The Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation and outfielder ADAM JONES, and his wife, AUDIE, have jointly donated $150,000 to a variety of local nonprofit organizations. The donation includes $100,000 for Living Classrooms, $20,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore, $10,000 for Stocks in the Future, $10,000 for Harlem Lacrosse, $5,000 for Sharp Dressed Man, and $5,000 for Baltimore Urban Baseball Association. Prior to Saturday's game, an Orioles representative and Adam and Audie Jones will take part in a pregame check presentation with representatives of each of the charities.
The Orioles Charitable Foundation, along with the Jones family, have each donated a total of $225,000 to jointly-selected nonprofit organizations over the past six years, totaling more than $450,000 in funds to support a variety of local and regional initiatives in the Baltimore community, with $320,000 benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore.
"Adam and Audie Jones have always been strong supporters of underprivileged children in Baltimore and they have generously dedicated their time and resources to improving educational opportunities for youth throughout our city," said JOHN ANGELOS, Orioles Executive Vice President. "We are proud to partner with Adam and Audie again this year by matching their donation to several outstanding organizations that create meaningful change in our community."
"These incredible organizations are doing amazing work to empower Baltimore's youth, which has always been our top priority," said Jones. "Audie and I personally met with each of these groups and we were so inspired by their various missions. We know that educational opportunities are critical for inner-city children, and we are proud to support causes that will help these kids achieve academic success, develop financial literacy, and ultimately, pursue higher education."
The Baltimore-based nonprofit Living Classrooms will receive $90,000 to establish a scholarship fund for underprivileged youth. The additional $10,000 will help to provide school supplies for underserved schools locally. Living Classrooms serves more than 25,000 children and adults in the Baltimore area annually by providing hands-on education and job training using urban, natural, and maritime resources. With a special emphasis on serving students from high-risk environments, Living Classrooms provides after-school and supplemental education programs and health and wellness experiences.
In previous years, Jones has teamed up with the Orioles to donate more than $300,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore, funding the Youth of the Year Scholarship Awards and renovations to four Clubs locations in Baltimore. The $20,000 donation for 2018 helped to fund the Youth of the Year Scholarships, which were awarded in April.
Stocks in the Future (SIF), an organization that serves underperforming or at-risk middle school students in underserved communities, will receive $10,000. SIF's curriculum integrates business concepts and reinforces mathematics and language arts skills through an incentive model in which students accumulate earnings to make real-time stock purchases. The program encourages high academic achievement, financial literacy, and life skills. A portion of the $10,000 donation will be used to cover stock purchase dollars for approximately 100 students. The funds will also cover computer fees, website maintenance, teacher training, and the cost of books.
Harlem Lacrosse and its newly-formed boys program at James McHenry School in Baltimore will also receive $10,000 to continue coaching, encouraging, and motivating students with academic and behavioral challenges through lacrosse. The foundation believes that immersing students in activity and promoting confidence on the field directly leads to classroom accomplishments. Harlem Lacrosse launched in Baltimore in 2014 and serves more than 80 youth locally.
Founded in partnership between the Baltimore Fashion Alliance and the Living Classrooms Foundation, Sharp Dressed Man is dedicated to empowering men to improve their life through professional presentation by providing recycled suits and teaching interview skills to men actively engaged in workforce development programs in the Baltimore area. The organization will use the $5,000 donation to renovate their new location by installing flooring and purchasing supplies.
Baltimore Urban Baseball Association is a nonprofit organization that aims to rejuvenate baseball in the Baltimore region and enhance the lives of urban youth. Founded in 2016, the program organizes local former college and professional baseball players to teach, educate, and mentor young men in Baltimore by supporting and advancing their academic, athletic, and social development. BUBA will purchase new baseballs, gloves, training tools, and field maintenance equipment with the $5,000 donation.
Jones has been recognized for his extraordinary commitment to giving back to youth in Baltimore as the winner of the Brooks Robinson Community Service Award, the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, the Governor's Service Award, and the Oriole Way Award (three times), as well as being named the Orioles nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award (three times) and for the Heart and Hustle Award (six times). Jointly with the Orioles Charitable Foundation, Jones has donated more than $320,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore, funding Youth of the Year Scholarship Awards for eight children and renovations to four Club locations in Baltimore. Over the past five years, Jones has also raised more than $180,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs through his annual #StayHungry Purple Tailgate. Additionally, Jones recently donated $8,500 to the Mamie Johnson Little League team in Washington D.C. to help cover travel costs to the Little League World Series Regional Finals.