T E A M M AT E S I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y

Transcription

1 T E A M M AT E S I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y

2

3 The Mets responsibility to give back to the community is driven by Ownership s topdown philosophy of Doing Well While Doing Good to leverage the appeal of and interest in the Mets to positively impact organizations and individuals through platforms, programs, and initiatives. The Mets take great pride in our ongoing commitment to the social, cultural and educational needs of the metropolitan area. Through appearances by players, executives, staff and the use of human and financial resources, the Mets assist many facets of the community schools, libraries, hospitals, museums, and youth baseball leagues, to name just a few. The combined effort of our entire organization, volunteers within the community, and the generosity of Mets sponsors and partners accelerate current significant commitments to the community with new resources to develop and launch outreach platforms and programs in and beyond New York City.

4 Education The Mets support and initiate various educational programs and events, providing the inspiration, influence and resources to empower students of all ages.

5 JACKIE ROBINSON FOUNDATION As part of a landmark partnership, the Mets and Citi have teamed up to build upon the Mets' longstanding relationship with the Jackie Robinson Foundation. This three-way partnership will directly support the Jackie Robinson Foundation's education and leadership development program, which provides extensive mentoring and scholarships for college students who exemplify Jackie's humanitarian ideals and standard of excellence. Ten years ago, as a lasting tribute to Robinson, the Mets established an endowed scholarship with the Foundation, which are created in perpetuity to assist promising students in reaching their goals through a college education. STUDENT ATHLETE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE SERIES The Mets/Sharp Electronics Student Athlete Leadership Conference Series trains more than 1,200 student-athletes from 40 high schools on Long Island to promote positive activities such as sports when delivering drug and alcohol abuse prevention programming to grade school children. Based at Molloy College on Long Island, the workshops prepare the Student Athlete Leaders for their ongoing visits with fifth graders in their school districts. 3

6 SCHOOL IS AMAZING School is Amazing, a middle school initiative presented by health insurer Emblem and supported by the NYC Department of Education, reinforces the benefits of education and attendance and provides students the opportunity to express what they most enjoy about their schools. A eries of player appearances are scheduled to reward academic excellence or improvement. POWER LUNCH The Everybody Wins! Foundation is a leading non-profit literacy and mentoring organization, pairing caring adult volunteers with children in elementary schools for weekly reading and conversation. For the past eight years, Mets employees have teamed with fourth and fifth graders at PS 92 in Corona, Queens, to share lunch and a good book throughout the school year. 4

7 Helping Hands The Mets are fortunate to be in the position to positively influence so many facets of our community and enthusiastically embrace that responsibility.

8 HOLIDAY PARTY The Mets annual Holiday Party for Kids took a road trip this December, moving to the Citi office tower in Long Island City, Queens, while the finishing touches were being put on Citi Field. But the spirit remained the same as local school children were treated to lunch before being introduced to Mike Santa Pelfrey, John Maine, Jerry Manuel, and new Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez. The afternoon finished with a flourish as each class performed a holiday favorite for all in attendance. LET S GO KIDS! HealthPlus takes children out to the ballgame through their "Let's Go Kids!" ticket program. Youth organizations invited to Shea Stadium as guests of HealthPlus receive Mets caps, and a select few get the chance to step on the field before a game to meet a Mets player. 6

9 BLOOD DRIVE Due to the move out of Shea Stadium and ongoing construction at Citi Field, the Mets postponed their annual winter blood drive but will host their first at Citi Field this summer. The Mets have collaborated for 16 years with the New York Blood Center, including a record of 0ver 250 pints of blood in SPORTS WRAP Rock and Wrap It Up (RWU) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the alleviation of hunger. Their Sports Wrap program is coordinated with the Mets and Aramark Corporation. Food that has been prepared but not sold is recovered after each home game, picked up at the stadium by RWU and delivered to area shelters. WINTER WARM-UP HOLIDAY COAT DRIVE 7 The move out of Shea Stadium and ongoing construction at Citi Field prevented the Mets from hosting a 2008 coat drive but Mike Pelfrey and John Maine showed their support for the city-wide effort coordinated by NY Cares by stopping by the 13th precinct of the NYPD. Throughout the month of December, coats can be donated at any NYPD precinct.

10 Recreation The Mets host events that are fun for those who participate and promote the value of exercise, athletics and competition for children and adults.

11 MAJOR LEAGUE WHEELCHAIR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT The United Spinal Mets, a Division I wheelchair softball team sponsored by the United Spinal Association and the Mets in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, hosts baseball s only Major League Wheelchair Softball Tournament every September in the parking lot of Shea Stadium. Teams that participate are affiliated with a Major League franchise Magee Phillies, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, RIC Cubs, Vaughn White Sox, NEPVA Red Sox, Courage Rolling Twins and the Oakland A s. MR. MET DASH After select home games, children ages 12 and under head to the field to run the bases. Mr. Met is stationed on the field to cheer on the participants as they take the same route as their favorite Mets players. 9

12 Youth Baseball Teamwork, fitness, leadership and the joy of playing baseball and softball are promoted by the Mets through initiatives that reach thousands of young people.

13 GREATER NEW YORK SANDLOT ATHLETIC ALLIANCE The Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance (GNYSAA) is Serving New York City Children Through Baseball as an umbrella organization to several metropolitan amateur baseball groups representing 20,000 young people and 1,100 teams each year. The Mets host the GNYSAA s annual All-Star Games for and year old player divisions and provide financial support to citywide tournaments and programs of member organizations. POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE The Mets and the Police Athletic League (PAL) have been partners since 1983 in bringing baseball to thousands of New York City youngsters. In addition to financial support for the Mets Rookie League, which includes 4,800 boys and girls, the Mets host an annual PAL All-Star Day and donate thousands of tickets to the PAL s summer Playstreet Program. 11

14 EQUIPMENT COLLECTION DRIVE To support the growth of youth baseball and softball, the Mets have teamed up with the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF), a joint initiative of MLB and the MLB Players Association, to organize an equipment collection drive at Shea Stadium. Bats, gloves, baseballs and catcher s gear are collected for distribution to area youth baseball groups. The BTF contributes a grant of $5,000 to go toward the purchase of additional equipment. YMCA JR. METS The YMCA Jr. Mets, a partnership of the Mets Foundation and the National Grid Foundation, is an eight-week instructional program in Queens and Brooklyn that emphasizes the importance of having fun, developing athletic and social skills and building confidence in kids ages The Mets provide members with baseball caps and tickets to a Mets game. YOUTH BASEBALL WEEKENDS The Mets celebrate organized youth baseball and softball programs by coordinating Youth Baseball Days at Shea throughout the season. Boys and girls can experience the thrill of walking around the warning track before enjoying the game with their teammates. AQUAFINA MLB PITCH, HIT & RUN Aquafina MLB Pitch, Hit & Run is a free skills competition that provides boys and girls ages 7-14 the opportunity to showcase their pitching, hitting and running abilities. Winners advance through four levels of competition, including Team Championship events at all 30 Major League ballparks and the National Finals at the MLB All-Star Game. 12

15 13 HARLEM RBI Harlem RBI is a community-based youth development program in East Harlem which provides year-round academic enrichment and sports programs to over 650 kids ages Carlos Beltran is the Honorary Commissioner of Harlem RBI, and with the partnership of the Mets Foundation, has donated $170,000 to the organization since The Mets Foundation matched his donation for the past two years, adding another $112,000 to the cause.

16 Fundraising The Mets are committed to improving the lives of those in need and provide financial and in-kind support to organizations throughout the area.

17 WELCOME HOME DINNER The Mets Annual Welcome Home Dinner celebrates the return of the team to New York for another baseball season. Attended by the entire organization, the evening includes a fundraising auction and raffle, and an autograph session with the players concludes the festivities. This year s gala, scheduled for April 14 at the Hilton New York, will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the North Shore LIJ Health System Katz Women's Hospital/Women's Health Institute. 15

18 Partnerships The Mets provide various levels of support for many non-profit organizations, five of which are highlighted on these pages. party tent and exclusive left field bleachers of the picnic area to raise funds and awareness for worthwhile causes. These events are held in the The Starlight Starbright Children s Foundation provides innovative programs and services that entertain, educate, inspire and help restore some of the laughter and happiness that illness takes away from children. Their Starlight Starbright Night at Shea has raised over $700,000 the last six years for the NY*NJ*CT chapter. The Aramark Corporation generously donates the catering. 16 A Night to Believe has passed the $1 million mark in 2008 for Project A.L.S., an organization renowned for its outstanding leadership in finding and funding treatments and a cure for Lou Gehrig s disease. As a thank-you to a theatre and film community that so loyally embraces the Project A.L.S. mission, the Mets host a celebrity batting practice session earlier in the day before staging a pre-game ceremony, National Anthem and ceremonial first pitch that provide additional support to the cause.

19 Since the Mets and the City Parks Foundation joined forces in 1999 for their first Summer At Shea picnic area benefit, the event has raised $1.65 million for the hundreds of free arts, sports and education programs the Foundation brings to 700 parks and 600,000 children and adults across New York City s five boroughs each year. The Mets have served as the Official Starter for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation s Fall Walk recruitment campaign. In just four years, Bring Home the Cure has generated over $1 million toward finding a cure for diabetes by motivating walk participants to register online and set their monetary goals, prerequisites to obtaining a ticket to this special evening Autism Awareness Day at Shea began five years ago under the direction of the Queens-based QSAC (Quality Services for the Autism Community) and has grown to include support from The Alpine Learning Group, The New York Child Learning Institute, The New York Center for Autism and Autism Speaks. The event raised close to $1 million in 2007 to fund educational, treatment and outreach programs. 17

20 Mets Foundation The Mets Foundation funds and promotes a variety of charitable causes, including educational, social and athletic programs for the young people of our community. Founded in 1963, it continues its mission to invest in the future of our community and provide assistance to myriad organizations that benefit children and support other worthy charitable causes. A registered 501c3 charity, the Mets Foundation takes no portion of the funds raised to offset internal costs. Every dollar of net receipts granted to the Foundation is directed to accomplishing its mission. The Mets Foundation partners with the individual causes and foundations of Mets players during the season. The 2nd annual Mets Foundation Teammates in the Community charity fundraiser was held last June at Richards in Greenwich, CT. More than $575,000 was raised, which was distributed by the Mets Foundation to a variety of worthy causes selected by Mets ownership and those who participated in the event s live auction. Among the special guests were Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, John Maine, Mike Pelfrey, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana, Brian Schneider, Tom Seaver, Rusty Staub, Darryl Strawberry and David Wright. The Mets Foundation matched the personal fundraising efforts of Beltran and Delgado throughout the season -- $500 donation for a total contribution of $1,000 to Harlem RBI for each of Beltran s RBI and $100,000 to match Delgado s donation to his own Foundation, Extra Bases. 18

21 TEAMMETS TeamMets is an initiative designed to bring attention to how people can volunteer in their communities. The ownership, front office, players and staff of the Mets will show their TeamMets spirit by making community service appearances throughout the year in support of this program meant to inspire and encourage our fans to consider their own commitment to volunteerism. There are many levels of volunteerism, whether it's a visit to your local senior center, library or elementary school or joining one of the many non-profit service organizations located in New York City. To find out more about the variety of ways in which you can serve, contact The Mayor's Volunteer Center of New York City by logging onto nyc.gov/volunteer or by calling 311 or 212-NEW-YORK. 19

22 C H A R I T Y B E G I N S AT H O M E B E C O M E O U R T E A M M AT E

23

24 New York Mets Citi Field Flushing, NY