Working hard to grow a Youth Baseball Enhancement Program to a large community of at-risk and impoverished youth in Sosua on the Dominican North Coast we opened the current facility in Oct. 2017. Serving on avg. 150 kids/week we encourage kids to get off the streets, stay involved in youth activities (baseball) & continue their education. In 2018 we distributed $15K USD value in used equipment donated to us, then redistributed to the kids allowing all children under age 16 to practice for free.
"The Pitch" operates in Sosua, a community with a rich history developed around tourism (see Sosua75.org). However, the area also brings unsafe & unsavory conditions for kids and young adults. There is an existing "rough" dirt no grass athletic field for baseball but not much else. Extreme poverty, & lack of education are major factors. The boys drop out rate hovers around 43% in secondary school. The majority of these kids don't even have a quality baseball or glove to practice with.
Our current practice facility allows kids to stop by daily where they can practice, improve their game & talk to coaches. Phase 2 of our vision is the establishment of a mobile facility enabling access to kids in the nearby countryside & more rural communities to also receive much-needed donated gear & quality training. When practical, we would like to extend our reach via opening additional satellite locations leveraging local coaches & mentors. With proper funding & support this can happen.
By using baseball as a catalyst & motivator we will be able to develop even more baseball/athletic talent in the DR. Aiding these at risk & impoverished kids with much needed gear, we will provide a safe place for them to practice, be properly coached & mentored, & continue to promote a solid educational foundation that is needed for them to succeed. On a community level, we expect to see advanced development of their overall "Life" skills thereby improving their lives & those of their families.
