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NEW YORK -- For the Yankees, giving back during the holidays is important, but it also represents just one extension of their year-long community spirit.
Embracing their influence and role, the Yankees again worked to help improve their city and its people in 2007, continuing numerous programs ranging from the front office down to foundations operated by players.
This month, Alex Rodriguez was among the most recent performers to put his star power to good use, hosting 85 youngsters in a baseball clinic at the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Miami.
Rodriguez spent countless hours on those Florida playing fields as a youth, and he has made a strong effort to continue giving back to the community that molded him. Now that he has agreed to the framework of a new 10-year contract with the Yankees, Rodriguez said that he feels it will be his responsibility to provide similar services in the Big Apple.
"With a long-term contract, you have the ability to get a chance to win long-term, state your legacy in a place, and more importantly get into the community," Rodriguez said. "You roll up your sleeves and get into the needs of New York City. I think that's a chapter that I haven't done so well that I need to improve on."
Rodriguez, who runs his A-Rod Family Foundation to positively impact families in distress by promoting quality of life, education and mental health, is just one of numerous Yankees already active in the community.
"It's important to the New York Yankees to continuously strive to be a productive, caring member of the local community," said Bryan Smith, the Yankees' vice president of corporate and community relations. "Through the clubs' dedication to neighborhood partners and development of outreach initiatives, the Yankees endeavor to make the surrounding community a better place for all its members."
In the Thanksgiving spirit, the Yankees -- along with Tishman Speyer and Turner Construction -- donated 300 $20 food vouchers to the local community, good for turkeys or other food at local supermarkets.
This year, Derek Jeter celebrated the 11th anniversary of his Turn 2 Foundation, hosting an event at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Since its launch in December 1996, Jeter's foundation has awarded more than $7 million in grants to create and support signature programs and activities that motivate young people to maintain healthy lifestyles.
Jeter originally hatched the idea during his rookie season, telling his father, Dr. Charles Jeter, that he was ready to have a foundation while dining on pizza in a Detroit hotel room. Founded with the idea of motivating children to stay away from drugs and alcohol, Jeter has been touched by numerous stories about its achievement and life impacts.
"It's really come a long way," Jeter said. "This is bigger and better than we ever imagined. It was a small family foundation, and it's grown. It's grown because of the support from not only the members up here, but the community in New York, in West Michigan and in Florida. It goes beyond anything we originally expected."
All-Star Jorge Posada received a coveted service acknowledgement in 2007, honored as the Yankees' recipient of the 2007 Roberto Clemente Award -- given annually to a player who combines outstanding skills on the baseball field with devoted work in the community.
Baseball's Giving Spirit 2007 | MLB in the Community
The catcher's Jorge Posada Foundation continued to make a difference in 2007, created seven years ago when Posada's son, Jorge Luis, was diagnosed with the Craniosynostosis 10 days after birth.
With his wife, Laura, by his side, Posada's foundation provides financial and emotional support to families with children affected by the condition. The organization partners with medical centers, helps underwrite costs of initial surgeries and encourages further research of the condition.
"When it's something so close to you and meaningful to you, I think it's important," Posada said. "This is something I've experienced. It's easier to really put a foundation together and really go after it, to try and help out.
"Your priorities do change when something like this happens," Posada continued. "You look at things that are right in front of you. You're able to see and experience the tough times before the operations and during them. The first one was really, really tough. Now we're a little bit used to it, so we try to help out the families and tell them what to expect."
Closer Mariano Rivera has also long been involved in charitable endeavors, both in the New York area and in his native Panama. The future Hall of Fame has helped open after-school programs in Panama City to give young people access to computers, and also helped to finance construction of a new elementary school and a new church building in Panama.
"Helping people is something I love to do, both here and in my country of Panama," Rivera said. "Being able to work with children is always a wonderful experience that I take great pride in."
Current events are also never far from the Yankees' hearts. This month, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera and Edwar Ramirez gathered to help present part of a $60,000 donation to assist in relief efforts for the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, which were ravaged by Tropical Storm Noel in late October.
With George Steinbrenner's blessing, the Yankees donated $1 million to a fund aiding the healing process at Virginia Tech University. The club also agreed to play an exhibition game at Virginia Tech in Spring Training 2008, honoring the memories of those lost in April's tragic campus shootings.
United States troops were also on the minds of numerous Yankees. During a June trip to Baltimore, several players visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., meeting with injured servicemen to gain perspective on their lives.
"These guys are going off to war, and they're not sure what life has in store for them," said Johnny Damon, who served his second year as a spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Project, a not-for-profit organization aimed at assisting United States armed forces personnel who have been severely injured fighting terrorism.
"A lot of guys don't come back, others have major injuries. They make that sacrifice for us to give us freedom. It's not just this war -- it's all the wars. Where would we be right now without them?"
As an organization, the Yankees made a Spring Training donation to the Wounded Warrior Project and showed spirit in a Military Appreciation Day on Aug. 18, hosting a flyover from two Navy fighter jets and a parachute exhibition into Yankee Stadium by the Army Golden Knights.
Keeping an eye on their home neighborhood and the fans who support them, the Yankees exhibited their continued support to numerous New York City area community-based organizations in 2007, aiming to help provide positive educational and recreational outlets for youths.
In sum, the Yankees contributed more than $1 million in the form of grants, tickets, promotional items and related areas to dozens of community partners, including the Montefiore Child Protection Center, New York City Parks and Recreation, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Sports Management Mentoring Program, the Youth Leadership Corp. and numerous other area groups.
With continued opportunities to assist and grow community partnerships in the near future, the Yankees have many reasons to give thanks this holiday season.
Embracing their influence and role, the Yankees again worked to help improve their city and its people in 2007, continuing numerous programs ranging from the front office down to foundations operated by players.
This month, Alex Rodriguez was among the most recent performers to put his star power to good use, hosting 85 youngsters in a baseball clinic at the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Miami.
Rodriguez spent countless hours on those Florida playing fields as a youth, and he has made a strong effort to continue giving back to the community that molded him. Now that he has agreed to the framework of a new 10-year contract with the Yankees, Rodriguez said that he feels it will be his responsibility to provide similar services in the Big Apple.
"With a long-term contract, you have the ability to get a chance to win long-term, state your legacy in a place, and more importantly get into the community," Rodriguez said. "You roll up your sleeves and get into the needs of New York City. I think that's a chapter that I haven't done so well that I need to improve on."
Rodriguez, who runs his A-Rod Family Foundation to positively impact families in distress by promoting quality of life, education and mental health, is just one of numerous Yankees already active in the community.
"It's important to the New York Yankees to continuously strive to be a productive, caring member of the local community," said Bryan Smith, the Yankees' vice president of corporate and community relations. "Through the clubs' dedication to neighborhood partners and development of outreach initiatives, the Yankees endeavor to make the surrounding community a better place for all its members."
In the Thanksgiving spirit, the Yankees -- along with Tishman Speyer and Turner Construction -- donated 300 $20 food vouchers to the local community, good for turkeys or other food at local supermarkets.
This year, Derek Jeter celebrated the 11th anniversary of his Turn 2 Foundation, hosting an event at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Since its launch in December 1996, Jeter's foundation has awarded more than $7 million in grants to create and support signature programs and activities that motivate young people to maintain healthy lifestyles.
Jeter originally hatched the idea during his rookie season, telling his father, Dr. Charles Jeter, that he was ready to have a foundation while dining on pizza in a Detroit hotel room. Founded with the idea of motivating children to stay away from drugs and alcohol, Jeter has been touched by numerous stories about its achievement and life impacts.
"It's really come a long way," Jeter said. "This is bigger and better than we ever imagined. It was a small family foundation, and it's grown. It's grown because of the support from not only the members up here, but the community in New York, in West Michigan and in Florida. It goes beyond anything we originally expected."
All-Star Jorge Posada received a coveted service acknowledgement in 2007, honored as the Yankees' recipient of the 2007 Roberto Clemente Award -- given annually to a player who combines outstanding skills on the baseball field with devoted work in the community.
Baseball's Giving Spirit 2007 | MLB in the Community
The catcher's Jorge Posada Foundation continued to make a difference in 2007, created seven years ago when Posada's son, Jorge Luis, was diagnosed with the Craniosynostosis 10 days after birth.
With his wife, Laura, by his side, Posada's foundation provides financial and emotional support to families with children affected by the condition. The organization partners with medical centers, helps underwrite costs of initial surgeries and encourages further research of the condition.
"When it's something so close to you and meaningful to you, I think it's important," Posada said. "This is something I've experienced. It's easier to really put a foundation together and really go after it, to try and help out.
"Your priorities do change when something like this happens," Posada continued. "You look at things that are right in front of you. You're able to see and experience the tough times before the operations and during them. The first one was really, really tough. Now we're a little bit used to it, so we try to help out the families and tell them what to expect."
Closer Mariano Rivera has also long been involved in charitable endeavors, both in the New York area and in his native Panama. The future Hall of Fame has helped open after-school programs in Panama City to give young people access to computers, and also helped to finance construction of a new elementary school and a new church building in Panama.
"Helping people is something I love to do, both here and in my country of Panama," Rivera said. "Being able to work with children is always a wonderful experience that I take great pride in."
Current events are also never far from the Yankees' hearts. This month, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera and Edwar Ramirez gathered to help present part of a $60,000 donation to assist in relief efforts for the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, which were ravaged by Tropical Storm Noel in late October.
With George Steinbrenner's blessing, the Yankees donated $1 million to a fund aiding the healing process at Virginia Tech University. The club also agreed to play an exhibition game at Virginia Tech in Spring Training 2008, honoring the memories of those lost in April's tragic campus shootings.
United States troops were also on the minds of numerous Yankees. During a June trip to Baltimore, several players visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., meeting with injured servicemen to gain perspective on their lives.
"These guys are going off to war, and they're not sure what life has in store for them," said Johnny Damon, who served his second year as a spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Project, a not-for-profit organization aimed at assisting United States armed forces personnel who have been severely injured fighting terrorism.
"A lot of guys don't come back, others have major injuries. They make that sacrifice for us to give us freedom. It's not just this war -- it's all the wars. Where would we be right now without them?"
As an organization, the Yankees made a Spring Training donation to the Wounded Warrior Project and showed spirit in a Military Appreciation Day on Aug. 18, hosting a flyover from two Navy fighter jets and a parachute exhibition into Yankee Stadium by the Army Golden Knights.
Keeping an eye on their home neighborhood and the fans who support them, the Yankees exhibited their continued support to numerous New York City area community-based organizations in 2007, aiming to help provide positive educational and recreational outlets for youths.
In sum, the Yankees contributed more than $1 million in the form of grants, tickets, promotional items and related areas to dozens of community partners, including the Montefiore Child Protection Center, New York City Parks and Recreation, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Sports Management Mentoring Program, the Youth Leadership Corp. and numerous other area groups.
With continued opportunities to assist and grow community partnerships in the near future, the Yankees have many reasons to give thanks this holiday season.
