Gloves for All

From the resurgence of COVID-19 to the natural disasters affecting many across the country, 2021 was yet another difficult year for most communities. Baseball and softball programs were among the victims of these developments with fears over safety and a lack of access to equipment forcing many to abandon their participation. Even with this uncertainty however, PIFBS was still able to finish our record year at the end of 2021. With your help, we were able to give the gift of play to over 100,000 kids around the world. We completed over 1,200 grants in 46 states and 22 countries. These grants were filled with well over 100,000 pieces of equipment, which included nearly 20,000 gloves. This success has not been easy, but, with your help, we were able to continue growing the game during such a challenging year.

As we start 2022, it does not appear that our work is going to get any easier. With equipment shortages, new COVID variants, and on-going disaster recovery efforts, we expect the need for equipment to grow once again throughout this year. For us to ensure seasons start on time in 2022, we are working diligently to organize our grant making efforts to maximize our impact. In 2021, numerous reports from our grantees detailed the positive effect our equipment had on their communities. From increasing educational performance, to supporting the mental health of these young athletes, our work is affecting kids both on and off the diamond. This shows how critical it is for us to continue fulfilling our mission. It is about more than just this game we love, for it is about providing an avenue for children to develop and achieve success in all aspects of life.

Looking forward, we anticipate 2022 to be yet another record setting year for PIFBS. With the increase in need and supply chain issues however, it is critical that we acquire the equipment as soon as possible to ensure delivery before opening day. We would hate nothing more than seeing leagues delay or cancel their seasons due to the inability to obtain the proper equipment. With your continued support, we believe we will be able to meet the needs of programs across the country. We refuse to allow the negative developments in the world to affect the ability for youth to play this beautiful game.

Impact Stories:

West End Reds Baseball/Softball Organization – This league in Cincinnati, Ohio had been using very old equipment for years, which had made most players lose confidence on the field. Without the help of PIFBS, the West End Reds organization would have struggled to provide baseball and softball in the West End of Cincinnati according to their league president. Most of their players come from urban families where the median income is approximately $13,000, so many cannot afford their own equipment. With the gear provided by PIFBS, there was a boost in confidence amongst their players, and one of there teams was even able to win the league championship at the end of the year. The league president described this as a “massive accomplishment” due to the lack of resources their community has available. We look forward to continuing to see growth in this league and the youth that participate.

Bedstuy Sluggers – This league provides baseball opportunities to youth living in Brooklyn, New York. With the help of PIFBS, they were able to increase their participation rates, and provide many new players with opportunities to better develop their skills. The president of the league also mentioned how the new gear encouraged many to come back to their league after leaving during the peak of the pandemic. They had a 13-year-old player named Alvin, who no longer had a love for baseball or a love for sport in general due to the COVID-19 developments. Thanks to this donation, he decided he wanted to give baseball another try. Since then, it has again become his passion. He is now working hard to be able to get into a good high school where he will excel academically and athletically. This showed us that many programs are still trying to recover from declining participation, and that our donations are making a difference in combatting those trends.

Links:

• Read More of Our Impact Stories Here