Being a member of the White Sox family means accepting a sense of responsibility to reach and inspire youth. Sox players, coaches and front office staff are at the forefront of this charge, providing mentorship and meaningful experiences that actively engage those in need.
The following initiatives illustrate how team members and front office staff continue to make an impact:
José Abreu launched Abreu's Amigos in partnership with the Easterseals Academy to share his passion for supporting youth with special needs. Created in 2015, the program provides opportunities for Easterseals students to develop social skills in a recreational setting through field trips to the ballpark. In addition to attending clinics, school visits and pizza parties, Abreu has welcomed more than 600 "Amigos" to Guaranteed Rate Field.
Tim Anderson and his wife Bria created Anderson's League of Leaders in 2017. The program focuses on building character among youth in Chicago and Tim’s hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In partnership with Youth Guidance's Becoming a Man (BAM) and Working on Womanhood (WOW) Chicago programs, the Andersons have engaged in mentorship sessions, private movie screenings and trips to Kansas City and Atlanta. In 2021, the Andersons sponsored a group of teen leaders from the Louis L. Valentine Boys & Girls Club in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, offering in-person and financial support for club leaders to make an impact in their community. The couple also donated 205 turkeys to families in Tuscaloosa during their annual Homeplate Turkey Drive prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Last season, Lucas Giolito launched Gio’s Game Changers, a program that combines his passion to support youth empowerment and love for animals. As part of the program, Giolito connected with athletes from the White Sox Amateur City Elite (ACE) program through a pitching tutorial and Q&A session at the ballpark. Through virtual mentorship sessions, he also teamed up with Safe Humane Chicago, an organization that pairs shelter dogs with youth overcoming traumatic life experiences, and invited their team to its first-ever major-league game. Additionally, Giolito has made significant financial donations to support the following organizations: ACE, Lurie Children’s Hospital, PAWS Chicago, Safe Humane Chicago, One Tail at a Time, Wright Way Rescue, Trio Animal Foundation, and the Anti-Cruelty Society.
“After how amazing the South Side community has been to me the past few years, I thought it was time to give back. I have a passion for helping animals as well as the youth, and I want to be a resource that they can count on.” - Lucas Giolito
Since joining the White Sox organization, Liam Hendriks along with his wife Kristi have shown unwavering support to frontline workers and businesses most heavily impacted by COVID-19. Creating the South Slydah Society, the Hendrikses have donated nearly 1,500 meals from more than a dozen local, minority and family-owned restaurants to frontline workers across Chicagoland. They also continue their long-standing support of the LGBTQ+ community, providing meals and White Sox gifts to staff at Center on Halsted and Howard Brown Health in Englewood – organizations committed to eliminating the disparities in healthcare experienced by this community.
Nicknamed the Yazmanian Devil, Yasmani Grandal makes the Tasmanian devil horns sign after every home run to show his three kids that he is always thinking about them. With the help of Children’s Home & Aid, the kids in the Young Yazmanians club can take part in the family tradition. This program invites children born in high-risk environments and their families to enjoy games, gifts, food and drinks from one of the ballpark’s suites during each homestand. In total, Yasmani and Heather have given back to more than 600 children and caregivers during homestands in 2021 and through a holiday campaign with the organization. CH&A is a leading child and family service agency in Illinois that links children and families to a network of opportunity and care.
“Yaz loves the quote, ‘helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.’ It perfectly describes why he wanted to start this because even here after all his success and hard work, he still vividly remembers the few who were there for him when he and his family needed it most. He wanted to do something for someone who would appreciate it.” - Heather Grandal
During the 2019 season, White Sox front office staff and the Volunteer Corps members prepared meals at all five Ronald McDonald Houses in the Chicagoland area as part of Sox Serve Week. Additionally, Eloy Jiménez, Yoán Moncada and Dylan Cease visited Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children's to meet patients and their families. In September 2019, Michael Kopech launched Kopech's Big Kut, a charity sweepstakes supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). As part of the effort held in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Kopech grew out his hair to donate for natural-hair wigs for children who have lost their hair as a result of cancer treatment. The Volunteer Corps, front office staff and Amateur City Elite (ACE) participants also support RMHC by participating in Meals from the Heart on a regular basis, cooking and serving meals for families staying at the houses.
The White Sox began supporting Youth Guidance in 2012 through the Sports Edition program as part of the team’s commitment to help Chicago’s youth living in at-risk situations. The organization has arranged for members of the front office to engage BAM and WOW youth groups in thoughtful conversation, welcomed participants to games, provided ballpark tours, organized career presentations, and arranged trips to Kansas City and Atlanta.
For the past 13 years, nearly 40 front office staff members volunteer their lunch breaks once a week to read with third grade students at McClellan Elementary School through the WITS midday mentoring literacy program. WITS program participants have consistently outpaced non-WITS students in reading level growth.
