruitment, registration, scheduling of games and umpires, while providing insurance, uniforms and equipment for the programs. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the installation of fencing to enclose both fields. This project will allow the development of a new Junior-Senior Legion League, which will attract an additional 150 boys. Each summer approximately 1,600 children, ages 5-18, from Giltner and the surrounding communities use the fields.
Girls Incorporated of Monroe County - Bloomington, IN
Girls, Inc. of Monroe County is a youth service agency that has provided programming to 500 girls in Bloomington for 30 years. The organization has a central facility at which after-school and summer programming takes place. The facility includes a gymnasium. The organization has provided softball for 18 years. Its goal for 2006 is to increase and diversify participation in softball by improving its outreach to low-income and minority families. The BTF grant will supply uniforms and help increase participation by providing scholarships to low-income children in the community.
Greater New York Councils, Boy Scouts of America - New York, NY
The Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America serves New York City's most disadvantaged communities in which 70 percent of the members receive some type of financial assistance to participate in scouting programs. The organization runs the Alpine Scout Camp in Alpine, NJ. Each year, approximately 80,000 boys and girls, ages 6-17, visit this location for summer camps, with approximately 10,000 children playing baseball and softball. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the renovation of the baseball field located at the camp, including excavation, grading, backstop, fencing, infield material and field grooming equipment. This grant will be the first awarded to a Boy Scout organization. www.bsa-gnyc.org
Greensboro Baseball Association, Inc. - Greensboro, AL
The Greensboro Baseball Association (GBA) provides t-ball, softball and baseball programs in Hale County, Alabama. GBA partnered with the Auburn University Rural Studio to provide design and contractor service to renovate the park, including the re-construction of the existing four youth fields. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund challenge grant will provide funding for the renovation of the fields at Lion's Park. Nearly 300 predominately African-American youth, ages 4-12, will benefit.
Greenwood Little League and Softball Association - Midland, TX
The Greenwood Little League and Softball Association recently lost the use of five fields located on school district property due to the expansion of extra-curricular activities at the high school. To replace the lost fields, the Association will construct four Little League fields, a softball field and a PONY League field. The complex has been named the Billy Bryant Baseball Complex. A grant provided funding toward the construction of two youth fields. As a result of this grant, participation is expected to grow to 600 youth, ages 5-14 and benefit a predominantly Hispanic population.
Indiana Little League - Indiana, PA
The Indiana Little League was established in 1954. The organization provides leagues from machine pitch to senior softball with no participation fees. The league utilizes two fields for games, which are also used by the Indiana High School softball teams. The league is currently constructing two additional fields. The BTF grant will be used to install lighting on both of these new fields. This project will serve 460 children. As a result of this project, participation is softball is expected to grow five to 10 percent.
Jenkins County Recreation Department - Millen, GA
Located in rural Georgia, the Jenkins County Recreation Department is working with the Jenkins County School District, Family Enrichment Commission and County Commissioners to develop the Jenkins County Grand Slam Program. This program will expand the access of team sports to children through field renovations, equipment purchases, volunteer recruitment and coaches training. A grant provided funding for the renovation of a baseball field and the purchase of equipment to expand the baseball and softball program. Participation in the program is expected to grow to 400 children.
Kershaw County - Camden, SC
Kershaw County will construct four youth baseball fields in the county's largest municipality, Camden, South Carolina. The fields will be located in a new development which includes adult softball fields, soccer fields and a walking/biking trail. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the construction of four fields for the T-League for the 9-and-under age group. Construction will include fencing, backstops, dugouts, infield mix and seeding. Approximately 700 children will benefit from this project. Upon completion of the ball fields, the complex will be named in memory of Camden native and baseball hero Larry Doby.
Lexington Community Foundation - Lexington, NE
The Lexington Community Foundation is a non-profit organization established to support the betterment of the rural Nebraska community through fundraising. The foundation is spearheading a collaboration with the Lexington Optimist Club, the Lexington Baseball Association and the City of Lexington to construct an indoor batting/practice facility. This facility will enhance the existing baseball/softball complex which includes three youth fields and one regulation baseball field. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase and installation of equipment, including batting cages and pitching machines, in the indoor facility.
Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation - Oskaloosa, IA
A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for infield and warning track material and fencing for the construction of a five-field complex. The fields will serve approximately 1,200 players, ages 5-16. The complex will be constructed in a low income community in Oskaloosa and will serve the Oskaloosa Little League, Mahaska County Little League and 12 travel teams.
Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League, Inc. - Tulsa, OK
The Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League works with the local Boys & Girls Club, YMCA and public schools to provide youth programs. The Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League started the North Tulsa Youth Baseball Association program in 1998 to expose inner-city youth to baseball and softball. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for additional equipment, uniforms and field maintenance items to support the growth of the program to 55 teams, serving approximately 650 children, ages 5-15. The children served by this program do not have access to other organized leagues due to lack of transportation and household income.
Perryton Girls Softball Association - Perryton, TX
The Perryton Girls Softball Association (PGSA) provides leagues for girls between the ages of 8-18. The league utilizes two county-owned fields, which have been renovated within the last five years. The organization has already increased the availability of one field by installing lights. By providing this grant, BTF will be making it possible for them to light the second field, as well. In 2005, 112 girls participated in the league. This number is expected to increase to 300 upon completion of this project.
Ralls Independent School District - Ralls, TX
The Ralls Independent School District (RISD) serves 640 students from 19 communities in West Texas. The school district approved the addition of girl's softball as an extra-curricular activity in the 2004-2005 school year. The school district and the Ralls Junior Athletic Association (RJAA) have partnered to promote girl's softball in the community. A grant provided funding for a new softball field, which will be the first in the community. Upon completion of this project, the field will serve approximately 750 players who participate in the RJAA, West Texas League, high school games and tournaments. www.ralls.k12.tx.us
Richfield Public Schools - Richfield, MN
Richfield Public Schools' Centennial Elementary School in Richfield, Minnesota serves approximately 460 children, ages 5-12. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to renovate the field at Centennial Elementary School, which had not been used for organized baseball or softball in the previous six years. The field will be used by the school as well as the City of Richfield youth baseball and softball program in the summer and fall, which serves approximately 300 players. www.richfield.k12.mn.us
Sebaco Valley Little League - Managua, Nicaragua
The Sebaco Valley Little League provides youth baseball and softball from January-July. The organization is currently attempting to renovate the available fields owned by the municipality. BTF's grant will be used to supply equipment and uniforms to the approximately 300 children, ages 8-16, that participate in the league.
Terrebonne High School - Houma, LA
Terrebonne High School was in the process of renovating its baseball field when the community was devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. By awarding this grant, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund will make it possible for Terrebonne High School to purchase new lighting, bleachers and field maintenance equipment. Over 500 kids in the community use this field.
United Way of Southeast Delaware County - Chester, PA
The United Way of Southeast Delaware County in Chester, Pennsylvania will lead the effort to renovate the Chester School District's main baseball field. The field is one of two available fields for the middle and high schools. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the construction of the dugouts and fencing to complete the field renovation. The field will be used by the Chester High School baseball teams, the Chester American Legion team, the Chester Summer Youth Team. A fall program will also utilize the field. The high school and American Legion players are predominately African-Americans, ages 13 to 18. This grant is the first to a United Way organization. www.uwdelco.org
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund - Washington, DC
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), based in Washington, D.C., seeks to facilitate the development of baseball in Vietnam by constructing a youth baseball field in Dong Ha in the Quang Tri Province. BTF funds will be used facilitate the construction of the field. VVMF expects 100 boys and girls will participate in instructional clinics and 50-75 will participate in the organized league. Five to seven teams are expected to join the league.
The YMCA baseball program began in 1950. The Amarillo Family YMCA serves over 8,000 children in all sports programs and youth activities annually. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the purchase of player and field maintenance equipment to support expansion of the program and facility. This project is expected to expand the youth baseball program by 300 new players and include girls' fast pitch softball. www.amarilloymca.org
Ammonoosuc Valley Babe Ruth Softball Association - Littleton, NH
The Ammonoosuc Valley Babe Ruth Softball Association was established in 2003 as a result of its growth while a part of the Littleton Babe Ruth League. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided additional equipment to facilitate the start-up of the new league. This project will benefit approximately 130 girls, ages 5-16. In addition, the league plans to provide a year-round program including clinics and a fall program.
Assumption Parish Police Jury - Napoleonville, LA
The Assumption Parish Police Jury Office of Housing and Community Development provides social services and administers federal, state and charitable grants and programs. The organization developed a youth baseball program, "Batters Up," to target high-risk children. A grant provided funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms and the renovation of the youth baseball field at Dorseyville Park. This project increased opportunities for approximately 175 children, ages 5-18.
Baseballovy a Softballovy Klub Hluboka nad Vltavou - Czech Republic
Founded in 1994, Baseballovy a Softballovy Klub Hluboka nad Vltavou is a sports club that provides baseball league play to 80 members. Since that time, the organization has constructed a baseball complex, organized five baseball teams and one girls softball team. The club also provides baseball instruction to 450 school children. Due to severe storms in 2002, the baseball complex was flooded and rebuilt by the organization. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to complete field renovations at the baseball complex in Hluboka nad Vltavou, located in the Southern Bohemian region of the Czech Republic.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas City - Kansas City, MO
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas City provides support for the RBI League in Kansas City, MO. The club serves 6,000 members and provides programming support to the Kansas City Park & Recreation Department for all youth sports, including the RBI program. A BTF grant provided funding to renovate four youth ballfields at Cleveland Park, a facility located in central Kansas City. All fields will be lighted and will have skinned infields. Approximately 885 children, ages 5-18, participate in the RBI program and will benefit from the project. www.bgc-gkc.org
City of Avondale Community Recreation Services Department - Avondale, AZ
The City of Avondale designed Friendship Park to meet the increasing needs of sports facilities in the community. The park will feature an adult softball field, two youth baseball fields and 10 multipurpose fields. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund provided funding for the purchase of four portable backstops to allow the city to use the multipurpose fields for youth baseball and softball. For the first time, the city will offer additional field space for the 5- to 9-year-olds T-ball and coaches pitch programs. Approximately 1,500 children, ages 5 to 16, currently participate in youth baseball and softball programs conducted by the city and community leagues. www.avondale.org
City of Coolidge - Coolidge, AZ
The City of Coolidge will develop a 20-acre park which will include two youth baseball fields and two youth softball fields. This new park will replace Regional Park, the only multi-use park in the city, which temporarily has been closed due to environmental contamination. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant supported the construction of the fields. The fields are utilized by the Coolidge Little League and an after-school program, ACTFAST. Approximately 800 children, ages 5-17, will benefit from the new fields. www.coolidgeaz.com
City of Miami Beach - Miami Beach, FL
The City of Miami Beach Parks and Recreation Department provides year-round intramural and travel baseball programs to approximately 200 to 250 children, ages 5 to 17. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund provided funding for the renovation of Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium, coaches' training material and field maintenance equipment for the North Shore Youth Center in the diverse community of North Beach. Youth programs that will benefit from the field renovations include: Boys & Girls Club, Miami Beach Senior High School baseball team, Youth 13 and 14 travel teams, Police Athletic League and the City of Miami Beach youth leagues.
City of Woodburn - Woodburn, OR
The City of Woodburn provides youth baseball facilities for various programs, as well as T-ball and coaches pitch programs. Centennial Park is a 25-acre sports park that will include four youth baseball/softball fields. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for construction of the regulation baseball field at Centennial Park. This project will facilitate the expansion of the baseball and softball programs, benefitting approximately 200 children, ages 6-18. www.ci.woodburn.or.us/parks
Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club, Inc. - Owensboro, KY
The Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club, Inc. offers after-school programming and social activities to disadvantaged youth in Owensboro, KY, serving approximately 2,000 children annually. In collaboration with the Housing Authority of Owensboro and the City of Owensboro, the organization will build a new 25,000-sq. ft. facility to serve as the main branch. The Club will use the BTF grant to construct a baseball field adjacent to the new facility, establishing a new baseball and softball program for kids, ages 10-14. Brad Wilkerson, outfielder for the Montreal Expos, resides in Owensboro and is an alum of the Club. Wilkerson donated $20,000 to the project. In addition to the Club, the following community groups also will utilize the field: City of Owensboro and Daviess County recreational league teams, Housing Authority of Owensboro, H.L. Neblett Community Center, and the Girls, Inc. softball team.
Dixie Little League, Inc. - Houston, TX
Established in 1950, the Dixie Little League provides youth baseball to the Hispanic community of Houston's southeast side. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to fence a youth baseball field, to allow year-round programming for approximately 500 players, ages 5-16. www.eteamz/dixiellb
East Long Beach PONY Baseball - Long Beach, CA
East Long Beach PONY Baseball provides youth baseball in the City of Long Beach. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to renovate three fields used by the league. The renovation included the installation of a grass infield on one field and the installation of irrigation systems on two fields. Approximately 700 children, ages 5 to 15, will benefit from the field improvements. www.elbpony.org
Family Christian Association of America, Inc. - Miami, FL
Founded in 1984, the Family Christian Association of America, Inc. (FCAA) serves disadvantaged children of Liberty City and Little Haiti in Miami-Dade County, Fla. at the Edison Youth Development Center (EYDC). As an effort to expand EYDC's sports activities, a grant was awarded to provide funding for a new baseball program, which includes t-ball, coaches pitch, minor, major and senior level. Approximately 216 children, primarily African-American and Haitian immigrants, will participate in the new baseball program. The baseball program also incorporates educational assistance to the players for Florida's mandatory scholastic exams.
Foundation for Educating a Salvadoran - San Salvador, El Salvador
The Foundation for Educating a Salvadoran (FESA) provides baseball instruction, league play, academic assistance and personal development to more than 500 youth from the municipality of Soyapango, El Salvador, the second most populated municipality in El Salvador. A BTF grant provided funding for renovations at Don Bosco School (K-12) field and the purchase of equipment and uniforms for the continued growth of the program.
High Street Baptist Church - Springfield, MO
The High Street Baptist Church conducts 10th Inning Kids, a community-wide youth baseball program for elementary school children that emphasizes the fundamentals of the game and sportsmanship. The program provides T-ball, coaches pitch, player pitch, and machine pitch, which is not offered in other city leagues. A grant provided funding for the construction of two T-ball fields. Approximately 700 children, ages 5 to 12, are anticipated to benefit from this project.
Johnson County Recreation Department - Wrightsville, GA
The Johnson County Recreation Department provides youth baseball and softball to children, ages 4-18. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for new equipment, field maintenance equipment and dugouts. The grant also provided funding for four sets of bleachers. Approximately 240 children will benefit from this project, in addition to four middle school and high school teams. This project will help to maintain participation in the local program.
King Philip Little League - Bristol, RI
The King Philip Little League provides T-ball and youth baseball at the Veteran's Memorial Park Athletic Complex. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for renovation of two fields at the complex. Renovations included infield and outfield renovations, fencing, scoreboards, dugouts and maintenance equipment. This project will increase field availability for the Major Division players, ages 9-12. www.kpll.org
Little Rock Boys and Girls Club - Little Rock, AR
The Little Rock Boys & Girls Club provides youth baseball and softball to disadvantaged youth. Partnering with the City of Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department, the club will add a RBI program for boys, ages 16-18, as well as girls' softball at two branches. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for renovation of one baseball and one softball field at the Lamar Porter Athletic Fields, and one baseball field at Dalton Whetstone Boys & Girls Club. This project will expand the RBI and softball program by at least 90 children, ages 10-18. The fields also will serve the Little Rock Catholic High School, various high school softball teams and tournaments held by the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department. www.lrbgc.org
Metro Atlanta YMCA - Atlanta, GA
Metro Atlanta YMCA is the nation's sixth largest YMCA. In collaboration with the Atlanta Housing Authority and Atlanta Public Schools, Metro Atlanta YMCA is constructing the Atlanta Braves Baseball Academy at the Villages of Carver Family YMCA. This eight-acre sports complex will include four ball fields, two pavilions, batting cages and a playground. A BTF grant provided funding for the baseball fields. Approximately 500 children, ages 5-13, will participate in the new baseball/t-ball/softball program. The facility will be located in a low-income community, within walking distance of an elementary, middle and high school. The program and facility will serve as a model and main facility for the expansion of youth baseball to three other YMCA branches located in the city of Atlanta. www.ymcaatlanta.org/
New Level Sports - Battle Creek, MI
New Level Sports provides educational, personal and physical development programs to 420 inner-city youth in Battle Creek, Albion and Kalamazoo, Michigan. Partnering with the Battle Creek Public Schools and City of Battle Creek, New Level Sports provides football, cheerleading, golf, track and field, tutoring and life skills development programs. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for equipment and uniforms to start a new baseball program. The organization serves children ages 8-18. This project increased opportunities for 60-90 children.
North Little Rock Parks and Recreation - North Little Rock, AR
The North Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department will implement a new after-school baseball program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for purchase of equipment for the program. This program will provide new opportunities for 90 children, ages 5-15. www.northlittlerock.ar.gov/city-directory/parks-recreation-dept/
Phoenix Project: Community Development Foundation - Fayette, MS
Founded in 1995, the Phoenix Project: Community Development Foundation serves as a community development corporation in Fayette, MS. The organization provides fundraising and development for youth service programs and business development. The Foundation partnered with the Jefferson County Little League to enhance the league's program. A BTF grant provided funding for equipment and uniforms to support the growth of the Jefferson County Little League. Currently the league serves 80 children, 5-14 years old, who reside in rural, economically disadvantaged communities.
Poarch Band of Creek Indians - Atmore, AL
Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribe is the only federally recognized Native American tribe within the state of Alabama. The tribe has 2,264 members. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for batting cages and pitching machines. More than 100 children of Native American descent will benefit from the new baseball equipment. www.poarchcreekindians-NSN.gov
Princeton Youth Baseball and Softball League (Bureau County Cobras) - Princeton, IL
The Bureau County Cobras, based in Princeton, IL provides American Legion baseball to high school players from rural communities in north central Illinois. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided equipment and uniforms to maintain and expand the program to include a Junior American Legion team of 15 and 16-year-olds and Senior American Legion team of 17 and 18-year-olds. The projected participation will increase 50 percent in 2004.
School District Twenty Seven J - Brighton, CO
School District Twenty Seven J will renovate the Central Brighton Baseball Complex located adjacent to the Brighton High School and Vikan Middle School. The complex has four youth fields, one T-ball field, one softball field and three baseball fields. The project is a partnership of the school district, the City of Brighton, and the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided lighting and bleachers for the Duke White Baseball Field that will serve approximately 100 boys, ages 13-18. The complex also will benefit the Brighton Youth Baseball Association, the Brighton Amateur Baseball Association and Brighton Public Schools baseball and softball teams. www.brightonps27j.k12.co.us
St. John the Baptist Recreation Department - LaPlace, LA
Located along the Mississippi River, St. John the Baptist Parish Recreation Department provides baseball and other sports to 300 children annually. A BTF grant provided funding for the construction of four youth baseball fields on the West Bank of the parish, the most economically-depressed area. The fields are part of a larger community recreation complex, which includes football/soccer fields, a playground and a community center. This project will be the first recreation center in the community. This recreation complex will benefit children, ages 6-15. www.sjbparish.com
Storm Lake Foundation - Storm Lake, IA
The Storm Lake Foundation developed a youth softball/baseball complex and soccer complex in 1992. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the renovation of four fields which will be used by the Storm Lake Baseball Association and the Storm Lake Girls Softball Association. The grant also provided funding for the purchase of equipment for the implementation of the National Parks and Recreation Association's Let's Play Sports curriculum at area elementary after-school programs. This project will benefit approximately 400 children, ages 7-12.
Town of Waterford - Waterford, ME
Since 1972, the Town of Waterford, ME has provided a youth baseball program serving both boys and girls. Girls instructional softball has been in existence since 1999. Waterford organized a Sports & Recreation Committee to oversee baseball and softball programs, as well as a Sandlot Committee to renovate a baseball/softball fields. A BTF grant provided funding to complete the renovation of a t-ball practice field into a regulation Little League/softball field. Currently 600 children from Waterford and surrounding communities use the existing field. Children ages 5-12 participate in the program. Twenty percent of the families live below the poverty level due to the high unemployment rate in the area. This project will expand the girls softball program from 10 to 120 participants.
United States Peace Corps
The Peace Corps Partnership Program's Youth Development Initiative provides recreational programs to at-risk children in developing countries. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for equipment and uniforms to develop baseball programs in various communities within eight countries, including: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, Samoa, Bulgaria, Moldova and Turkmenistan. Approximately 1,000 children, ages 9 to 16, will benefit from this innovative project. www.peacecorps.gov
Waldron School District - Waldron, AR
The Waldron School District serves Scott County in west central Arkansas. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will allow Waldron High School to enhance the high school's baseball and softball program by providing funding to construct a baseball and softball field. This project will increase the high school program to 140 players. Overall, approximately 300 players, ages 7-18, will be served by this project. The fields will be shared with the city's Park Board and Boys & Girls Club programs.
Youth at Heart - Tulsa, OK
Youth at Heart is a non-profit organization that provides year-round programs to children living in subsidized housing communities in Tulsa. The programs reach more than 2,200 children annually. The organization manages 11 community centers in Tulsa's housing communities. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for equipment and uniforms to support the development of a new baseball program at nine community centers. T-ball and baseball will be offered. Approximately 180 children, ages 5 to 12, will participate in the program. www.youthatheart.org
A Greater Washington is a non-profit organization that provides The Field of Dreams program, an after-school program and a five-week summer camp for elementary school students in Washington, DC. The grant will provide funding for equipment, uniforms, and field renovations at two DC Public School facilities. The funding will support the expansion of the program to two new elementary schools and two new middle schools. One hundred sixty children ages 6-15 will benefit from this funding. www.greaterwash.org
All Dorchester Sports League - Boston, MA
The All Dorchester Sports League (ADSL) will provide equipment and uniforms for participants in its youth baseball program and a baseball academy for older players in need of training facilities and support year round. ADSL will offer its equipment and facilities to the 1,600 youth baseball players ages 5-20 in Dorchester, the largest and most diverse neighborhood in Boston.
Babe Ruth League, Inc. - Newark, OH
A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for field renovations at the Don Edwards Park in Newark, OH. This park will become the permanent home of the Babe Ruth World Series for the 16-18 year old age group and the main site for coaches training and camps. More than 300 boys (ages 13-18) who play in the local Moundbuilders Babe Ruth League, currently use the complex. The Moundbuilders Babe Ruth League is expected to grow by six teams per year through 2007. The grant will also fund the construction of four softball fields. The new softball fields are expected to serve 400 girls annually by the end of the first three years. In addition to Babe Ruth leagues, the local PONY and American Legion leagues will have access to the fields for invitational tournaments. www.baberuthleague.org
Browns Mill Civic and Athletic Association Inc. - Atlanta, GA
Browns Mill Park will provide funding for a competitive travel fast-pitch softball program for girls living in the inner city of Atlanta. Fifteen girls, ages 8-12, will participate in this program from April to December 2003. The players in this program excel academically - the members of the team are straight-A and academic honor students.
Camelback Little League - Phoenix, AZ
The Camelback Little League, located in Central Phoenix, is one of the oldest leagues in Arizona. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for additional uniforms and equipment and the renovation of two fields to support the growth of the league. The fields are located at Loma Linda Elementary School in the Creighton School District. www.eteamz.com/cbll
City of Bonesteel - Bonesteel, SD
A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to add infield mix to two fields. The addition of infield mix will improve playing conditions and minimize canceled games. Due to improper field drainage, at least 15 games would be rained out each season. These fields will serve Bonesteel and neighboring towns. Approximately 100 children, ages 5-17, will benefit from this funding.
City of Cumberland - Cumberland, MD
The City of Cumberland will use the Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to renovate two baseball/softball fields. The field renovations will include new backstops, bleachers and concrete block dugouts. The proposed fields are used by 450 participants ages 7-16. The local YMCA and high school teams will also use these fields. http://www.ci.cumberland.md.us
City of York - York, PA
The City of York will renovate two existing youth fields into four, regulation Little League fields. The field renovations will support the formation of Little League baseball in York. This project is a partnership of the City of York, Little League Baseball, Inc., the YMCA of York & York County, and the Rotary Club of York. Little League Baseball will also assist the City of York with volunteer recruitment and coaches training. This project is expected to benefit 1,000 children that will participate in Little League as well as the local Boys & Girls Club and the York YMCA. www.yorkcity.org/cityservices/parksrec
Derby Citizens Recreation Association - Derby, KS
The Derby Citizens Recreation Association is a non-profit organization established provide funding for recreational programs offered by the Derby Recreation Commission (DRC) and Derby School District in Derby and Oaklawn, KS. This organization works with several community organizations and youth service agencies in Oaklawn, including the Boys & Girls Club and Big Brothers/Big Sisters, to develop recreation programs. The grant will provide funding for the development of an outreach baseball and softball program offered by DRC in Oaklawn. Grant funds will be used for renovations to fields in Oaklawn and for the purchase of equipment. Upon the completion of the project, approximately 150 new kids (ages 6-12) will participate in baseball/softball in Oaklawn. http://www.derbyrec.com/
Detroit Public Schools - Detroit, MI
In conjunction with the Detroit Tigers Field of Champions initiative, the Detroit Public Schools renovated one baseball and two softball fields located at the Northwestern High School in south Detroit. The improvements included a fast pitch softball field and a baseball field with a grass infield. Approximately 300 high school students from five high schools will benefit from this project. Summer camps and clinics serving 600 players will be conducted on these fields. These fields will also serve five primary elementary or middle schools for baseball/softball-related physical education classes. Renamed "The Willie Horton Fields" in tribute to the four-time All-Star, the site was used for many of the 2004 RBI World Series Girls Softball games. www.detroit.k12.mi.us
Duck Lake Minor Ball Club - Duck Lake, SK
The Duck Lake Minor Ball Club serves the rural municipality of Duck Lake and the Beardy's & Okemasis First Nation reserve. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding to purchase equipment and uniforms in support of the league. Approximately 100-150 children participate in the program annually.
Esperanza International, Inc.
Esperanza's Family Assistance and Economic Development Program works with local and national partners to facilitate the improvement of conditions for children in the Dominican Republic. This organization provides programs and services including education, medical, and business development assistance. The grant will be used to construct a youth baseball field in Quisqueya, a municipality within San Pedro de Macoris, and to purchase equipment and uniforms for 30 youth baseball teams. The new field will be utilized annually by the more than 450 youth in Quisqueya. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will award two additional grants in Hato Mayor and Consuelo, a municipality of San Pedro de Macoris. www.esperanza.org
Gibault, Inc. - Terre Haute, IN
Gibault, Inc. is a residential treatment facility for boys and girls ages 8-18, providing various in-patient and outpatient therapeutic services and educational opportunities in a highly structured environment. The grant will provide funding for the construction of a baseball field that will be used by the clients of Gibault and the surrounding community. Two hundred kids, ages 14-18 placed in the facility annually will benefit. Nine local high school teams and local youth baseball leagues will also the field. In total, 1,100 additional youth will use the field. www.gibault.org
Girls Incorporated of Columbus, GA and Phenix-Russell, AL
Girls Incorporated of Columbus and Phenix-Russell is a non-profit organization that provides after-school and summer educational programs for girls in low-income communities. The grant will provide funding for a new softball field, which will be part of a new sports complex serving 1,200 members. Upon the completion of the new field, the program will grow from 30 girls to 120 girls, ages 6-18. www.girlsinc.org
Holy Trinity High School - Chicago, IL
Holy Trinity High School serves 400 high-risk students from the south, west, north and near north sides of Chicago. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will allow the high school's baseball program to add a junior team by providing funding for uniforms and equipment. This project will expand the baseball program by at least 60 percent and increase the playing season to include spring, summer and fall. About 40 to 45 boys, ages 14-17, will participate in the baseball program. www.holytrinity-hs.org
Indianapolis Public Schools Arsenal Technical High School - Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Public Schools Arsenal Technical High School is an inner-city high school of approximately 2,000 students. The baseball team will implement a new program called the Earn A Glove Program. This program will provide fielding gloves to any student on the baseball team who wishes to participate in the program and meets the school's eligibility requirements. A player who meets the requirements will keep his glove at the end of the season. This project will benefit 25 boys, ages 13-17, and increase the number of players who remain in the program by 33 percent.
Kubasaki and Kadena Parent Baseball/Softball Committee - Japan
The Department of Defense Dependant High Schools (DoDDS) on Okinawa, Japan provide high school athletics to children in U.S. military families. Through the efforts of the Kubasaki/Kadena Baseball Softball Parents Committee, baseball and softball teams were developed at Kubasaki High School on U.S. Marine Corp Base Camp Butler and Kadena High School on the Kadena Air Force Base in February 2003. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the purchase of equipment to support the continued growth of the program.
Lihu'e Baseball League - Kapa'a, HI
The Lihu'e Baseball League (LBL) will use a Baseball Tomorrow Fund to provide temporary outfield fencing for games and practices. The portable, breakaway fencing will expand and improve the LBL program by providing safe fields for 260 children (ages 5-12).
Little League Baseball Canada
The Little League Baseball Canada organization will provide coaches training material to 3,000 teams and approximately 6,000 coaches. The training material, written by Al Herback and Al Price, includes Getting Started, a manual for T-ball and coach pitch leagues, and Know Your Baseball and Softball, for minor and major league teams. www.littleleague.ca
Little League Baseball Incorporated - Williamsport, PA
Little League Baseball, Inc.'s Challenger program provides opportunities for children with mental and physical disabilities. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will support the expansion of the program by funding equipment and uniforms grants to 30 new leagues over a two-year period. The equipment funded by this grant will include soft baseballs and softballs, lightweight bats and batting tees. Currently, 22,000 children participate in the Challenger program. Within five years, the Challenger program is expected to grow by 75,000 children, bringing the total number of children to 100,000. www.littleleague.org
Metro Community Development Corporation - Buffalo, NY
Metro Community Development Corporation is a non-profit organization that will implement a new 20-week baseball program for inner city children. The grant will provide equipment and uniforms that will serve 270 children, ages 6-14, living in the Masten District of Buffalo. In addition to the baseball and softball program, the Metro Community Development Corporation provides a variety of community programs including for senior programs, after-school activities and scouting opportunities.
Metro Parks Tacoma - Tacoma, WA
Metro Parks Tacoma is the Parks and Recreation Municipality in Tacoma, WA. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of five fields at the Heidelberg Youth Sports Complex, the main youth baseball and softball complex. This complex includes two t-ball/instructional fields, two softball/youth baseball fields and the Bob Maguinez Amateur Baseball Field for players 14-18 years old. www.metroparkstacoma.org
Municipality of Vega Baja - Vega Baja, PR
The Municipality of Vega Baja upgraded field lights and the reconditioned turf at community youth fields. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant provided funding for the upgrade of lighting at El Trece Park, a youth field, and the purchase of equipment and uniforms to support the growth of two youth leagues.
Native American Baseball - Los Lunas, NM
The Native American Baseball organization will provide a travel baseball program for Native American baseball players from ages 14-16. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide uniforms and equipment for the team. Eighteen boys will benefit from this program, all from Native American communities, primarily Navajo.
Phoenix Family Housing Corporation - Kansas City, MO
The Phoenix Family Housing Corporation (PFH) provides social services to 5000 residents in low-middle income housing communities. PFH, in conjunction with Yarco Companies and the Kansas City Police Athletic League, is constructing a youth baseball field in the East Hills Village housing community. One hundred players (ages 5-13) from the East Hills Village PAL and 18th and White PAL centers will use the field. This will be the first field in the community and surrounding neighborhood.
Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School- Gurabo, PR
The Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School offers a high school curriculum and baseball program on the campus of the University of Turabo. A grant will provide funding for the renovation of the softball field into a baseball field for the use of the students. In its first year of operation, the academy served 100 boys, ages 14-18. In the 2003-2004 school year, the enrollment is expected to increase to 150.
Santa Fe American Amateur Baseball Congress League - Santa Fe, NM
The Santa Fe American Amateur Baseball Congress League is the largest youth league in Santa Fe, NM. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to purchase equipment and to provide training and certification for 50 new coaches. This project will support the continued growth of the league with participation expected to grow by 20% in 2004.
Seguin Little League - Seguin, TX
Seguin Little League is replacing the lights for its six-field complex to address safety concerns and to improve the quality of the complex. To date, the Junior/Senior baseball field lights have been replaced. The grant will provide funding for the replacement of the lights on the main softball field. The Seguin complex is one of the largest in the district and will become the top complex upon completion of the field lighting project. www.eteamz.com/SeguinLL/
Sports for the World's Children - La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
The Sports for the World's Children Foundation (SWC), based in San Francisco, CA, provides used and new sports equipment, facilities, instruction and educational material to children in the Western U.S. and the Mexican Baja peninsula through the "Communities Play" program. SWC mission is to create self-sustaining and ongoing quality programs. The grant will provide funding to expand the Communities Play-Mexico program for this year's volunteer trip in four main areas: Flores Magon/Escuela Guillermoj Valle Gomez, Insurgentes, La Bocana/Punta Abreojos and Bahia Tortugas. This project will increase the number of children and adult coaches/managers participating in organized baseball in all communities by 25 percent within nine months.
Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation & Youth Programs - Syracuse, NY
The Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs will use a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to renovate a youth baseball field in Skiddy Park and to purchase equipment and uniforms for low-income children from Syracuse's community centers. The Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs operates eight community centers and 11 youth baseball fields. Upon completion of the project, 80 new players from Syracuse's community centers will be added to the local leagues in which 600 players participate. www.syracuse.ny.us/parks/index.html
University of North Carolina at Greensboro - High Point, NC
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) of Macedonia will receive a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms for the Macedonia Baseball League. The Macedonia Baseball League is a partnership with the City of High Point. Approximately 150 players 8-12 and 60 players 13-15 will benefit from this project. The Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) of Macedonia provides health and human services to the residents of High Point. www.geocities.com/nccopc2002
Walter 'Pop' Smith Little League - New Haven, CT
The Walter 'Pop' Smith Little League, one of the oldest predominantly African-American Little League organizations in the country, will use a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to install lighting on a 200 ft. Little League field in the inner city of New Haven, CT. Approximately 280 children, ages 5-12, will benefit from this lighted field.
West Philadelphia Catholic High School - Philadelphia, PA
West Philadelphia Catholic High School is located in the inner city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school will build a baseball/softball field with a skinned infield to complete the project. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the backstop and fencing. This project will provide a facility for the addition of freshman and junior varsity baseball and softball teams. This field will also serve local summer programs. www.westcatholic.org
The Auburn University Rural Studio is a thesis program for students at Auburn University's College of Architecture, Design and Construction. The Rural Studio designs and constructs community-based projects and affordable housing for impoverished communities in west Alabama using innovative and sustainable construction techniques and materials. With a grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, the Rural Studio will renovate a youth baseball field for use by the newly formed Newbern Little League Association in rural Hale County. www.ruralstudio.org
Benoit School District - Benoit, MS
The Benoit School District in Mississippi received a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to purchase equipment and uniforms for the development of a high school baseball and softball program at Ray Brook School and a local youth summer program. The Benoit School District, which serves 400 students from kindergarten through 12th grade on one campus, is the smallest independent public school district in the state of Mississippi. The school serves Benoit and surrounding small farming communities. Approximately 95 kids, ages 10-16, will be served by this program.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport - Kingsport, TN
The Boys & Girls Club in Kingsport, Tenn., serves more than 200 children everyday. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used toward the construction of a new youth baseball field for the 13-15 age group. The goal of this project to increase participation from 85 to 150 children through partnerships with the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority and Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department.
Boys & Girls Club of Hall County - Gainesville, GA
The Boys & Girls Club of Hall County, located in Gainesville, Ga., serves 1,900 children annually. This organization was awarded a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to construct a youth baseball/softball field and to purchase equipment and uniforms to support the growth of a t-ball, baseball and softball program. This project is a partnership of the Boys & Girls Club, City of Gainesville, Gainesville City Schools and Gainesville Park and Recreation Department.
Brockton Area Private Industry Council, Inc. - Brockton, MA
The RISE Youth Opportunity Center's RISING Star League, a new program of the Brockton Area Private Industry Council, Inc., will receive a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to purchase equipment and uniforms. The Brockton Area Private Industry Council, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides youth development services to disadvantaged and at-risk youth residing in Brockton and surrounding communities. One hundred youth, ages 14-16, will participate in the RISING Star League. www.brocktonrise.org
Bull City Baseball Association, Inc. - Durham, NC (2001, 2002)
Bull City Baseball Association, Inc. provides the Durham Bulls Youth Athletic League, offering youth baseball and softball to 500 children living in public housing in Durham. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will support the expansion of the league by funding additional equipment. A BTF grant also was awarded to renovate two youth baseball fields in Durham, NC for use by the Durham Bulls Baseball Association, a program of the Durham Parks & Recreation Department. The fields are located in one of downtown Durham's impoverished neighborhoods. One of the renovated fields will be a replica of Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The goal of this project is to increase participation by 25 percent.
City of Ansonia - Ansonia, CT
The City of Ansonia offers a quality Little League baseball and softball program at no charge to over 450 boys and girls 8-12 years old. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and the renovation of two youth baseball fields. This project will support the expansion of the program by two teams in each age group.
City of Richmond Recreation & Parks Department - Richmond, CA
The City of Richmond Recreation and Parks Department operates "Teams With Dreams," a new softball program in Richmond, Calif., serving girls ages 8-14. To support the rapid growth of the program in its second year and allow the program to enter into an organized league, a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to purchase softball equipment and uniforms.
Cross Timbers Community Foundation - Argyle, TX
The Cross Timbers Community Foundation implements the following youth sports programs in Argyle, Texas: Heart of a Champion League, Integrity Park Coaches Institute, Umpires of Influence, Sports Parenting Clinics and the Integrity Park Workers of Character. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and uniforms that will benefit the Urban Outreach program, which serves 200 economically disadvantaged children from Dallas, Fort Worth, Lewisville and Denton County. www.integritypark.org
Extra Innings Youth Foundation, Inc. - Clearwater, FL
Extra Innings Youth Foundation, Inc. in Clearwater, Fla., provides an after-school program for children at risk of dropping out of school. School administrators and teachers recommend the children for the program. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will allow the organization to renovate the youth baseball field at Skycrest Elementary School. This field will be the fourth location added to the Extra Innings program since its inception in 2000. Sixty students, ages 8-12, participate in the program. www.eiyouthfoundation.org
IMA Foundation - Flint, MI
The IMA Foundation works with the City of Flint Parks and Recreation Department to provide a large variety of youth sports programs. Over 1,700 kids ages 5-18 participate in these programs annually. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of four youth baseball fields and the purchase of field maintenance equipment. www.flintima.org
Indiana Harbor Little League - East Chicago, IN
Indiana Harbor Little League offers a baseball program to more than 300 kids, ages 6-18. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to renovate three ballfields in East Chicago, Ind., including one Little League field, one softball field and one senior league field. The complex will be named "Kenny Lofton Stadium Fields" after their hometown hero.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation - East St. Louis, IL
The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation provides recreation and educational opportunities at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Boys & Girls Club, serving East St. Louis, Alorton, Brooklyn, Centreville and Washington Park in Illinois. The center is developing an extensive sports complex that will include football, swimming, and baseball facilities featuring 'Cardinals Care Field.' The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the completion of two baseball fields and two Little League/softball fields as well as field maintenance equipment. More than 240 boys and girls currently participate in youth baseball and softball. This project will also support a new girls fast-pitch softball program.
McElrath Improvement Corporation - Ravenna, OH
The McElrath Improvement Corporation has been instrumental in developing projects and obtaining and administering resources that have significantly improved living conditions in a historically African-American community in Ravenna Township. Today, on a former illegal dumpsite, the M.I.C. Baseball Project provides youth baseball to the children of the community. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will allow for the renovation of the existing field, the completion of a new field and the purchase of equipment and uniforms to expand their youth baseball and softball programs to reach more than 400 kids ages 9-17.
MECA United Cerebral Palsy - Erie, PA
MECA United Cerebral Palsy will receive a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to purchase baseball equipment for the expansion of an adaptive baseball program for children with physical and mental disabilities. Currently, 60 kids ages 5-16 participate in the program. MECA United Cerebral Palsy is a non-profit organization that provides a variety of programs and direct and referral services to children and adults with disabilities in 17 counties in Northwestern Pennsylvania. www.mecaucp.com
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board - Minneapolis, MN
The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board was awarded a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to purchase 20 pitching machines for the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Rookie League program. The Rookie League incorporates baseball with drug awareness, stay-in-school initiatives and violence prevention messages and is free of charge to participants. The games are played at various sites including city-run recreation center, non-profit youth serving agencies, Boys & Girls Club facilities and low-income housing locations. All Rookie League games use pitching machines to improve hitting skills, increase player confidence and quicken the pace of the games. Currently, 3,000 children, ages 8-12, participate in the Rookie League.
Miracle League of Visalia, Inc. - Visalia, CA
A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant was awarded to Miracle League of Visalia, Inc. to construct a baseball field, which features a rubberized surface, for use by children with disabilities. This project will serve approximately 300 children, ages 4-19, living in Visalia, Fresno and Bakersfield, Calif., in the first year of operation. Approximately 800 children with serious disabilities are enrolled in Tulare County Schools and an estimated 15,000 disabled children are living in the San Joaquin Valley. http://visaliamiracleleague.com
Near West Little League - Chicago, IL
The Near West Little League in Chicago, Ill., was awarded a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to renovate three ball fields at Altgeld Park and add a fourth to support this large inner-city Little League program of 770 players. This league and field project is a partnership of the Chicago Park District, Illinois Medical District and the Near West Little League.
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago - Chicago, IL
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, in partnership with the Chicago Park District, the Mayor's Office of People with Disabilities and Cubs Care, operates the RIC Cubs Wheelchair Softball team and Chicago Park District Buddy Baseball programs for people with disabilities. A grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund will be used to build a wheelchair softball field, which will benefit approximately 150 children. www.richealthfit.org
Richie Ashburn Baseball Foundation - Philadelphia, PA
The Richie Ashburn Baseball Foundation presents children in the Philadelphia metropolitan area the opportunity to participate in free baseball camps and clinics. Over 1,400 boys and girls, ages 7-14 participate annually. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for additional equipment for the continued expansion of the program.
Sokol Krc Baseball Softball Club - Prague, Czech Republic
The Sokol Krc Baseball Club, located in the City of Prague, Czech Republic, provides year-round baseball and softball for children throughout Central Europe. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to expand the gymnasium used for baseball and softball instruction and camp housing. This facility is located at the National Baseball Center, which features five baseball fields. Over 1200 students and 500 club players will benefit from the project. www.Sokolkrc.cz
STAR/PAL - San Diego, CA
STAR/PAL (Sports Training and Recreation/Police Athletic League) is located in San Diego, Calif. This organization will use a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to purchase equipment and uniforms for Rookie Camps, a free outreach program designed for kids with little or no prior experience in organized baseball, and the Summer League program. Approximately 1,000 players will benefit from this project. www.starpal.org
Take the Field - New York, NY (2001, 2002)
This project is part of a larger initiative with the New York Board of Education, Mayor's Office and City Council to renovate a total of 52 high school athletic facilities including football fields, running tracks, tennis courts and soccer fields. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grants will provide funding for the renovation of a baseball and softball field at Beach Channel High School in Queens, New York and the South Shore High School baseball field in Brooklyn. Take the Field is also working with the New York Board of Education to develop a programming plan for physical education and intramural leagues, providing new opportunities for kids in sports. www.takethefield.org
teamsmith, inc. - National
Founded by Olympic Gold Medalist and Women's Professional Softball League All-Star, Julie Smith, teamsmith, inc. is devoted to promoting life-skills, health and fitness, confidence, character and self-esteem by providing camps, clinics and educational programs. The "teamsmith Softball and Life-Skills Clinics" provide opportunities for disadvantaged girls to play on the fields of professional baseball stadiums where they learn softball and life skills from a staff of Olympians and professional players. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the clinic materials and expenses.
Treehouse - Seattle, WA
Treehouse believes that academic success, combined with social and recreational enrichment, is the key to future opportunities for disadvantaged youth. Through its 'Little Wishes' program, Treehouse provides foster children in the King County area the opportunity to play baseball and softball by providing scholarships. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will allow Treehouse to arrange uniform and equipment purchases as well as team registration for 40 foster kids ages 18 and under. www.treehouse4kids.org
Big Bend Little League offers over 500 children from the Mexican community of Paso Lajitas as well as Terlingua, Texas, the opportunity to play baseball and softball. The grant will allow for the addition of two new teams by constructing two new fields at Canyon View Community Park, located near the Mexico border on the Rio Grande.
Camp For All Foundation - Burton, TX
The Camp For All Foundation operates a summer camp for 2400 boys and girls, ages 7-16 years old and young adults up to 21 years old, living with chronic illnesses and physical disabilities. The camp is open from Feb.-Nov. The grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding to renovate a 'barrier-free' softball field on campgrounds. http://campforall.org
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - St. Marys, ON
To support camps, clinics and local league play, a Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant to the Canadian Hall of Fame and Museum will impact thousands of children each year. This grant will allow the completion of "Canada's Field of Dreams" and of two additional youth baseball fields. http://baseballhalloffame.ca
Catholic Charities - Kansas City, KS
This grant will provide for the renovation of a youth baseball field, which will support an existing baseball program conducted by the YMCA. This project will also allow for the implementation of a new program in Kansas City, Kansas (Wyndotte County). Sadecki Field is named for former Major League pitcher Ray Sadecki, who grew up in this neighborhood. Catholic Charities will maintain Sadecki Field, which serves 150 children. www.CatholicCharitiesKS.org
Central San Juan Recreation District (City of Blanding) - Blanding, UT
The City of Blanding & Central San Juan Recreation District provides youth baseball and softball programming to the children of Blanding and communities in the Navajo and Ute reservations. This Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the construction of four baseball/softball fields, impacting more than 500 young ballplayers.
City of Ft. Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The City of Ft. Lauderdale Parks and Recreations department's primary focus has always been to provide quality recreation/sports programs for the families in the community. To that end, they have partnered with YMCA, Boys and Girls Club and Broward County Parks & Recreation department to provide five different baseball and softball programs to over 1,000 kids 10-18 years old. The grant will provide funding to purchase additional equipment and uniforms for these programs.
City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department - Houston, TX
Houston's Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program is a free program offered by the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department. The program will be expanding to include a new RBI Farm League for over 700 baseball and softball players ages 13-18. The grant will provide funding for additional equipment and uniforms to support the addition of this new league. http://houstonparks.org
City of Tucumcari - Tucumcari, NM
The City of Tucumcari has offered a baseball program for over 50 years, and it continues to be a popular activity for the local youth. The grant will renovate the four fields in town- one Little League, one Farm League, one Senior League and one youth softball field with the hopes of keeping the enthusiasm high for the 500 kids who participate in the existing programs.
Colorado Youth Sports Complex - Colorado Springs, CO
The Colorado Youth Sports Complex supports a tremendous amount of aspiring players; over 10,000 kids use its facilities. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will support the completion of this new facility containing 12 fields in the southeast quadrant of Colorado Springs.
Cottage Grove Recreation Association - Cottage Grove, OR
Cottage Grove Recreation Association provides year-round, after-school athletic opportunities for the youth in the community. Over 300 children are enrolled in their baseball and softball programs. The grant will be used to purchase equipment and renovate a youth baseball field.
Eastern Shoshone Tribe - Fort Washakie, WY
The Eastern Shoshone Tribe is committed to promoting the growth of youth baseball on the Wind River Reservation. Over 300 children from the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho communities will benefit from this grant. The grant will provide funding for equipment purchases and the renovation of three fields at Hot Springs Recreation Center and one field at Wyoming Indian High School.
Eufaula Parks and Recreation Department - Eufaula, AL
Currently, there are only five fields in Eufalula to support over 800 participants, ranging from 4-18 years old. Eufaula Parks and Recreation Department recently formed partnerships with the public housing authority and other local youth organizations to provide baseball and softball programs and facilities. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for four baseball and softball fields, dugouts, backstops and fencing to support this partnership and their efforts.
Girls Athletic League Softball - Caldwell, ID
Since 1983, Girls Athletic League Softball has provided a program that has increased considerably in popularity. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to construct a four-field softball complex that will host play in fastpitch, softball and youth baseball. Three existing fields will increase to seven, allowing room for player expansion (there are already 600 participants annually) from Caldwell, Boise, and the surrounding communities in Idaho and Oregon.
Harlem RBI, Inc. - New York, NY (2000, 2001)
Harlem RBI Inc. established the R.E.A.L. Kid's Baseball League day camp to provide inner-city youth with educational and baseball programs designed to involve young people in activities that promote teamwork and build self-esteem. The kids also develop the life skills necessary to overcome the negative influences they face. The grant will provide opportunities for more than 90 children to attend an all-day summer camp for seven weeks this summer. www.harlemrbi.org
Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation - Lincoln, NE
The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation is partnering with the University of Nebraska Foundation, Lincoln Urban Development Department and Project Youth in the Play Together project. The Play Together Project will create ongoing softball and baseball programs for children 10-16 years old from low-income families. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to construct a youth baseball field which will be used by approximately 500 boys and girls.
Milwaukee Parks Foundation, Inc. - Milwaukee, WI
The Milwaukee Parks Foundation is committed to promoting the growth of baseball in Milwaukee by building an indoor practice facility to be used year-round by over 350 local youth. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to build the James W. Beckum Indoor Baseball Practice Facility at Carver Park.
Municipality of Caguas - Caguas, Puerto Rico
The Creole Baseball School, located in the Municipality of Caguas, Puerto Rico, provides year-round youth baseball for children in low-income communities. Over 2,600 children and 400 coaches benefit from the school through clinics. The grant will be used to purchase equipment and to renovate a practice field for the player and coaching development programs at the school.
National Alliance for Youth Sports - West Palm Beach, FL
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide a grant to the National Alliance for Youth Sports to implement the 'Start Smart Baseball' program in each Major League Baseball city. This program will offer basic baseball skills instruction to 600-1200 boys and girls, ages 3-8 years old, and their parents. www.nays.org
Oklahoma City PAL - Oklahoma City, OK
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide the Police Athletic League Baseball and Softball program a home and increase field availability by constructing three fields; one t-ball, one PONY and one prep field. Approximately 300 kids will benefit from this expansion, most from low-income families. www.okcpal.org
Paris Independent Schools - Paris, KY
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide a grant to fund a baseball and softball field on the Paris High School grounds, which will be used by school and community youth leagues. These fields will be used by approximately 600 kids, ages 11-18 years old.
Peoria Park District - Peoria, IL
Due to an increase in the number of children playing baseball, additional field space is required in Peoria. A new girls softball league is planned as well as a new t-ball program which will serve 24 kids, 5-7 years old. The grant will be used to renovate a youth baseball field located at the Proctor Recreation Center.
Quad A For Kids - Rochester, NY
Quad A For Kids promotes discipline, responsibility and academics through baseball. The Rochester Hispanic Youth Baseball League serves approximately 200 inner-city children from low-income homes. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide equipment and uniforms for this league.
San Luis Parks & Recreation Department - San Luis, AZ
The San Luis Parks & Recreation Department provides baseball and softball equipment for participants in the San Luis Little League, Babe Ruth League and Girls Fastpitch Softball League. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the purchase of baseball and softball equipment, batting cages and pitching machines, impacting approximately 300 kids.
Satchel Paige Little League - Washington, DC
Satchel Paige Little League provides inner city youth the opportunity to play baseball and softball. It also teaches them about the heritage of the Negro Leagues. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to purchase equipment and uniforms to support the leage.
Save Our Sons, Inc. - Memphis, TN
The Save Our Sons organization provides a baseball and mentoring program to 48 boys, ages 11-18 years old, from low income, single parent families living in South Memphis. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding to purchase uniforms and equipment for use by the participants.
Think Detroit, Inc. - Detroit, MI
The Think Detroit organization provides youth baseball and softball and computer training to inner-city children living in Detroit, Mich. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will provide funding for the renovation of a baseball and a softball field at the Maheras Recreation Center and will serve 900 boys and girls, ages 5-14 years old. www.thinkdetroit.org
Virgin Islands Little League District, Inc. - St. Thomas/St. Croix/St. John, V.I.
The Virgin Islands Little League currently has youth baseball and softball programs in St. Thomas and St. Croix. With a grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund to purchase new equipment, they will be expanding to include the children of St. John. The Virgin Islands Little League has also partnered with the Girl Scout Council to expand their girls softball programs. The grant will also include equipment purchases for this program.
Volunteers of America-Greater New Orleans - New Orleans, LA
The Volunteers of America-Greater New Orleans provides the 'Lighthouse' program, an after-school baseball program for 150 boys and girls, ages 6-9 years old, from low income families living in New Orleans. A grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund will provide funding to purchase uniforms and equipment to expand the program to impact more children. www.voagno.org
West Virginia Miracle League Sports Complex, Inc. - Morgantown, WV
The West Virginia Miracle League Sports Complex will allow children with disabilities to participate in youth sports. A Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will be used to construct a special baseball field that permits the easy and safe movement of wheelchairs, walkers and other devices used by the physically disabled. This field will allow for the establishment of a Miracle League in Morgantown, W.Va.
Windsor-Riverside Minor Baseball Association - Ontario, Canada
A grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund will support this large baseball community by replacing worn uniforms, renovating the local youth baseball field (site of the 2001-2005 Bantam National Championships), and by purchasing field maintenance equipment to groom the nine fields. More than 550 children will benefit from this project. www.riversidebaseball.com
Young Men & Women's African Heritage Association, Inc. - Pittsburgh, PA
The Young Men & Women's African Heritage Association developed the North Shore Sports Academy to provide opportunities for all youth to attend a year-round training and development facility. The programs offered help to promote long term interest in baseball. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant will allow for the purchasing of baseball and softball equipment to be used in the Academy.
The Arizona Youth Baseball, in partnership with the Arizona Chapter of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni, provides free youth baseball clinics for over 1,000 youth in Arizona and New Mexico. The grant will provide additional equipment to support the expansion and continuity of the program.
Attention Homes - Cheyenne, WY
Attention Homes, Inc. provides residential treatment, crisis shelter and educational services to over 500 youth and their families in the Cheyenne Area. As an addition to their outreach program, this grant will help purchase needed equipment for a newly established softball team, which will give at-risk teens the opportunity to engage in a team sport.
Beyond the Diamond - Columbia, SC
Beyond the Diamond will build upon a previous volunteer effort to incorporate baseball and outreach activities for boys ages 8-18 years old in Columbia, S.C. This project has a mission to address the need for inner city baseball development by providing year around baseball instruction and mentoring. The grant will provide funding for quality baseball equipment.
Boys & Girls Club of Miami, Inc. - Miami, FL
Located in a low socio-economic and high crime area, the Boys and Girls Club of Miami's primary mission is to enhance the quality of life for youth in the community. Serving more than 100 children, the grant will help the Club to refurbish its playing fields, build batting cages, and backstops. As a result of this grant, the children will have a safe place to play and more opportunity to participate in the programs.
Chicago Heights Park District - Chicago Heights, IL
The Chicago Heights Park District provides baseball and softball programs to more than 500 kids ages 4-18 years old. In 2001, all participants will automatically enroll into an after-school mentoring and tutoring program at no additional cost to the participant. The grant will provide funding to purchase new baseball and softball uniforms and equipment and will support the after-school mentoring and tutoring program.
City of Oakland Parks and Recreation Department - Oakland, CA
The City of Oakland Parks & Recreation department provides quality baseball and softball programs to over 1000 youth ages 5-16 years old in the community of Oakland. The grant will provide funding for additional equipment and uniforms to allow for the expansion of the program.
Cleveland Baseball Federation - Cleveland, OH
The Federation runs programs, constructs and maintains playing fields for inner-city youths in an effort to cease the influx of gangs, create a safe atmosphere and increase community participation. The grant will fund camps, instructional clinics and at-risk programs that develop baseball skills and provide productive environments to help children learn the lifelong skills of responsibility, commitment, hard work and self-esteem while developing strong relationships with a positive peer group. www.clevelandbaseballfederation.org
Denver Police Athletic League - Denver, CO
Surrounded by the supervision and leadership of area police officers, the Denver Police Athletic League provides more than 1,300 inner-city youth between the ages of 5-14, the opportunity to play baseball and softball in a safe and fostering environment. The grant will help expand its baseball and softball programs and assist with the purchasing of new uniforms and playing equipment. www.denverpal.com
Fairland Public Schools - Fairland, OK
The grant will provide funding for the renovation of three existing baseball fields for use by the Little League, softball, and senior league participants in Fairland, Oklahoma and surrounding communities. Over 1,000 players will benefit from the project.
Freetown Youth Athletic Association - Freetown, MA
The Association provides quality baseball and softball programming to children in the Freetown area offering them the opportunity to participate in team sports in a safe, inexpensive and structured environment. The grant provides matching funds for the "Diamonds in the Rough" project to build new baseball fields including a replica of Fenway Park as part of a larger complex aimed at creating a center for community recreation.
Indiana Amateur Baseball Association - Indianapolis, IN
The Indiana Amateur Baseball Association encourages participation in baseball and softball, creates excitement and builds self esteem for kids of Indianapolis. The grant will provide funding for the purchase of uniforms and equipment for the use of participants in the Indianapolis Public Middle School baseball and softball leagues and free skill clinics for inner-city youth.
Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, Inc. - Bronx, N.Y.
The Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club provides more than 450 children with the opportunity to play baseball and softball in the Bronx area. The grant will help aid in the completion of a new Sports Complex - including a baseball field, and an indoor, air-supported dome, which will provide a venue for winter instructional baseball. In conjunction with baseball skill development, the program offers five-core areas for scholastic development: sports and fitness, education, the arts, health and life skills, character and leadership development.
Marian Anderson Recreation Center Advisory Council - Philadelphia, PA
The Marian Anderson Recreation Center provides baseball to over 250 boys and girls in the South Philadelphia area including the participants of the Marian Anderson Rookie League, Anderson Monarchs Baseball Club, the Philadelphia Stars tournament team, and the Jackie Robinson Development Program. The grant will help to restore the baseball field used by all leagues.
Mathews-Dickey Boys' Club - St. Louis, MO
The Mathews-Dickey Boys' Club provides 119 baseball teams and more than 1,900 players with structured programs in a recreational, educational and social format throughout the northern St. Louis area. The grant will help facilitate field renovations and provide playing equipment for its participants.
Metropolitan Junior Baseball League - Richmond, VA
The Metropolitan Junior Baseball League, which serves over 900 Richmond area youth, has provided youth baseball since 1966. The grant will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and the refurbishment of three ball fields to support a new Richmond Public School spring baseball program as well as the summer league. www.mjbl.org
Milwaukee Public Schools Recreation Division - Milwaukee, WI
The Milwaukee Public Schools Recreation Division provides baseball and softball to 260 local area boys and girls. This project will expand the Milwaukee RBI baseball league for kids 13-15 and the "Girls of Summer" softball league for girls ages 12 and under.
Parks & People Foundation - Baltimore, MD
The Parks and People Foundation provides the Baltimore Baseball League to over 960 elementary students in the Baltimore City Public School System. Along with baseball skill instruction, the league incorporates an educational component and parental involvement to enhance the program. This grant will provide uniforms and equipment to expand this after-school recreational baseball league.
RBI Monarchs Girls Fastpitch Softball Program - Los Angeles, CA
The Monarch Fastpitch Softball Program provides young women in the inner city of south central Los Angeles with instructional clinics, training for coaching staff, and playing equipment. With a total of 630 female players on 42 teams, the program is designed to reach out to minority women and develop their softball skills, while also building self-esteem, leadership skills and encouraging them to pursue degrees in higher education.
Southeast Webster Community Schools - Burnside, IA
Serving over 600 students in grades K-12, the Southeast Webster Community Schools is a small rural school district located in north central Iowa. This grant will allow the expansion of the existing softball program for girls 8-13 years old by providing new equipment. www.se-webster.k12.ia.us
Sunnyside School District - Sunnyside, WA
The Sunnyside School District provides baseball to 300 players ages 12-18. The grant will provide funding for the renovation of the principal baseball field in the community of Sunnyside, Wash., and will provide a safe, quality facility for the spring and summer baseball leagues.
Takoma Park Babe Ruth Baseball League - Takoma Park, MD
Takoma Park, Md., is home to an ethnically and economically diverse community. With approximately 550 boys and 200 girls involved with its league and summer camp, the program is open to children participating in its school lunch program and plays a critical part in community-building efforts. The grant will allow 160 children to participate in the league and its affiliated summer camp, by providing them with uniforms and equipment.
Texarkana Independent Youth Softball League - Texarkana, TX
The Texarkana Independent Youth Softball League, established in 1992, is a program that provides over 500 girls in Texarkana and surrounding communities with the fundamentals of fastpitch softball. The grant will help refurbish four playing fields in order to prepare these young female athletes for competition at the state, regional and national level.
Washington Youth Baseball - Washington, PA
Washington Youth Baseball, a community based youth baseball organization, provides PONY baseball for players ages 9-18 years old. This project serves over 400 young ballplayers from Washington and surrounding communities. The grant will renovate four fields, including the site of the annual PONY World Series, which hosts teams from around the world.
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