MLB, Tampa Bay Rays partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay for $50,000 youth initiative

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

A Major League Baseball-led community initiative tied to the World Series reached a Tampa Bay-area Boys & Girls Clubs site on Monday morning, with former Rays outfielder Brett Phillips among the participants. The league and the Tampa Bay Rays partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay to contribute $50,000 to support local youth and provide educational resources designed to promote academic success.

The event was held at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay’s Pinellas Park Club, where Phillips’ mother had previously dropped him off more than two decades earlier. Phillips, now a brand engagement executive for the Rays, attended the program as a youth and returned on Monday in an ambassador role for the Major League club that is scheduled to host Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night.

MLB said the initiative was carried out as part of the World Series Legacy Project, which brought Phillips and 10 additional former MLB stars and Hall of Famers to the club on the same day as the league’s World Series-host site activities. MLB and the Rays’ $50,000 contribution is intended to benefit youth across six Boys & Girls Club locations in the Tampa Bay community, with a focus on educational programming and resources.

Phillips framed the appearance as a “full-circle” moment connected to his own upbringing, describing how memories returned after he arrived at the club. He also noted the proximity of the club to his family and to the Rays, emphasizing the purpose of the contribution on behalf of the Rays and MLB.

MLB’s community giving effort is connected to the league’s broader national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs. April Brown, MLB’s senior vice president of social responsibility, said the league has held the Boys & Girls Clubs partnership nationally for 30 years, and described giving back off the field as a priority alongside presenting an exciting product on the field.

Brown tied Monday’s programming to MLB Together, describing the league’s effort in 2026 as part of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration. MLB said the initiative aimed to use the power of sport to support charitable organizations and volunteerism across the country, and Brown said the league seeks to make meaningful, lasting changes in communities where it operates.

The MLB executive added that seeing the young participants who will benefit from the project underscores what the league is trying to accomplish through its community partnerships. Freddy Williams, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay, said the funding supports the organization in multiple ways, including expanding access to opportunities for young people through programming delivered at local club locations.

Williams said the $50,000 will be used to support academic intervention aimed at helping children read at grade level and progress, with the long-term goal of preparing youth to graduate from high school with a plan for the future. He also said the organization’s programming includes elements focused on academic success, character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles, with an added emphasis on life and workforce readiness.

Former big leaguers taking part in the event included Michael Bourn, Prince Fielder, Félix Hernández, Aaron Hicks, Scott Kazmir, Jed Lowrie, Jimmy Rollins, CC Sabathia, Gary Sheffield, and Francisco Lindor, who was identified by MLB as the newly minted 2026 Roberto Clemente Award winner. MLB said Lindor has a history with Boys & Girls Clubs across the country and highlighted stories shared during the event involving Rays CEO Ken Babby and Williams.

MLB said Babby described Lindor’s early community involvement when Lindor was 18 and had joined Double-A Akron, which Babby owned at the time. According to MLB’s account, the Puerto Rico native asked what he could do to help after learning about the local community club, leading to time spent at a club in the area.

Lindor spoke during the event about the significance of being at a Boys & Girls Club on the morning of his award presentation, describing the experience as meaningful and noting how the conversations and connections formed through the organization can leave lasting impact.