PHILADELPHIA -- Back in 1998, the Phillies awarded $3,000 in grants per local charity through Phillies Charities. But Phillies Charities grew over time. They raised more money via auctions, memorabilia events and 50-50 raffles at Citizens Bank Park.
This week, the organization announced that it will award more than $885,000 in grants to non-profit organizations in the area. Thirty charities will each receive $20,000, with an additional $285,000 in grants awarded to Phillies community partners.
“These organizations are doing great work in the community,” Phillies Charities president John Weber said on Monday. “It’s always exciting when we figure out how much money we have [collected] through the auction we had in May, through the 50-50 and other auctions throughout the year. And what’s really great about the Phillies Charities board -- that it’s made up of the entire organization. Gameday employees. Jayme Hoskins and Kim Girardi are on the board. Lyn Montgomery and Sherry Clothier are on the board. It’s a great mix of the entire organization that gets to decide where this money goes.”
The Phillies will continue their fundraising efforts on Friday with their Mystery Bag Sale, featuring autographed items on sale at Citizens Bank Park.
Events scheduled next month include:
• The annual holiday meal prepared by members of the front office for residents at The Bethesda Project’s “Our Brother’s Place."
• The Phillies and Police Athletic League’s holiday party for children at the Ford PAL Center in South Philadelphia.
• A toy dropoff for children and healthcare professionals at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware.
• Phillies front office members participating in National Wreaths Across America Day, a wreath-laying ceremony to honor and remember fallen veterans.
“We want to make sure we’re staying as active as we can in the community,” Weber said.
In the past, Phillies Charities would host the grant recipients with a dinner at the ballpark, but because of COVID-19, recipients will attend a Phillies game early next season instead.
“It’s great because you get to meet the people and they’re able to tell you the impact that these grants have,” Weber said.
Each of these charities has a story and a purpose. Different people connect with different ones. Minding Your Mind is one of them. Its mission is to “provide mental health education to adolescents, teens and young adults, their parents, teachers and school administrators.” In doing so, their goal is to reduce “the stigma and destructive behaviors often associated with mental health issues.”
“Obviously with everything going on in the world the last two years, [it's] just a very, very important organization,” Weber said. “We’ve partnered with them in other ways as well.”
There are 29 other charities doing great work, too, of course.
Information on each of them can be found here.