Red Sox Charities

From SoSH

Latest News and Events

Update: April 25, 2008

Jason Varitek's Celebrity Putt Putt - The third annual Putt Putt will be held on June 9, 2008 at 7 pm at Ferncroft Country Club in Middleton to benefit Saints Medical Center in Lowell and the Celebrities For Charity Foundation. Held for the past two years in Medford's Flynn Rink, the event raises money for various local charity. Previous beneficiaries included Boston Children's Hospital.

Ortiz Jersey Raises $175,100 for Jimmy Fund - The jersey secretly buried in the concrete foundation of new Yankee Stadium by a Red Sox fan working on the construction crew sold at auction on eBay. Kevin Meehan of Mendon, Mass., president of imperialcars.com was the winning bidder in the auction, which ended April 24. The jersey attracted bids from 19 states. The New York Yankees dug up the jersey from underneath two feet of concrete April 12 after a tipster alerted the media to the prank. Yankees President Randy Levine arranged to donate the jersey to the Red Sox to benefit their official charity. Ryan Reardon (left) of Groveland, Mass., an 8-year-old cancer patient at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helped unveil the jersey prior to auction. The jersey will remain on display through May 18 at The Sports Museum at TD BankNorth Garden, which is open daily from 11 am to 5 pm.

"The Red Sox and Yankees are huge rivals on the field, but one thing they always do is unite in the fight against cancer," said Jimmy Fund chairman Mike Andrews. "This is my 30th year with the Jimmy Fund, and there is no question this is the most unique fundraising opportunity we've had during that time."

Update: January 30, 2008

Strikeouts for Troops - Curt Schilling and Manny Ramirez are active in this cause, founded by San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito. The organization aims to assist wounded American war veterans. Funds raised provide "comforts of home" to soldiers in military hospitals, cover travel expenses for family members, and provide holiday meals on Christmas and Thanksgiving for recovering veterans and their families. Entering its fourth year, the charity has also purchased gift cards, phone cards, and holiday presents for military children.

Wounded Warrior Project - This charity raise awareness and public support for the needs of severely injured service men and women, and provides unique programs and services to meet the needs of these heroes. On January 27, 2008, former Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon was honored by the New York Baseball Writers Association for his work with the organization, as reported by Globe reporter Gordon Edes:

Mets GM Omar Minaya and a veteran who had lost an arm in Iraq when his vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade jointly presented the award to Damon, who was visibly moved by the soldier's remarks. "Wow," he said, fighting back tears. "I'm not that emotional of a person. But for the freedoms we have, we all should pay more attention to gentlemen like Tony who go out there and fight for it...I'm going to try to keep spreading the word, to help these guys come home and help them to live normal lives."

Update: December 2, 2007

Doug Mirabelli's Winter Coat Drive - To help needy children in Massachusetts and his home state of Michigan stay warm, Doug asks that fans donate coats, hats, gloves, and mittens for kids up to age 18. Items can be dropped off at the Red Sox Ticket Office on Yawkey Way on weekdays between December 10 and December 19 from 10 AM to 4 PM.

Update: September 6, 2007

Augie's Quest - Augie Nieto, who founded Lifecycle and today serves as chairman of Octane Fitness, was diagnosed with ALS in March 2005. Curt Schilling asked SoSH founder Lanternjaw to post the following note on the main board, which we're also adding here to help get the word out:

"Please click this link and watch the short video (about 4 minutes) about ALS and Augie's Quest for a cure. A donor is giving Augie's Quest (affiliated with the MDA) $1 for everyone who watches it! Please pass this link on to friends so we can raise as many dollars as possible for this important ALS research plan."

Kevin Youkilis Hits For Kids - Kevin started this foundation in September 2007 along with his girlfriend Enza Sambataro to support other charities that help children in need. Among the causes Kevin and Enza will raise awareness of are The Italian Home for Children in Jamaica Plain, and Joslin Pediatric Health Services, which works to fight juvenile diabetes, a disease that afflicted Kevin's uncle. The first major fundraising event, Crackin' It Up, will be held November 10 at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. In 2006, Kevin started the "Lil' Youks" ticket program, inviting patients from The Home for Little Wanderers and the Massachusetts General Hospital Teen Oncology Support Group. He has also helped raise funds for Locks of Love and Canine Companions for Independence.

The Josh Beckett Foundation - The Sox' ace hurler founded this charity in 2007 to assist children in New England and his hometown of Spring, Texas, who are seriously ill, disabled, poor or otherwise disadvantaged. The first major fundraiser, the Beckett Bowl, was held September 13 at Town Line Ten-Pin in Malden. Proceeds from the celebrity bowling tournament will benefit Children's Hospital in Boston. MLB.com's Alex McPhillips has a great rundown of the event, which attracted dozens of Boston-area athletes and celebrities. Josh hopes the event will continue the tradition established by former Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who for five years hosted the Nomar Bowl at the same Malden venue and raised over $1 million for local charities. And while pitching for Los Angeles, Sox reliever Eric Gagne held the Eric Gagne Bowling Extravaganza to benefit the Dodger Dream Foundation.

Supported Charities and Programs

The Jimmy Fund - Since its founding in 1948, the Jimmy Fund has supported the fight against cancer in children and adults at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Originally a favored charity of the Boston Braves, Red Sox owners Thomas and Jean Yawkey made the Jimmy Fund the official charity of their team after the Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953. Here's a great article from 2002 on the Sox' involvement written by MLB.com's Ian Browne, and a thorough history of the team's connection can be found on the fund's site.

The Foundation To Be Named Later - Launched in Spring 2005 by Paul Epstein, a social worker in the Brookline Public School system, and his brother, Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein, with the mission of raising funds and awareness for non-profit agencies in the Greater Boston area serving disadvantaged youth. The principal beneficiaries of FTBNL are: BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), The Home for Little Wanderers, Horizons for Homeless Children, Molo Care, Roxbury Youthworks, Steps to Success, Treehouse Foundation and West End House Boys and Girls Club. The FTBNL is a branch of the Red Sox Foundation.

Red Sox Foundation - Established by the current Red Sox ownership group, it has been the primary funding source for the club’s philanthropy in several areas including The Jimmy Fund, the Red Sox Scholars, Community Athletic Programs and social service programs.

Hot Stove, Cool Music - Founded by baseball writers Peter Gammons and Jeff Horrigan, the event combining music with baseball has raised thousands for the Jimmy Fund and The Foundation To Be Named Later.

Curt's Pitch for ALS - Founded by Curt Schilling and his wife, Shonda, Curt's Pitch for ALS is a program aimed at raising awareness and funds for the fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Springing For A Cure - Prompted by Sox fans who wanted to welcome the Sox' new ace to the club in 2004, the Florida chapter of the ALS Association has held a dinner each spring training in Fort Myers since then to benefit Curt's Pitch for ALS. The organization also raises money through the sale of holiday cards.

The Angel Fund - Mike Timlin has actively supported this non-profit organization dedicated to supporting ALS investigations at the Cecil B. Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research at Massachusetts General Hospital. Mike and his wife, Dawn, hold several events annually including the Sharon Timlin Memorial 5k Run, named for Mike's mother who died in 2002 from complications of ALS.

The Shade Foundation - Founded by Curt and Shonda Schilling, its mission is to eradicate melanoma through the education of children and the community in the prevention and detection of skin cancer and the promotion of sun safety.

Gabe Kapler Foundation - Founded by Gabe and Lisa Kapler, the non-profit foundation is dedicated to stopping domestic violence. The goal is to empower victims of abuse to stop the violence perpetuated against them by giving them the tools to live self-sufficient, violence-free lives. The foundation also focuses on preventing those children living in abusive environments from becoming lifelong victims or from becoming future abusers.

The Jordan Fund - Founded in 2003 by former Sox player John Olerud and his wife Kelly to support special needs children and their families. It is named for their daughter Jordan, who was born in 2000 with a chromosome disorder.

Pitching In For Kids - Founded in 2004 by Boston business leaders Carol Troxell and Sara Youngelson, the nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing specifically earmarked grants designed to improve the lives of children across the New England region. Grant funds are raised through many sports-related events, including the annual All Star Celebrity Golf Tournament hosted by Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek that benefits the Franciscan Hospital for Children.

Tim Wakefield Celebrity Golf Classic - This annual winter event hosted by Tim and his wife Stacy benefits the Space Coast Early Intervention Center in Tim's hometown of Melbourne, Florida. The SCEIC is a pre-school and therapeutic center for families and children with Down syndrome, William's syndrome, Rhett's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, P-4 Deletion syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Delays, and Apert Syndrome as well as children with visual, speech and hearing delays. This winter's event is set for January 26-27, 2007.

American Red Cross - Since 2002, the Sox have held an annual blood drive at Fenway Park on September 11. In 2003, the Sox began honoring a blood donor before each home game, with the exception of opening day. Sox players such as Trot Nixon have donated their time and effort to support the event.

Red Sox Mentoring Challenge - The Sox have teamed up with ex-Celtics great Bill Russell to help out the Massachusetts Mentoring Partnership. The organization has identified more than 10,000 children in the state in need of adult guidance and support and is looking for volunteers to step up to the plate. A special brunch will be held at Fenway on November 5 to recognize mentors recruited through the challenge.

The Lester Project - Following the news on 9/1/06 that rookie pitcher Jon Lester had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a group of steudents/Sox fans from Boston College, Northeastern University, Emmanuel College and Fisher College launched this fundraising effort. They've created silicone awareness bracelets similar to those spawned by Lance Armstrong's "LiveStrong" campaign, and all net proceeds will go to the Jimmy Fund in Jon's name.

Neurofibromatosis Foundation of New England - Dwight Evans and his wife Susan have long been active supporters of this cause. Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves. In the early 1980's their son Timothy was diagnosed with the malady and underwent a series of surgeries. In July 2006, Dwight and Susan co-chaired a golf fundraiser at The International in Bolton, MA. Among the many prominent New England athletes to participate was former Sox slugger and current NESN analyst Jim Rice.

Child Haven - Fred Lynn has helped raised thousands of dollars for this shelter in Las Vegas that provides temporary care and treatment for abused, neglected and abandoned children from southern Nevada. Proceeds from memorabilia sold on FredLynn.net, a web site run by Sox fan Todd Farino and endorsed by Fred, support the purchase of new sports equipment for the shelter.

Mike Lowell Foundation - It wasn't long after he was traded from the Yankees to the Florida Marlins in 1999 that Mike Lowell was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He underwent radiation treatments and eventually returned to the game. To increase the visibility of the fight against cancer, Mike started the foundation to enhance the resources available to cancer patients and their families. While with the Marlins, the foundation promoted numerous events including Mike's Hit it Big Weekend, held each December and featuring The Grand Slam Casino and Mike Lowell's Celebrity Golf Classic.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston - Major League Baseball launched a new campaign in 2006 to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of these organizations, which have been MLB's official charity since 1997. David Ortiz has been front and center, hosting a celebrity mixer bartending event in June and Big Papi's Power Hitting Clinic for Kids in July. David also starred in a promo spot for the charities (click to view} along with 10 Boston-area kids at Fenway in May. Read more about the filming here. Papi has put his 50th HR ball up for auction with proceeds to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Plaza de la Salud Hospital de Niños in his native Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Canine Companions for Independence - This non-profit raises money to place service dogs that aid the disabled with various tasks such as retrieving items and opening doors. It also provides training for the dogs and their owners. For the past several years CCI has sold "Pups In The Park" calendars with photos of players posing with the companion pups and some of their owners. The calendars, which run from April to March, include the Sox' schedule. Volunteers Pat Canavan and Judy Tucker have sold them outside Fenway Park, raising about $60,000 in each of the last three years. For information on purchasing a 2007 calendar, contact the Northeast chapter of CCI at 800-572-BARK or email Judy Tucker.

Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities - Established in 1989 for boys in South Central Los Angeles, this Major League Baseball program now serves more than 120,000 teenagers in over 200 cities worldwide. RBI is the brainchild of John Young, a former major league player and scout and a South Central L.A. native. By coupling a renewed interest in baseball with individual achievement in schools and communities, the program has successfully routed hundreds of thousands of youths from the ills of gangs, drugs and violence. Sox outfielder Coco Crisp is among the current major leaguers who benefited from the RBI program. Former Sox slugger Jim Rice has donated countless hours to the cause. In recognition of his efforts, Jim Rice Field in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood was dedicated in his honor in 1999. About $700,000 in funds were raised at the 1999 Home Run Derby, part of the 1999 MLB All-Star Game festivities at Fenway Park. That money went toward construction costs of the field, located at David L. Ramsay Park between Washington Street and Shawmut Avenue.

MR24 Foundation - Recently established by Sox slugger Manny Ramirez, the charity aims to assist causes in Florida, New York and Boston. One such beneficiary is the CHARLEE Program, which helps severely abused and neglected children in the foster care system of Miami-Dade County. CHARLEE (Children Have All Rights: Legal, Educational, Emotional) now cares for over 1,000 children by providing residential, therapeutic, and adoption services.

Good Sports - To lay the foundation for healthy, active lifestyles among disadvantaged youth in Boston, this charity partners with sporting goods manufacturers to distribute sports equipment, footwear, and apparel to community organizations serving over 50,000 youngsters. More than three-quarters are minority youth between the ages of 8 and 16. Members of the Good Sports board of advisors include Red Sox VP of Player Personnel Ben Cherington, his wife and Boston TV sports anchor Wendy Nix, and NESN Red Sox studio host Tom Caron.

Massachusetts Teachers Association - The team has expanded its partnership with the MTA in 2007 to establish the Most Valuable Educator program, which gives high school students the chance to write essays nominating teachers and other educators for recognition. The essays are judged by Red Sox representatives on the merit of their accomplishments, as outlined by the students. The winning educators and the students who nominate them receive tickets to games at Fenway Park.

Reading Matters - Another Sox-MTA collaboration is the Red Sox Reading Game, which encourages students in kindergarten through 8th grade to read nine books over the summer - one for each position on the baseball field. The Red Sox are entering their seventh straight year with the program in 2007, and participating students will again be entered into a drawing to attend a game at Fenway in late summer. Sox captain Jason Varitek serves as spokesman for the program; his public service video can be seen here, and he also appears in a poster campaign (click here to download a PDF).

The Agganis Foundation - Harry Agganis established a scholarship fund just prior to his tragic death at age 26 in the midst of his second season with the Red Sox. To continue and build upon his efforts, the Agganis Foundation was established in 1956 by the Red Sox, The (Lynn) Daily Item newspaper and Harold O. Zimman, who was a mentor of Harry. Elmo Benedetto, then the athletic director for the Lynn Public Schools, also joined the board of directors. Through 2007, the Foundation has awarded $1,187,525 in scholarships to 780 student-athletes from throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Each year, 15 new four-year, $4,000 scholarships are presented. Through the generosity of the Yawkey Foundation, there are four scholarships earmarked to students in Boston schools each year. The foundation also sponsors the Agganis All-Star Classics, a series of high school all-star games. The football classic, first organized by Benedetto, has been played annually since 1956 with the exception of 1960-64, and the 50th Anniversary Classic will be played in the summer of 2010. Other Classics have since been added for baseball (1995), men's and women's soccer (1996), softball (1997) and men's and women's basketball (2005).