Tampa Bay Rays Award $100,000 to Local Nonprofits

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.-On Wednesday, June 10, the Tampa Bay Rays awarded a total of $100,000 to 20 local nonprofit organizations through the first cycle of the 2015 Community Fund Grant Program.

The nonprofit grant recipients were recognized during a luncheon at Tropicana Field. Guests had a chance to network with other charities and also participated in a question-and-answer session with Rays outfieldr David DeJesus and President Brian Auld.

The Rays Community Fund Grant Program provides assistance to local nonprofits in the Tampa Bay region. Grants averaging $5,000 are awarded to help support and enhance current programs offered by community-based nonprofit organizations. To date, the Community Grant Fund Program has awarded more than 208 grants to local charities totaling $1,072,500.

The Rays will award a second round of Community Fund Grants in September. Applications for those grants are available on raysbaseball.com/grants through August 1. 

The following 20 organizations and their corresponding programs will be supported by the Rays 2015 Community Fund Grant:  

Organization                                                                      Program

Bay Area Youth Services                                                     GED Assistance / Back to School Assistance

Bess the Book Bus, Inc.                                                      Exploring the World Cover to Cover

Blossom School Inc.                                                           Deaf Literacy Program

Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County                                 ATOSS - Alternative to Out of School Suspension

Brookwood Florida, Inc.                                                      School Clothing for At-Risk Teen Girls

Campbell Park Elementary School                                       Bridge-to-Success Summer Educational Camp

CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse)                              The Peacemaker Program

Children First, Inc.                                                               Scholarships

Children's Home Society of Florida                                      Earn to Learn

Daystar Life Center, Inc.                                                      Bridging the Gap

Edible Peace Patch Project, Inc.                                          Lealman Garden & Wellness Kitchen Project

Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting, Inc.                       Martha Speaks Reading Buddies Program Kits

Forty Carrots of Sarasota, Inc.                                             Community Outreach Parenting Program

Goodwill Industries - Suncoast, Inc.                                     BookWorks

Greater Palm River Point CDC                                              Brain Expansion Scholastic Training (B.E.S.T.)

Meals on Wheels Plus                                                         Hunger Prevention for Children in Need

Pasco-Hernando Community College Foundation                  Concept College Program

Polk Education Foundation and Business Partners, Inc.        Teacher to Teacher Connection

Redlands Christian Migrant Association, Inc.                         Leadership Academy