LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers catcher Will Smith and his wife, Cara, have been busy over the last few weeks.
Earlier this month, the Smiths, along with Cedric the Entertainer, hosted a comedy show in partnership with Netflix, with the proceeds going to their Catching Hope Foundation. During that event, around $35,000 was raised during a live auction in between sets.
On Tuesday, the Smiths hosted a different type of event, one with great significance for Clifford Elementary School. The Smiths and the Dodgers hosted kids from the school at Dodger Stadium for an all-inclusive clinic featuring rotating stations with arts and crafts and Quick Ball. Discovery Cube was also on site, helping the kids in attendance better their understanding of the world of STEM through interactive activities.
“We just find it important,” Will said of his foundation. “The Dodgers have always put an emphasis on reaching out to the community and touching lives, and we think it’s important [to go] to schools and interact with the students and bring opportunities that you normally wouldn’t get.”
Clifford Elementary has become one of the main recipients of the Smiths' work in the community. In April, Will and Cara read to the kids at the school as part of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s joint literacy program, LA Reads.
After that event, Will invited the school and staff to his bobblehead night last Saturday. Then it was all capped off with Tuesday’s event at Dodger Stadium that included the kids being able to play baseball on the field.
“We’re promoting getting healthy, getting outside and just having fun,” Will said. “It’s just a fun day at Dodger Stadium for the kids and trying to give them a memory that they’ll probably remember for the rest of their lives.”
The Smiths started the Catching Hope Foundation a few years ago, and it has really taken off since. The purpose of the foundation is to bring community engagement, with a focus on promoting literacy, community building and physical fitness.
“It’s kind of what our foundation stands for, giving kids opportunities and experiences,” Cara said. “And what better than to come out to the field and enjoy a fun day? That’s what we’re here to do.”