Spring has sprung, and baseball fans are eager to get to the stadium for Opening Day. 
The echoes of the crack of the bat creates a palpable energy in the stands, electrifying the atmosphere in the stadium. As the excitement of Opening Day envelops us, it reminds us of the joy and energy that spring brings, welcoming children back outdoors to embrace the thrill of play, and rediscover the simple pleasures of running, jumping, and exploring nature's playground.
Keeping kids happy, healthy, and active is at the core of our mission, and there's no better time to get out and play. Across the country, we team up with communities and organizations to build safe places for at-risk youth to play and learn – building positive connections in the process. With the help of some of our amazing partners, we have impacted over 602,000 at-risk youth through recreational, educational, and athletic experiences at one of our 119 Youth Development Parks located in 26 states and Washington, D.C.
Our work doesn’t end on opening day either. We help our youth partners realize the true potential of their new parks with our life skills curriculum, character-building programs, and camps, proven to enhance young lives. Our signature life skills program, Badges for Baseball, was created in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice, pairing at-risk youth with law enforcement mentors from local communities who use team sports to teach valuable life lessons. Through the Badges for Baseball program, we host regular camp experiences that reinforces these life skills by giving at-risk youth the opportunity to meet kids from our programs across the country to learn, play, and grow.
We look forward to our own “opening days” as we bring Youth Development Parks to at-risk kids across the country. To learn more about our Youth Development Park initiative, click here.