Detroit Tigers Foundation Awards Nearly $250,000 in Grants

DETROIT, May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Detroit Tigers Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities, will present nearly $250,000 in grants to 18 organizations during an on-field, pregame ceremony prior to the 1:05 p.m. game on Sunday, May 30. These grants will directly support extraordinary organizations that serve thousands of children and families throughout the state of Michigan. The grants are awarded with the mission of enhancing lives through the game of baseball with a focus on youth, education and recreation.

"The Detroit Tigers organization believes in the need to invest in our community's future," said Jordan Field, Director of the Detroit Tigers Foundation. "We are thrilled to touch the lives of so many children and are honored to support youth baseball and educational programs not only in the city of Detroit, but in all of Michigan."

As a result of the grants:

• 13 baseball or softball fields and four batting cages will be improved throughout seven diverse communities in Michigan, directly enhancing the lives of 7,000 young aspiring baseball players.
• Youth baseball programs will be expanded in seven cities, providing new opportunities for more than 3,000 children to play and enjoy the game of baseball.
• Two elite urban travel teams will be able to compete in regional and national tournaments featuring the best youth baseball teams in the country.
• Tiny Tigers, a summer Tee Ball and Junior Baseball program in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, will be expanded from two to five clubs.
• The Detroit Tigers Hometown Championship, a three-day youth baseball and softball tournament held in Detroit, will be expanded to host nearly 600 youth ranging in ages from 8-19.
• The Detroit Tigers Autism Connections League will return for its fourth year in partnership with the Judson Center, offering organized youth baseball for children with autism.
• 98 youth with special-needs will compete in the 2010 Special Olympics Summer Sports Class softball tournament.
• Think Detroit PAL, the largest provider of youth baseball programming in Detroit, will hire a full-time youth baseball commissioner to manage a league that serves nearly 1,500 children per year.
• A comprehensive Tigers-themed educational supplement and poster, with a focus on reading and literacy, will be distributed to more than 75,000 students throughout Michigan.

The Detroit Tigers Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities, was established in 2005 to enhance lives through the game of baseball. With a focus on youth, education and recreation, the Foundation aids and develops initiatives that help promote the game of baseball. Visit www.detroittigersfoundation.com for more information.

The list of recipients includes:

Berkley Dad's Club (Berkley)

Beverly Hills Little League (Beverly Hills)

Boy Scout Troup 1659 / Immanuel Lutheran Church (Grosse Ile)

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (Detroit, Pontiac, Shelby Township, Ypsilanti)

City of Inkster (Inkster)

Don Bosco Hall (Detroit)

Eagle Sports Club (Detroit)

Flint Coalition for Youth Baseball – Softball League (Flint)

Grosse Pointe Woods – Shores Little League (Grosse Pointe Woods)

Judson Center (Royal Oak)

Michigan K.I.D.S., Inc. (Statewide)

Padres Baseball Organization, Inc. (Southfield)

Rochester Community Schools Foundation (Rochester)

Saginaw Community Foundation d/b/a Friends of Hoyt Park (Saginaw)

Southfield Cardinal Baseball Organization (Southfield)

Special Olympics Michigan, Inc. (Statewide)

Think Detroit PAL (Detroit)

Youth Development Commission (Detroit)

SOURCE Detroit Tigers