Mets Community Insider

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation donated a record-high 8,754 turkeys to New Yorkers in need as part of the 11th annual MetsGiving Turkey Giveaway, presented by Stop & Shop with help from your local Toyota dealers. Twenty-five community organizations received turkeys to support their Thanksgiving meal programs.

New York Mets infielder, Mark Vientos, and Mets starting pitcher, Sean Manaea, joined Mr. and Mrs. Met and the Mets’ front office staff to distribute the turkeys at various locations across New York City on November 21.

Toyota’s generous transportation support made it possible for volunteers to assist with distributions in the five boroughs: Queensborough Community College in Queens (which additionally received Thanksgiving staples donated by Stop & Shop), West Side Campaign Against Hunger in Manhattan, New York Common Pantry in the Bronx, Project Hospitality in Staten Island, and City Harvest in Brooklyn. Individuals receiving turkeys at these distribution sites were given a voucher for tickets to select Mets home games in 2026.

On November 13, the Mets, in partnership with the Amazin’ Mets Foundation, hosted their annual MetsGiving Food Drive benefiting City Harvest at Citi Field.

Individuals who donated at least 10 non-perishable items received one voucher redeemable for two tickets to select Monday – Thursday Mets home games in 2026. The Mets Team Store also offered a 20% discount to those who donated.

Mr. and Mrs. Met stopped by to help collect a record 17,475 pounds of food, which will help feed over 5,800 New Yorkers. City Harvest will distribute the food collected throughout the holiday season.

City Harvest is New York City’s first and largest food rescue organization. This year, City Harvest will rescue more than 86 million pounds of nutritious, high-quality food that would otherwise go to waste and deliver it, for free, to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens and community partners across the five boroughs.

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation hosted 40 local baseball and softball teams at the Mets Academy in the Dominican Republic during the first week of November. In collaboration with grantee partner Pitch In For Baseball & Softball, the Foundation’s Sandlot Stars program provided brand new equipment to all 40 teams. In addition, nearly 100 young athletes had the unique opportunity to work with the academy players and coaches during a Junior Mets clinic, focusing on skills development in baseball and softball.

A special surprise visit by Mets outfielder, Juan Soto, made the day that much more memorable for the athletes.

Since 2021, the Foundation has provided brand new equipment, through the Sandlot Stars program, to more than 9,000 little leaguers in New York City, New Jersey, Long Island, Syracuse, Port St. Lucie, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. This program strives to introduce the game of baseball and softball to underserved youth while helping to develop skills and fundamentals for young athletes to foster a love for the game and create a pathway for the future of the sport.

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation and grantee GrowNYC teamed up for Eat Smart with the Mets, a nutrition education initiative. This includes GrowNYC’s Seed to Plate curriculum, which promotes healthy eating habits and provides young students with foundational knowledge about nutrition and sustainability.

In November, participating students from PS277Q visited a local chicken coop as they dove into Lesson 7: Sustainable vs. Industrial Farming. This lesson explored what it means to farm responsibly and care for animals. In addition to touring the chicken coup, students fed chickens, checked nesting boxes for eggs, conducted a predator check, and participated in fun hands-on art and games.

In 2025, Eat Smart with the Mets reached more than 1,700 students across Brooklyn and Queens.