$2,790 Raised For Second Harvest Food Bank Through CommUNITY First Initiative

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are pleased to announce the results of their month-long participation in the MiLB CommUNITY First campaign. The national initiative, developed by Minor League Baseball in conjunction with Feeding America, encouraged participating teams and their fans to raise funds for local food banks and to honor individuals risking their lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a grand total of $2,790 raised, the Woodpeckers placed first in fundraising in the Carolina League and second nationally out of more than 100 participating teams throughout Minor League Baseball. Fans donated $1,145 from April 28th through May 31st. The Fayetteville Woodpeckers Fund, the team's official charity, matched the total amount raised. As one of the top five teams in fundraising through this initiative, MiLB Charities added an additional $500 donation.
The proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Woodpeckers' local food bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina, located in Fayetteville. In southeast North Carolina, 1 in 6 people face hunger; 1 in 4 of these are children. Second Harvest Food Bank is the leading hunger relief oganization in the southeastern region of the Tar Heel state; serving Bladen, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Robeson, and Sampson counties.
CommUNITY First not only addressed food insecurity, the initiative also aimed to honor those on the front lines fighting COVID-19. For every $10 raised, the Woodpeckers pledged to donate one ticket to a future home game this season or in 2021 to a local hero of the pandemic. The Woodpeckers will work with local partners to distribute 279 tickets to front-line workers in our community.
Minor League Baseball's CommUNITY First campaign collectively raised $54,070 for Feeding America food banks around the country. As a result, participating teams will donate over 5,400 tickets to heroes fighting COVID-19.