Yard Goats Named 2018 Commitment to Charity Award Winner by Ballpark Digest

Hartford Yard Goats Named 2018 Commitment to Charity Award Winner by Ballpark Digest     

Hartford, Conn- The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club, the Double-A Eastern League Affiliate of the Colorado Rockies has been named the 2018 Commitment to Charity Award Winner by BallparkDigest.com. The Ballpark Digest Commitment to Charity Award is given to the club that made the biggest impact in its community. The Yard Goats have focused on increasing outreach by developing unique community programs such as "Yard Goats Young Ambassadors Program, Yard Goats Youth Performing Arts Program, Yard Goats Youth Culinary Arts Program and Yard Goats Dance Team." The Yard Goats were chosen among the 160 minor league teams across the United States for this award.
"The Yard Goats ability to have a positive impact in our community is at the very core of what we do," Yard Goats Director of Community Partnerships Tiffany Young said. "It is why we are here. To be recognized for those efforts by Ballpark Digest is greatly appreciated."
      
The Yard Goats opened the "Aetna Community Center" at Dunkin' Donuts Park, which has acted as the home base for the Yard Goats Foundation (501c3), devoted to creating, executing and supporting initiatives that enrich the lives of children. The Yard Goats established the "Young Ambassadors Program," in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, which is the flagship program at the Aetna Community Center. This program allowed several high school students to receive leadership training, and to be educated on a variety of topics including personal branding, money management, good study habits, and college readiness.
The Yard Goats launched the "Yard Goats Youth Performing Arts Program," in partnership with Hartford Stage, which hosted students from middle schools in Hartford to participate in a program with a professional stage company so students could connect "real life" to stage. The Yard Goats also put together the "Yard Goats Youth Culinary Arts Program," and invited youths from various Hartford schools to visit the ballpark and learn how to cook in the executive kitchen. Chefs and restaurant owners from the Hartford area lead the weekly sessions. In addition, the Yard Goats created the "Yard Goats Dance Team," in partnership with Studio 860, with youths from ages 8-18 from all over the state, who were given the opportunity to perform on a team lead by professionals before games, and represent the team at parades and other events in the community.