Good Sports has been partnering with Chicago Cubs Charities, specifically through their Diamond Project Program, since 2017, to provide baseball and softball equipment to Chicago community programs. Through this partnership, we share a goal of increasing access to the sport and improving the health and wellbeing of children in need across Chicago.
On Wednesday, June 22nd, Good Sports staff, and volunteers from the Chicago Cubs organization and Marriott, a partner of the Chicago Cubs, came together to pick and pack baseball and softball equipment for 1,300 kids across 8 different organizations/schools in Chicago. During three one-hour shifts, 40 volunteers overcame the Chicago heat to successfully pack over 3,000 pieces of equipment, totaling over $100,000 in equipment value! Volunteers picked, packed, and sorted equipment ranging from bats and catcher’s gear to apparel and cleats.
Organizations and schools supported:
Lost Boyz Inc
Near West Little League
Roseland Youth Center
Rosemoor Baseball
B.I.G. Baseball Academy
Noble Street College Prep
Gary Comer College Prep
Pritzker College Prep
We were lucky enough to have some representatives from the recipient organizations take part in the event. We welcomed Keronn Walker, from B.I.G Baseball Academy, Coach Lee Smith from Lost Boyz Inc., and Andrew Wetmore from Prtizker College Prep, to speak to the group about the impact of the donations, specifically how it would provide more opportunities for young people to try baseball and softball and get physically active!
The day was fun, exciting, and inspiring and is something we look forward to every year. The donations made to the recipient organizations will increase minutes of play per week, improve/expand programming and lower cost for participants. Sounds like a grand slam to us!
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