Gwinnett Braves Reach Million-Dollar Milestone in Outreach

Lawrenceville, GA - The Gwinnett Braves Baseball Club has reached a milestone in their community outreach by surpassing the $1 million mark in donations. Since moving to Gwinnett County in the fall of 2009, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves has worked steadily with schools, churches, youth leagues and a variety of non-profit groups to help raise funds and awareness for multiple organizations and causes.

The team's $1 million in contributions includes in-stadium fundraisers like jersey auctions and spirit nights as well as in-kind donations to community events and auctions hosted by non-profit groups. Popular donated items include tickets, autographed G-Braves memorabilia and VIP experiential opportunities available only at Coolray Field.

The Gwinnett Braves Grant Program is the only monetary donation the team fulfills through their portion of the organization's non-profit arm, the Atlanta Braves Foundation. This program awards a different deserving non-profit group a $1,000 grant each month towards a project that matches a monthly theme. The following 501c3 organizations have received a grant from the G-Braves: Latin American Association, Dream House, The Cody Fund, ACTION, SPECTRUM, Foster Children's Foundation, Junior League of Gwinnett and Fulton Counties, Music Time Learning Center, Hugs for Soldiers, Athens-Clarke Literacy Council, Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, Walton Animal Guild, Mother's Choice Learning Center, The Next Stop Foundation, Gwinnett Senior Golden Games, Collins Hill High School PTSA and North Gwinnett Arts Association.

The biggest community program thus far has been Chopper's All-Stars. In partnership with elementary and middle schools, the Gwinnett Braves have donated 40,000 ticket vouchers to reward students for their hard work and dedication. Among the positive behaviors encouraged by the program, students are motivated to attend school regularly, improve academic achievement and be good citizens. The goal is to promote the importance and value of education.

"I'm proud of the fact that our organization has given back to the community through creative and successful programs," says Gwinnett Braves' General Manager North Johnson. "Many of our relationships with these non-profits have developed over time into lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships that we look forward to continuing."

For more information on Gwinnett Braves community outreach programs including the Gwinnett Braves Grant Program, contact the Community Relations and Media Relations departments at (678) 277-0300 or email [email protected].

Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves games including the "Atlanta Braves All-Stars vs. Future Stars Game" on April 3 are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.