Gloves for All

            During times like these when nothing seems to be going right in the world, baseball and softball provide an escape from the everyday challenges individuals are facing. This year especially, sports have offered a sense of normalcy and hope for the future. Coming off a year where participation declined and the cost to participate increased dramatically, we knew our efforts needed to be increased to help lead the resurgence of these sports. Leagues struggled financially due to cancelled seasons and having to refund registrations, and many did not know if they would be able to hold their season due to ongoing changes in regards to the pandemic. Due to the increased need of support, this year thus far, we have completed over 1,100 projects with leagues around the world and anticipate helping about 100,000 children. This is well over our previous record for projects in a year and is reflective of the changing CDC guidelines around equipment sharing.  We anticipate ending the year completing nearly 1500 projects as we continue to receive equipment grant requests.        

            Within these grants, over 17,000 gloves have been distributed. This has allowed thousands of kids to play ball safely with increased confidence. We have received dozens of reports from supported leagues expressing how impactful these donations were to their organizations. To date, we are happy to announce that over 65,000 kids have been impacted by these donations so far this year. We expect that number to grow as we finish up our last projects for the season.

            As we wrap up our busiest time of year, we are already looking forward to next season. With the growth of baseball and softball starting to gain traction in many communities, it is likely that the need for support will grow as well. It is also a critical time now for us to acquire gloves and other equipment to fulfill grants next year and in the future.  One thing the pandemic has really highlighted is how connected we all are as well as the systems around us.  As a result of COVID-19, the supply chain from manufacturer production to transportation has been heavily impacted and we don’t anticipate it getting better anytime soon. Limited equipment availability poses a threat to our ability to help the maximum number of children possible. That is why it is important for us to get ahead of these issues soon and acquire the equipment needed for struggling programs. We hope to continue to grow our impact through these challenges and have yet another record year in 2022.

Impact Stories:

Neenah Discovery Softball – One of our favorite projects this year was with this program located in Neenah, Wisconsin. This is an adaptive program which allows individuals with special needs of all ages to enjoy playing softball. Due to COVID-19, their players were no longer able to share equipment. This along with a decrease in funding due to the pandemic, made having a season unlikely. Some individuals in their league also required special gear, which was difficult to find especially in times like these. Luckily, they contacted us for support, and we were able to provide them with over $5,000 worth of equipment. This league was finally able to have their season and over 70 players were able to benefit from the donation. The joy on the faces of these individuals is unforgettable, and we look forward to doing similar projects in the future.

Newfield Park Youth Baseball – This league located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, had their inaugural season in 2021. There were previously no youth athletic programs offered in their section of the city. Their community also has one of the lowest household income averages in the state. They set up this league to bring hope to the community, and to teach their youth all the valuable lessons that can be learned through the game. Of course, after hearing this story, PIFBS was more than willing to help. We provided a grant filled with gloves and baseballs to help start their league. As has been reported by their president, this donation alleviated the burden on so many families to provide funding to the league. Their first season was a success and brought the whole community together. We are so glad we were able to help grow the game in yet another community.