Cardinals going to bat in Homers for Health

JUPITER, Fla. -- For the third straight year, every home run the Cardinals hit during the 2014 season will help raise money for the SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center in St. Louis through the Homers for Health program. The kickoff press conference was held after the Cardinals' 17-5 loss to the Tigers on Monday, and it was during the gathering that a new K's for Kids initiative was also announced.

The Homers for Health program, which has raised more than $1 million in two years, encourages fans to pledge a donation for every home run hit by the Cardinals in 2014. With the addition of K's for Kids, fans can also choose to make a pledge for every strikeout thrown by a St. Louis pitcher.

Matt Holliday and Allen Craig return as spokesmen for the program and have been joined by Adam Wainwright and Jason Motte in order to promote initiative.

"This year, strikeouts won't just get us out of jams," Motte said in a press release. "They will also help patients and families through some tough situations."

Added Holliday: "If Jason and Adam want to be a part of Homers for Health, that's great. It means more money is going to come in for Cardinal Glennon kids, and that's what we are all here for."

Holliday created this program in 2012 with his wife Leslee, who is a member of the Cardinal Glennon Board of Governors. With the funds raised so far, the hospital has been able to build a child-friendly Imaging and Diagnostic Center at the hospital, where children can get the lowest dose radiation, watch their favorite movie in the suite and select a colored theme for their room.

Fans can pledge as little as 25 cents for every home run and 5 cents for every strikeout. For more information on the program or to make a pledge, visit http://www.glennon.org/programs/homersforhealth.