SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Cole Hamels hasn't added an inch to his 6-foot-4 frame, but his reach through The Hamels Foundation keeps extending its educational mission.
Hamels and his wife, Heidi, established their charity in 2009 while he was pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies. Six years later, The Hamels Foundation has provided more than $1 million in grants to Philadelphia area schools. Not surprisingly, The Hamels Foundation motto is, "Education is the Answer."
"It's the backbone of who you are as a person and the knowledge that you have which really gets you out of situations or can propel you to achieve your dreams," Hamels wrote on his foundation's website.
The charity's ambitions have grown over six years, too.
Its Namuda Primary School in Malawi, Africa is entering its second year. The construction of the campus is fully funded by The Hamels Foundation and will educate 640 students annually.
"If we're at least able to help get people to the starting point in that area, we feel like people can really go out there and better the world. Achieving their dreams is a little bit more than what they're able to do right now," Hamels said.
With Hamels now playing for the Texas Rangers, The Hamels Foundation made the first funding gift in Texas to the educational component of MLB's RBI facilities in Dallas.
The Hamels Foundation is also a lead funding partner of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) classrooms in Springfield, Miss., where the foundation's headquarters is located.
The Hamels Foundation plans its next fundraising event for April -- the 4th annual Handbag Happy Hour. It will raffle off an authentic Louis Vuitton purse and wallet to raise funds to continue to support education programs and projects. 
For Hamels and The Hamels Foundation, there is no question, "education is the answer."