Taunton, MA. (April 22, 2025) – Yawkey Foundation and Good Sports are teaming up to provide new baseball and softball equipment to the Boys & Girls Club of Metro South Camp Riverside. To celebrate this partnership, Yawkey Foundation and Good Sports will host an equipment Play Celebration experience for the baseball and softball participants at the Boys & Girls Club where they will get to see the new equipment on display.

This equipment, provided in partnership with Good Sports, a national nonprofit that drives equitable access in youth sports and physical activity for kids, includes bats, helmets, catchers gear, gloves, bases, bags, and practice equipment for youth baseball and softball players. In total, 365 pieces of equipment are being donated, totaling $17,783 in value. This donation will introduce youth to the fundamentals of baseball and softball and relieve the financial burden on the participants’ families, by providing the equipment needed for quality programming.

“We’re proud to continue our partnership with the Yawkey Foundation to help bring the power of play to more children in the Greater Boston area” said Good Sports’ Co-Founder and CEO, Melissa Harper. “Through this donation, young athletes at the Boys & Girls Club of Metro South will have the chance to build confidence, create connections, and experience the joy that comes with playing baseball and softball.”

“Jean and Tom Yawkey were passionate about baseball,” said Alicia Verity, CEO of Yawkey Foundation. “As owners of the Boston Red Sox for seven decades, not only were the Yawkeys avid fans, but they also understood how the game brought together players, fans, and communities – which is clearly just as true today as it was when Tom bought the team in 1933. In perpetuating their legacy, the Yawkey Foundation Trustees are delighted to partner with Good Sports and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South to increase access to baseball and softball in Taunton.”

“The power of play is on full display every day at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South, but especially here at our 100-acre Camp Riverside property in Taunton as we head into 9 weeks of summer camp programming that’s intended to help kids just be kids. Our goals for outdoor recreation — especially with team sports like baseball — are to help our kids keep active, build critical interpersonal skills, gain confidence, and instill a sense of belonging. We’re so grateful for the partnership and support of Good Sports and The Yawkey Foundation to help us realize these goals for impact through this incredibly generous equipment donation!” — Monica Lombardo, Vice President & Chief Advancement Officer

About Good Sports

Good Sports drives equitable access in youth sports and physical activity, by supporting children in high-need communities to achieve their greatest potential, on the field and in life. Since 2003, Good Sports has provided nearly $110 million in sports equipment, impacting over 10 million kids from more than 6,370 youth programs across the country. Good Sports has been awarded a coveted 4-star rating nine consecutive times from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest charity evaluator, for sound fiscal management, transparency, and accountability. Additionally, Good Sports holds the top-level Platinum seal from GuideStar and is a Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance accredited charity. To learn more or to get involved, please visit www.goodsports.org and follow Good Sports on Facebook @GSportsInc, Twitter @goodsportsinc, Instagram @goodsportsinc, and LinkedIn @Good Sports, Inc.

About Yawkey Foundation

The Yawkey Foundation is dedicated to perpetuating the philanthropic legacy of Tom Yawkey and Jean Yawkey, whose eight decades of quiet generosity supported individuals and families in the communities that were closest to their hearts – Massachusetts and Georgetown County, South Carolina. Having awarded more than $600 million to date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved. For more information, please visit www.yawkeyfoundation.org and LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.