The Mets responsibility to give back to the community at large is driven by the topdown philosophy of "Doing Well While Doing Good" to leverage the appeal of and interest in the Mets to positively impact organizations and individuals through the development of platforms, programs, and initiatives.
The combined effort of our entire organization, volunteers within the community and the generosity of Mets sponsors and partners accelerate current significant commitments to the community with new resources to develop and launch outreach platforms and programs in and beyond New York City.
Through appearances by players, executives, staff and the use of our many resources, the Mets assist many facets of the community - schools, libraries, hospitals, museums, and youth baseball leagues, to name just a few.
The Mets take pride in our ongoing commitment to the social, cultural and educational needs and opportunities of the metropolitan area.
The Mets are committed to improving the lives of those in need and provide financial and in-kind support to organizations throughout the area.
The New York Mets Foundation funds and promotes a variety of educational, social and athletic programs and other charitable causes. Founded in 1963, it continues its mission to invest in the future of our community, and to provide assistance to myriad organizations that benefit children and others in need.
A registered 501© 3 charity, the Mets Foundation takes no portion of the funds raised to offset internal costs. The New York Mets pay 100% of the Foundation's overhead to ensure that the entirety of a donation is directed toward helping others. For more information, log onto metsfoundation.org »
The Mets Annual Welcome Home Dinner, attended by the entire Mets organization including manager Jerry Manuel, players and coaches, raised over $700,000 for the Mets Foundation, which will distribute all proceeds to Katz Women's Hospital/Women's Health Institute North Shore - LIJ Health System Foundation and the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The evening featured the presentation of the Ya Gotta Believe Award to Fernando Tatis and concluded with an autograph session with the 2009 New York Mets.
The Mets Foundation partners with the individual causes and foundations of Mets players. The Foundation's second annual Teammates in the Community charity fundraiser attracted 400 guests to Richards in Greenwich, CT and raised more than $400,000, which was distributed by the Mets Foundation to a variety of worthy causes selected by Mets ownership and players who participated in the event's live auction.
The Mets hosted their 7th Annual Night to Believe fundraiser, sponsored by The Frye Company, in the Big Apple Section of Citi Field to benefit Project ALS, a non-profit organization renowned for their outstanding leadership in finding and funding treatments and a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease. Tom Seaver, John Franco, Rusty Staub and Mr. Met were part of a pre-game reception in celebration of the more than $200,000 raised this year and $1.25 million over the past seven years for Project ALS.
The Mets have partnered with ARAMARK the past seven years to raise $850,000 for the Starlight Children's Foundation, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children who suffer from critical, chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The Foundation facilitates a variety of programs designed to help seriously ill children and their families cope with the pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. Over $130,000 was raised at this year's event on June 24.
The Mets wives added a Mystery Baseballs Fundraiser which added another $7,200 to the evening. Setting up shop beyond center field in front of the Verizon Studio, they wold grab bags that contained a baseball autographed by a Mets player. The mystery was whose baseball the buyer would get!
The Mets support and initiate various educational programs and events, providing the inspiration, influence and resources to empower students of all ages.
The Mets School is Amazing program, sponsored by health insurer Emblem Health and supported by the New York City Department of Education, reinforces the benefits of education and attendance and provides middle school students the opportunity to express what they most enjoy about school. Mets players visit schools selected by the DOE every spring as a reward for academic excellence and/or improvement in their school work.
In May, Livan Hernandez, Daniel Murphy, Jonathan Niese, J.J. Putz, Omir Santos and Gary Sheffield visited MS 286 in the Bronx, MS 126 in Queens, IS 228 in Brooklyn and IS 45 in Manhattan.
PIX11, the Mets' broadcast television partner, teamed up with the Mets for the 4th annual "Weather Education Day" at Citi Field, a special field trip program and interactive pre-game meteorology lesson hosted by PIX 11 weather experts Mr. G and Linda Church for 12,000 students from throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. After getting the forecast, the kids settled in for an afternoon of Mets baseball.
The Mets hosted more than 7,500 students from local elementary and middle schools for Fitness & Nutrition Education Day at Citi Field on May 13 before taking on the Atlanta Braves. The one-hour, pre-game program stressed to children the importance of making healthy food choices and engaging in at least one hour of active play each day.
Mets trainer Mike Herbst and physical therapist John Zajac discussed their jobs and how Mets players focus on fitness and nutrition to achieve a healthier lifestyle for success on and off the field. An interactive question-and-answer session concluded the program.
Since its founding in 1991, the Everybody Wins! Foundation has been a leading non-profit literacy and mentoring organization, pairing caring adult volunteers with children in elementary schools for weekly reading aloud and conversation. For the past eight years, Mets employees have been matched with a fourth and fifth grader at PS 92 in Corona, Queens, to share lunch and a good book every week from November through May. The Mets add their own special touches to the program by arranging for two players to host a Reading Rally at the school for all of the students; a Shadow Day at Citi Field to allow reading partners to see their mentors at work; and an annual 4th grade outing to the ballpark for a ballgame.
The Mets/Sharp Electronics Student Athlete Leadership Conference Series trains more than 1,200 student/athletes from 35 high schools on Long Island to deliver drug and alcohol abuse prevention programming to grade school children.
Conducted at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, LI, the workshops prepare the Student Athlete Leaders for their ongoing visits with fifth graders in their school districts. This Student Athlete Leadership Team promotes positive activities such as sports while also educating students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
The New York Mets and Citi introduced "Math Education Through Sports" (M.E.T.S.), an educational program for 7th graders in Queens. Mathematics is important in our everyday world, particularly in the world of baseball where statistics bring the sport to life. M.E.T.S. serves as both a learning tool and entertaining exercise for students.
M.E.T.S. workbooks were sent in May to all public schools in Queens that include 7th graders. With testing done and summer ahead, the program would provide an engaging session of baseball and math for both student and teacher.
The Mets and Citi thank the New York City Department of Education and I.S. 185 in Flushing, Queens, for their guidance to ensure that the content of "Math Education Through Sports" correlates directly to the New York State Learning Standard for Mathematics.
The Mets, longtime partners of the Queens Library, New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library, and Citi encourage children throughout New York City to join the New York State Summer Reading Program at their local branch library. The Mets support the program by taping public service announcements, producing bookmarks, and arranging player appearances. tickets.
As part of a landmark partnership, the Mets and Citi have teamed up to build upon the Mets' longstanding relationship with the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
This three-way partnership directly supports the Jackie Robinson Foundation's education and leadership development program, which provides extensive mentoring and scholarships for college students who exemplify Jackie's humanitarian ideals and standard of excellence .
The Mets established an endowed scholarship with the Foundation in 1996, which is created in perpetuity to assist promising students in reaching their goals through a college education. In April 2008, Major League Baseball and its 30 Clubs each committed to a JRF scholarship for the next four years, which is in addition to the scholarships that selected clubs had previously established.
The Citi Field Kids program was started by Citi, the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the Mets to inspire and motivate kids to reach their fullest potential. United Neighborhood Houses coordinates the selection of 1,200 area students who will hear about the life and lessons of Jackie Robinson upon their arrival at Citi Field in the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars and alumni will serve as tour guides before the students hear from Mets alumni and Citi representatives in the auditorium. Then it's on to an afternoon of Mets baseball.
Citymeals-on-Wheels provides home-delivered meals to New York's homebound elderly. Over 1,500 volunteers collectively spend 62,000 hours visiting and delivering meals to New York's frail aged. In the TeamMets spirit, Mets employees made a special delivery to residents of Long Island City in the off-season.
Now serving New York City for over 26 years, City Harvest is the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women and children. This year, City Harvest will collect 23 million pounds of excess food from all segments of the food industry and deliver to more than 600 community food programs throughout New York City.
Last January, Jerry Manuel accompanied a City Harvest driver to the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in Manhattan and joined the kitchen's service staff.
Mets employees "wore green to wear jeans" on May 15 in support of City Harvest's Skip Lunch Fight Hunger campaign. This is one of many employee-driven, color-themed fundraisers that include a casual dress code and raffle.
Island Harvest, Long Island's largest hunger relief organization, serves as the bridge between those who have surplus food and those who need it. Their volunteers and staff "rescue," or collect, good surplus food from over 600 local restaurants, caterers, farms, and other food-related businesses for distribution to 500 soup kitchens, food pantries, and other places where those in need can access it.
The Mets have hosted a fundraiser for Island Harvest at Shea Stadium since 2004. The first at Citi Field on April 28 raised $30,000, putting the six-year total at $129,000.
Rock and Wrap It Up (RWU) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the alleviation of hunger. The Sports Wrap program has been coordinated with the Mets and the ARAMARK Corporation for the past two years at Shea Stadium and continues at Citi Field. Food that has been prepared but not sold is recovered after each home game, picked up at the stadium by RWU and delivered to area shelters.
Teamwork, fitness, leadership and the joy of playing baseball and softball are promoted by the Mets through initiatives that reach thousands of young people.
The Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance (GNYSAA) is "Serving New York City Children Through Baseball" as an umbrella organization to several metropolitan amateur baseball organizations representing 20,000 young people and 1,100 teams each year. The Mets provide financial support to citywide tournaments and programs of member organizations and team up with the Brooklyn Cyclones for the GNYSSA's annual All-Star Games for 15-16 and 17-18 year old players at KeySpan Park.
Harlem RBI is a community based youth development program in East Harlem which provides year-round academic, enrichment and sports programs to over 650 youth ages 7 to 18.
Since Carlos Beltran was named "Honorary Commissioner" of Harlem RBI in 2006, he has donated $170,000 to Harlem RBI's REAL Kids Program as a result of his pledge of $500 for every RBI. Since 2007 the Mets Foundation has matched that pledge, adding another $112,000 to that contribution. Carlos is featured in a PSA for Harlem RBI, hosts a baseball clinic at Citi Field and makes his personal luxury suite available for their enjoyment.
The Mets and the Police Athletic League (PAL) have been partners since 1983 in bringing baseball to thousands of New York City youngsters. Proceeds from ticket sales for the two-game charity exhibition series against the Red Sox on April 3 and April 4 at Citi Field to the PAL and other area charities. Over 1,000 PAL kids attend a game each year as guests of the Mets.
The YMCA Jr. Mets is a comprehensive youth baseball program that emphasizes athletic and social skills as well as teaching how to improve health and wellness. An eight-week initiative that has introduced thousands of young people to baseball since its inception in 2001, the Mets support its members with caps and arrange for a player and coach to lead a baseball clinic at a YMCA site and at Citi Field.
The Mets are fortunate to be in the position to positively influence so many facets of our community and enthusiastically embrace that responsibility.
TeamMets is a community volunteerism initiative that uses the appeal of the Mets and their players to encourage fans to join the team in helping others. Through the participation of Mets ownership, players, front office and staff, the team will collectively - and individually - participate in community volunteerism tied to the TeamMets platform. To spread the word, the Mets produced a series of public service announcements that lead interested parties to The Mayor's Volunteer Center of New York, which has access to more than 700 non-profit organizations. For more information, please click here »
Once a year, the Mets grounds crew brings in reinforcements to assist them in getting the field at Citi Field in tiptop shape. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society arranges a "Kids Day at Citi" for 40 children and their families, and they pitch right in - dragging the infield, putting the bases in place and taking a home run trot. After lunch, Mets employees host the many activities in the 2KSports FanFest.
Due to ongoing construction at Citi Field in December, the Mets moved the location of their annual Holiday Party for Kids to the offices of Citi in Long Island City, Queens. School children from each of the five boroughs were treated to a buffet lunch before they performed their favorite songs of the season. This set the stage for the entrance of Santa Claus, who had a strong resemblance to Mike Pelfrey. With the assistance of Jerry Manuel, Francisco Rodriguez, and John Maine, Santa gave each child a gift that had been selected and wrapped by Mets employees.
The New York Mets and the New York Blood Center will host their annual in-season Blood Drive on Thursday, July 23, in the Caesars Club of Citi Field from 10 am - 5 pm. Donors must be 17 years of age, at least 110 lbs, and in good health. Each donor will receive a pair of tickets to a select Mets 2009 home game in September.
The Mets received the NYBC's Pacesetter Award for the past two years, collecting more than 1,000 pints of blood since 2007.
The New York Mets support the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign by sponsoring their annual Go Red for Women Luncheon in Queens and coordinating a Go Red for Women "Wear Red" fundraiser at Citi Field for employees. All monies raised through an in-office raffle are matched by the Mets Foundation.
The Mets provide various levels of support for many non-profit organizations, some of which are highlighted here. These events are held in the party tent and exclusive left field bleachers of the picnic area to raise funds and awareness for worthwhile causes.
Aquafina MLB Pitch, Hit and Run -- the official skills competition of Major League Baseball -- is a free grass roots program which encourages youth participation and emphasizes the fun of baseball. The competitor's ability to hit, run, field and throw is tested at regional trials and compared with others in his or her age group across the United States to qualify for the National Finals held during Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. The Mets host an on-field regional competition at Citi Field and recognize the local winners in a pre-game ceremony.
To support the growth of youth baseball and softball, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) has teamed up with MLB Baseball Clubs to organize equipment collection drives across the United States. The Mets have collected over 1,000 baseball and softball bats, gloves, balls and catcher's gear the past two seasons to benefit The Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance, which distributes the donations to area youth baseball organizations. The BTF also presents a grant of $5,000 to go toward the purchase of additional equipment.
The Mets and 29 other teams throughout Major League Baseball teamed up with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure on Mother's Day to raise awareness and support for the fight against breast cancer. Pink ribbons on bases, scorecards and caps were evident as players' game-used pink bats were auctioned off on MLB.com for the cause.
The winner of the Honorary Bat Girl contest enjoyed watching batting practice and meeting many of the Mets players before participating in a pre-game ceremony with other breast cancer survivors.
Major League Baseball teams up with the Prostate Cancer Foundation to increase awareness and early detection of prostate cancer on Father's Day. On-field personnel wear blue wristbands, eye glare and ribbon uniform decals, blue ribbon logos appear on bases, commemorative home plates and lineup cards. A "Home Run Challenge" fundraising component is implemented during select MLB games. Carlos Delgado served as the Mets representative.
The Roberto Clemente Award, presented by Chevy, recognizes the player in Major League Baseball who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. In September, the nominees of each of the 30 MLB teams are announced on Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by MLB in 2002 to pay homage to the Hall of Famer's legacy. The Mets' 2008 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award was David Wright.
Welcome Back Veterans, a national public awareness and fundraising initiative that addresses the mental health and employment needs of America's returning war veterans and their families, was created by Fred Wilpon and private citizens and is supported by Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Advanced Media and the McCormick Foundation. Its mission is driven by the need to provide returning veterans the quality medical treatment and long-term employment assistance they deserve to restart their lives and care for their families.
The United Spinal Association Mets, a Division I wheelchair softball team sponsored by the United Spinal Association and the Mets, hosts the only Major League Wheelchair Softball Tournament in the parking lot of Citi Field with the assistance of New York City's Parks Department. Started in 2001 and coordinated by the Wheelchair Sports Federation, this tournament is open to all teams that are affiliated with a Major League franchise and has included the United Spinal Mets, Magee Phillies, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, RIC Cubs, Vaughn White Sox, NEPVA Red Sox; Courage Rolling Twins, Oakland A's and United Spinal Yankees.
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