Mission
The Angels Baseball Foundation is dedicated to youth outreach programs and focuses on giving back to the Angels’ surrounding community in Southern California. Their programs, fundraising efforts, and generous donations foster opportunities for higher education, accessible healthcare, and sports programs for those within disadvantaged circumstances. Their sports programs and summer camps are largely inspired by the camaraderie seen in Major League Baseball teams. These youth programs empower a diverse group of athletes to get active within the baseball community as they are made accessible to those with financial, physical, and mental challenges.
Los Angeles Angels Foundation and Their Programs
Los Angeles Angels Summer Slugger
The program combats learning loss by encouraging continuous learning for students aged 8-11 within the summer. The digital program uses baseball-themed math and literacy games to increase retention of knowledge while remote learning.
Baseball Assistance Team
Provides scholarships and grants to former Major League Baseball (MLB) players. To enact change within the Baseball community, the charitable organization assists with addiction recovery treatment, career transitioning, and even financial education for former players.
Play Ball– USA softball partners with the MLB Network and USA baseball to fund the “PLAY BALL” initiative. The goal is to encourage general participation in softball and baseball and to raise awareness of disparities in the sport. A major focus of this initiative is preparing women for jobs in baseball and increasing female visibility within the community
Baseball Tomorrow Fund– As part of the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, this international initiative offers grants to nonprofit organizations which increase access to youth baseball and softball. Such an effort encourages learning opportunities through baseball and softball within financially challenged youth groups.
Stand Up to Cancer– As a contributor to the nonprofit organization, the LA Angels support the clinical research and development of cancer treatment. In addition, the Stand Up to Cancer organization uses the MLB team’s platform to release awareness-raising campaigns and hold fundraising events.
Military Appreciation– The MLB and all 30 Clubs support military personnel through year-round recognition at public events and donations. Fundraising focuses on programs which provide financial aid to veterans, wounded soldiers, and for spouses and/or families of active military.
Angel Scholars-The Angels College Scholarship was established as a four-year, renewable gap scholarship for high school seniors. In addition to tuition, room & board, and healthcare, the Angels Baseball staff offers guidance on matters such as gaining financial independence and opens a direct line of communication with the scholars to discuss other aspects of becoming a responsible adult.
Angels RBI League– The organization educates and exposes young athletes to the baseball and softball community at no cost. Within the Angels Stadium, year-round games, events, and conferences are held and are open to the public. This effort intends to initiate youths’ interest in the sport and to teach important life skills to underserved groups.
An Interview with Adam Cali, Manager of the Angels Baseball Foundation and Community Initiatives
Can you please introduce yourself and your role within the organization?
“I’m the manager of the foundation and community initiatives with the angels. My role is split between community relations efforts and those on our foundations side as well.”
Can you give a short summary of the Angels Baseball Foundation, and their community outreach programs?
“The Angels Baseball Foundation was established back in 2004, by Arte and Carole Moreno. We typically focus our investments on education, health care, student and youth programs—either through grants or events here in ballpark.”
How does the Angels Baseball Foundation measure the effectiveness of its programs?
“Our main program is in education and our largest program is with Angels Scholars. With that we provide full scholarships to students—about 20 to 25, right now, per year—for their 4-year college program and we have regular follow up with these students to see how they’re progressing, how they’re graduation rates are, and how their grades are doing as well.”
At any point in your work within the LA Angels team, can you describe a moment when you were able to clearly observe the positive impact of the nonprofit? This might be a personal interaction with a community member or so on.
“The scholars program really highlights this the most because its such a lasting investment we’re making in the students from the time they’re in grade school and in college. And we’re talking with them throughout that time frame.”
“A lot of our other programs focus on elementary aged students, and we bring them here into the stadium for holiday events within the year. We are trying to get them the resources they need for school or maybe something they don’t always receive during the holidays, and we try to make those special moments last and hopefully relate that to Angels Baseball, too.”
On a broader point, can you describe what your organization believes to be the place of activism within major league and professional sports teams?
“I think we realize that we have a platform—being a professional sports team—so hopefully, the work that we do reflects the needs we have here in Southern California. It’s education, homelessness, and working with families to help kids have those opportunities they may not otherwise have. That’s where we’re trying to focus our efforts through the foundation and through the community program.”
Funding
The Los Angeles Angels Foundation gathers funds for its programs and initiatives through fundraising events, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations. Such fundraising events include memorabilia auctions, marathons-for-charity, and back-to-school drives. Baseball players within the Angels also contribute significantly to the nonprofit’s funds.
Charitable Partners
How to get involved with the Los Angeles Angels Foundation?
Visit the Los Angeles Angels’ website here and explore the accomplishments of their charitable organization. To support their mission, submit a direct online donation and/or take part in one of their upcoming fundraising events.
