The Cincinnati Reds are committed to utilizing our platform to spotlight resources that help our communities. Each month we will highlight a cause or topic and partners working to benefit our community in that area.
Unity in the Community
The Cincinnati Reds are committed to promoting positive initiatives in our community and for fans throughout Reds Country. Below you will learn more about efforts by Reds players and other activities the organization is a part of to help our communities and bring everyone in Reds Country together.
REDS COUNTRY CARES
MLB Together – Venezuela Earthquakes Response
After the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, the American Red Cross has set up a dedicated Venezuela fund to support the international Federation and the Venezuelan Red Cross on the ground.
Initial estimates indicate over 1,400 lives have been lost, and more than 300,000 people have been impacted by these deadly earthquakes including tens of thousands of individuals that are still missing.
MLB and the Reds are partnering with the American Red Cross to help people affected by the Venezuela Earthquakes.
If you would like to help those affected, your donation will enable the Red Cross and its international partners in Venezuela provide supplies, meals, and shelter for families who have been displaced.
To donate, please visit redcross.org/MLB.
Reds Families Fundraiser
The Cincinnati Reds Players’ Wives & Families, in partnership with the Cleveland Guardians Players’ Wives & Families, are coming together again this season to support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children), an organization dedicated to advocating for children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect. In 2025, these efforts generated a combined $18,500, with Reds families contributing $11,000 toward supporting CASA and the vital work they do to provide children with a voice in the courtroom and the opportunity for safe, permanent homes.
On Monday, July 27 at 10 a.m. at the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy in Roselawn, the wives, significant others and families of Reds and Guardians players will face off in a charitable softball game. The goal is to raise awareness and funds to support the following organizations:
- CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) and their mission of advocating for children in the foster care system.
- Reds Community Fund is dedicated to growing the game and improving the lives of underserved youth across Reds
The event offers fans a unique opportunity to enjoy a fun, family-friendly competition while supporting organizations committed to strengthening communities and improving the lives of children.
Event Information:
- $20 admission for adults (ages 13 and older)
- Free admission for children (ages 12 and under)
- For each ticket sold, $10 will benefit CASA and $10 will benefit the Reds Community Fund
- Warmups will begin at 10 a.m. and first pitch is at 10:30 a.m.
Earlier this summer, the Reds Wives hosted a special sale of player autographed items during the June 15 & 16 Reds home games vs. the New York Mets. And on August 1, a pregame, on-field ceremony will take place with representatives from CASA featuring a check presentation from this season’s fundraising efforts.
New this season, Reds Fan Clubs are getting in on the initiative! Through the end of July, fans have three unique opportunities to support the CASA fundraiser via Reds Fan Clubs:
- Purchase a Reds Heads or Reds Rookies membership and $5 from each sale will be donated to CASA
- Donate a membership directly for CASA
- Purchase a Reds Heads or Reds Rookies membership and $5 from each sale will be donated to CASA and donate a membership for CASA
Click below to purchase or donate a Reds Fan Clubs membership for a great cause!
NEWS AND EVENTS
Reds Host Annual Johnny Bench Awards
The winners of the 2026 Johnny Bench Awards presented by MSA Sport gathered at Great American Ball Park on July 7 to be recognized for their catching achievements.
The Johnny Bench Awards honor the top Division I college baseball and softball catcher and the top high school baseball and softball catchers from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia.
All 10 winners were able to attend this year’s ceremony and were joined by their family, friends and coaches for a luncheon at Great American Ball Park. Additionally, notable attendees included: the Hall of Fame catcher himself, Johnny Bench; Reds president and chief executive officer Phil Castellini; Reds catchers Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino; Reds catching coach Bill Haselman and Reds bullpen catcher James Keller; and Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs. In town for this week’s series against the Reds, Stubbs won the Johnny Bench Award in 2015 when he played for University of Southern California.
Abbott, Ashcraft Visit Camp Joy
Reds pitchers Andrew Abbott and Graham Ashcraft went fishing with children battling heart disease at Camp Joyful Hearts on June 23.
Hosted at Camp Joy in Clarksville, Ohio, Camp Joyful Hearts is a weeklong camp for kids from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital who have congenital heart defects, heart transplants and other types of heart disease. Abbott and Ashcraft were welcomed by kids as they helped campers set up their fishing poles and demonstrated how to cast and reel.
“It’s always great to see the smiles on their faces and get to enjoy that time with them,” Ashcraft said.
Pitch, Hit & Run
The Reds and Reds Community Fund invited hundreds of young fans for an official Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition at the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy to celebrate MLB PLAY BALL Weekend on June 7.
The competition offered children, aged 7 to 14, the opportunity to participate in hitting, pitching and running stations to showcase their baseball and softball skills.
Reds Players Visit Children’s Hospital
On April 29, TJ Friedl, Rhett Lowder, Dane Myers and Jose Trevino stopped by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
The players spent time with patients inside the hospital’s Seacrest Studios where they held a Q&A, played games, signed autographs and posed for photos. They even made a special visit to the ICU so they could meet a big Reds fan who was unable to make it to the studio.
Reds Host Second Annual “Peanut Butter Jam” Food Drive
The Cincinnati Reds and the Hope Emergency Program food bank teamed up for the second annual “Peanut Butter Jam” food drive on, April 26 at Great American Ball Park.
For each 16-oz jar of peanut butter donated, fans received one free View Level ticket to an upcoming Reds home game.
Last year’s inaugural “Peanut Butter Jam” collected over 600 jars. This year, Reds Country really stepped up, donating more than 3,600 jars.
“These fans have always been amazing. But what they are doing to help us in the community is even more special,” Reds President & CEO Phil Castellini said to WLWT. “We are stewards of a community asset, and our fans all over Reds Country are the ones that own this team, and they make it tick.”
Peanut butter is one of the most requested items at many food pantries because it is a shelf-stable, protein-rich food that has a variety of uses and is popular with people of all ages.
The “Peanut Butter Jam” supports Realizing the Dream, a five-year community service initiative designed to inspire youth, educators, and communities to complete 100 million hours of service by 2029, honoring the 100th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth.
Reds, St. Elizabeth Healthcare Unveil Newest Field Renovation
On a perfect spring day in Versailles, Ind., South Ripley High School officially unveiled the first Reds Community Fund major field renovation in Indiana: Forest G. Waters Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park.
Twenty years into the Castellini ownership era of the Reds and more than 30 major field projects later, the Reds and Reds Community Fund -- in partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare for the fourth time -- reached another part of Reds Country with their baseball and softball field renovation efforts. This year’s beneficiary of an upgraded facility was South Ripley, with the official ribbon cutting taking place on Apri 22.
2026 COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AWARD WINNERS
Each year, PNC and the Reds present a series of Community Advocate Awards to members of our community who make a positive impact in promoting diversity and inclusion.
Please join PNC and the Reds in congratulating the 2026 Community Advocate winners below.
June 14: African American Community – Barbara A. Turner
Throughout her corporate career and community leadership, Barbara Turner has been guided by the belief that everyone — particularly women and individuals from under-resourced communities — deserves access to the tools and opportunities that support financial stability and long-term independence. Through her organization BT RISE, Barbara has invested more than $1.7 million in grants, scholarships, leadership development and entrepreneurship initiatives that empower women and under-resourced communities
June 1: Jewish Community – Jimmy Miller and Corky Steiner
*Award presented posthumously
An engaged and impactful citizen, Jimmy led a charitable life, leading by example through countless volunteer and philanthropic efforts that continue to be felt today. Jimmy is remembered for his leadership and service through the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Hebrew Union College and the American Jewish Committee.
Corky devoted his life to strengthening the Jewish community and enriching the lives of countless families and young people through organizations including the Jewish Federation and Camp Livingston. Corky believed legacy wasn’t just about buildings or corporations, but about people, the values we pass down, the stories we tell and the love that we show.
May 29: Pride Community – Jacob Hogue
Jacob is a public historian with a master’s degree from Northern Kentucky University and author of Cincinnati Before Stonewall: The Untold Queer History of the Queen City. He serves as History and Legacies Chair for Cincinnati Pride and is the creator of Queen City Queer History, an Instagram project highlighting Cincinnati’s LGBTQ+ past. He is also the founder of Queen City Queer History Tour and lectures throughout Ohio and Kentucky.
YOUTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
REDS MAKING AN IMPACT WITH RCF SCHOLARS
The Reds Community Fund (RCF) is focused on developing student-athletes into Major League Citizens, which is the objective of its newest program, RCF Scholars.
REDS YOUTH ACADEMY
The P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy is a state-of-the-art facility that supports thousands of kids and coaches in the Greater Cincinnati area. The academy serves as the home for the Cincinnati RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities) program, along with year-round baseball and softball clinics and activities for players and educational sessions for coaches. In addition to on-field instruction, academy programs also provide academic tutoring, mentoring and life-building opportunities for the young people who need it most.
MURALS WITH A MISSION
Launched in 2022, “Murals With A Mission” powered by PNC Bank is an initiative that aims to create a mural at high school campuses across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky that elevates positive social messages relevant to each school’s student body. Local artist Brent Billingsley works with student organizations to develop the message and artwork.
MLB INITIATIVES
The Cincinnati Reds partner with Major League Baseball on a number of programs and initiatives throughout each season that promotes diversity and inclusion.
2026 MLB CALENDAR OF EVENTS
- April 15 – Jackie Robinson Day
- May – Mental Health Awareness Month
- May 10 – Mother’s Day
- May 15-17 - Armed Forces Weekend (Military Appreciation)
- May 26 – Memorial Day
- June 2 – Lou Gehrig Day
- June 5-7 – PLAY BALL Weekend
- June 21 – Father’s Day
- July 10-14 – All-Star Week
- August 14-16 – Players’ Weekend
- September 6 – Childhood Cancer Awareness Day
- September 11 – September 11th Remembrance (25th Anniversary)
- September 15 – Roberto Clemente Day
- October 15 – Spirit Day