KANSAS CITY, MO. (March 25, 2020) – Today, the Kansas City Royals announced an important community initiative, “Royals Respond,” created to offer support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Led by staff throughout the front office, the effort will offer resources to the community, helpful information and entertaining content for those who miss baseball.

Fans are invited to visit royals.com/royalsrespond. The webpage will feature information from our partner, The University of Kansas Health System, on the virus and guidelines on hygiene and slowing the rate of transmission. The site will be updated as new information becomes available.

Additionally, Royals Charities has created the Royals Respond Fund to support Kansas City-area nonprofits who care for those affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Together with Royals players, the team’s ownership group, associates and Royals Charities Community Champions Price Chopper and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the fund will initially support the effort to fight hunger as a result of school closures and quarantines. It will evolve as needed to best serve the community.

Royals Charities has announced the first Royals Respond grants will be given to Harvesters, The Community Food Network, the Don Bosco Center’s Meals on Wheels program and Cross-Lines Community Outreach, Inc. Fans can donate now at royals.com/royalsrespond.

Initial features of the response included All-Star catcher Salvador Perez’s #StepUpToTheSink video encouraging fans to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame while washing their hands and a public service announcement from eight Royals players and manager Mike Matheny.

Last week, Harvesters, The Community Food Network, picked up perishable items donated by Royals partner ARAMARK from Kauffman Stadium, and this week, the Royals and ARAMARK delivered non-perishable items to the food pantry, almost 500 pounds of food total.

In the coming days, Royals Charities will partner with the Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City on the continued need for donating blood as a major part of the overall health care effort. Fans are encouraged to subscribe to Royals social media channels for continued messages from Royals players and coronavirus updates.