PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners announced their first in a series of community impact grants on Tuesday, totaling more than $1 million to organizations that promote racial justice and economic equity.

The Seattle Foundation received the first grant on Tuesday for $100,000, which will be used toward the newly-announced Fund for Inclusive Recovery, a program unveiled Tuesday that will address widening inequities in the Puget Sound community that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the grant, the Mariners will work with the Seattle Foundation to leverage existing partnerships and assets to broaden awareness and engagement in the Fund.

“The pandemic has exposed and deepened longstanding disparities in health and economic security based on race, income, and geography,” Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton said in a statement. “Through our partnership with the Seattle Foundation, and through our Community Impact Grant program, the Mariners are embracing our responsibility, and opportunity, to do more to help make our communities more equitable.”

The Fund for Inclusive Recovery is also supported by the Butler Community Foundation, Delta Dental, DOWL, Raikes Foundation and Umpqua Bank, in addition to the Mariners. So far, the fund has raised $6 million, with a goal of $50 million over the next five years. The fund will begin making grants this summer in the areas of housing, homelessness, education, mental health, food insecurity, criminal justice and more.

Tuesday’s announcement was the first of significance since the Mariners launched the $1 million community impact grant program last July as part of a broader commitment to invest in programs, organizations and partnerships focused on remedying historic inequities in health and economic security through policy advocacy and community-based initiatives. Additional grant recipients will be announced in the coming months.

The launch of the Fund for Inclusive Recovery coincided with the one-year anniversary of the Seattle Foundation’s COVID-19 response fund, which deployed more than $30 million to communities and organizations disproportionately affected by the pandemic. And the Fund for Inclusive Recovery aims to bring the region together to address the widening inequities placed on BIPOC community members.

The Fund is being led by a Community Advisory Group, consisting of a diverse cross-section group of leaders from communities most impacted, reflecting a range of perspectives and strategic expertise from across the region. This group will provide strategic guidance into program priorities and processes, as well as the Fund’s approach to impact assessment and accountability measures, ensuring that the Fund invests critical philanthropic dollars in the best way possible to reach its goal of a more equitable region.

“The COVID-19 pandemic made our region’s disparities impossible to ignore. This is a critical moment for our community, and it’s important we continue coming together to support those closest to the solutions. Inclusive recovery will require us all to reimagine a different future for Seattle, one that centers on those most impacted by the effects of COVID-19,” said Tony Mestres, president and CEO of the Seattle Foundation.

Meagan Murray named Centerplate GM at T-Mobile Park

On International Women’s Day, Centerplate -- the company that oversees hospitality and concessions at T-Mobile Park -- announced that it has promoted Meagan Murray to general manager for the ballpark. She is the first female to lead an MLB stadium in that role for Centerplate, the organization said.

Murray served as the ballpark’s director of operations. With more than 15 years in the industry, Murray has a wealth of experience in fine dining, special events, concessions and all levels of sports hospitality. Her team manages all general and premium services, branded franchise concepts and overall operational excellence.

“I am honored to be leading our Centerplate team at T-Mobile Park, and promise that we will continue to safely bring a high level of hospitality to fans and guests who come to enjoy a memorable experience with us,” Murray said in a statement.