Yawkey Foundation and Good Sports teamed up to provide new baseball and softball equipment to Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. To celebrate this partnership, Yawkey Foundation and Good Sports hosted an equipment Play Celebration experience for the baseball and softball participants at Boys & Girls Clubs where they got 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, 941 pieces of equipment were donated, totaling $18,507 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 grateful for the chance to continuously work with the Yawkey Foundation and make a lasting impact for kids in the Greater Boston area year over year.” said Good Sports’ Co-Founder and CEO, Melissa Harper. “This donation will help bring the power of play and the many joys that baseball and softball have to offer to the kids of the Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester.”
“Tom and Jean Yawkey’s deep love for baseball was rooted in their belief that the game teaches young people invaluable life lessons – teamwork, perseverance, and the joy of pursuing something greater than yourself. The Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester creates exactly the kind of welcoming environment where kids can discover these lessons for themselves,” said Alicia Verity, Yawkey Foundation chief executive officer. “Through our partnership with Good Sports, we’re able to ensure this equipment reaches the young people who will benefit most. We’re honored to support their work and to see the Yawkeys’ passion for America’s pastime continue to open doors for the next generation of players and leaders.”
“Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester is excited to partner with our longtime supporters, the Yawkey Foundation and Good Sports to bring the sport of Baseball to our members. The equipment provided to us today will allow us to not only expose our members to the world of Baseball, but also engage them in skill building activities and hopefully offer the confidence to continue playing in our local youth Baseball programs and beyond. We thank the Yawkey Foundation for their ongoing efforts to support our members.”
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 over $131 million in brand-new sports equipment, impacting over 10.8 million kids from nearly 7,000 youth programs across the country. Good Sports has been awarded a coveted 4-star rating ten 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), X (@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 $620 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.
