The Ripken Foundation is partnering with The Sandlot Initiative and the City of North Charleston to build a brand new, state-of-the-art Youth Development Park in North Charleston, SC. This Park will feature a lighted regulation-sized baseball field, 12-U softball field, and an open-air training center.
The founder of the Sandlot Initiative, Andy Brusman, joined this project to provide access to a safe place to play for underserved communities. The field is right in the backyard of Military Magnet Academy, which does not currently have any baseball/softball fields, and is within walking/biking distance from several other schools and residential streets, transforming the area. One priority of The Sandlot Initiative is removing socioeconomic barriers that prevent youth from playing sports, making our project a perfect fit. “This is a way of bridging that gap,” said Brusman.
Through this new Park, youth in the area will have the opportunity to participate in mentorship programs and develop skills like teamwork and communication. “It’s not just the sports,” said Scott Swinson, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Donor Initiatives. “We’re about developing these kids from the inside out and offering them opportunities to grow with their peers.”
Read more about this partnership in The Post and Courier here. To learn more about our Youth Development Park initiative, click here.