SAN FRANCISCO -- As a leadoff batter, Denard Span knows that reaching base ranks among his top priorities. He can dictate a game's tone by establishing his team's offensive rhythm.
Span, the Giants outfielder, intends to create similar empowerment through his charitable efforts. And in American society, few possessions are more empowering than a car.
So through his eponymous foundation, which benefits single-parent families, Span intends to donate an automobile to the head of a household who particularly needs the wheels for day-to-day living.
Living near Tampa, Fla., Span was partly inspired by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn, who gave houses to the less fortunate. Span explained that he wanted his foundation, which has operated for three years, "to go in a different direction to make a bigger impact."
Span's endeavors have enriched the lives of numerous single parents. He shall forever be shaped by his experiences with his mother, Wanda Wilson, who raised him and his older brother, Ray, alone.
"Thankfully, we've been able to bless a good number of people during Thanksgiving and holiday seasons," said Span, 33. "God has blessed me with this platform, and the last thing I want to do is to let it go to waste."
Wasting time and energy is foreign to Span. For obvious reasons, the 10-year veteran waited until he had established himself in the Major Leagues to launch his foundation. But when the time was right, he selected a cause "near and dear to my heart," having seen what his mother endured.
With his wife, Anne, Span is diversifying his efforts by hosting a fundraising dinner on Dec. 14 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Said Span: "We're kind of relaunching our foundation so we can get it off the ground a little bit more and do bigger and better things in the community -- both here in Tampa, my hometown, and in San Francisco as well."
That will be the second-biggest event of the offseason for the Spans. On Oct. 4, Anne gave birth to the couple's first child, Denard James.
"It's been nothing but busy," Span said of the offseason. "But it's a good busy."