The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, working throughout the country with Boys & Girls Clubs, P.A.L. centers, inner-city schools, and other organizations serving America’s most distressed communities. We are a supporting partner to those organizations who, on a daily basis, play such a critical role in developing, inspiring, and saving young lives.
Our Mission
The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation helps to build character and teach critical life lessons to disadvantaged young people residing in America’s most distressed communities through baseball and softball themed programs.
Through active community partnerships with America’s most successful youth-serving organizations, our goal is to teach the importance of choosing a healthy lifestyle and making smart and productive decisions in their young lives. We want them to learn that embracing lifelong character traits such as perseverance, commitment, developing good nutritional habits, and giving back to their communities will expose them to opportunities and experiences that will help them become successful and contributing members of society. The Ripken family understands baseball, but much more importantly, they understand the value of life. The ball field is used to grab kids’ attention, open their eyes to their own potential, and teach them that success is within their grasp.
The Need
In communities where crime rates are highest and the need is greatest, our children consistently lack access to coaches or mentors who care about their success. Few are offered opportunities to participate in competitive or instructional afterschool leagues and programs or simply play safely outside. Fields are overrun with trash and frequently used as a market place for drug dealers, prostitution, and other forms of criminal and delinquent activity. When a playing field is available, it is a dangerous and often deadly place for far too many of our children.
Led by former Major League Baseball greats, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Bill Ripken, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is reaching out to children who might otherwise never have access to positive mentors or team sports and bringing critical life lessons to those in desperate need of a helping hand and chance to succeed in life.
For more information visit: www.ripkenfoundation.org