Buses for Baseball motors into Houston

HOUSTON -- Prior to this evening's game at Minute Maid Park, Astros players Jason Castro, Jed Lowrie and Wesley Wright will provide everlasting memories to a group of 50 children from the CAN DO Prevention Program of Volunteers of America-Texas, as the Major League Baseball Players Trust's Buses for Baseball program motors into Houston.

Courtesy of the Players Trust, the students will receive round-trip transportation to the game, meet the players and receive free tickets, food, beverages and souvenirs.

This season, Buses for Baseball will provide transportation and personal greetings for more than 750 underprivileged children attending Major League Baseball games as invited guests of their big league heroes. Buses for Baseball will provide many of the children with their first chance to attend a Major League Baseball game.

The Players Trust enjoys support from the Houston Astros organization in providing this unique, up close and personal opportunity to share the thrill of Major League Baseball with those less fortunate.

The CAN DO program works extensively with high risk school children ages 5-12 by using the Kids Connection curriculum designed and developed to help nurture strengths, develop self-esteem and help children make healthy choices. The goal of the CAN DO program is to provide community-based, comprehensive and coordinated activities to increase the students' life skills reduce school dropouts and prevent the involvement of youth in gangs, tobacco, drug use and other illegal activities in Houston and surrounding communities.

To watch a brief video featuring the Buses for Baseball program, please visit the Players Trust Channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/MLBPlayersTrust.

Follow the Players Trust on Twitter: @MLBPlayersTrust