San Francisco Giants to Receive Statewide Prize from USF

SAN FRANCISCO, June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of San Francisco (USF) announced today that it will award its 2012 USF California Prize for Service and the Common Good to the San Francisco Giants. USF's annual prize recognizes individuals or organizations that have made significant advancements or innovations in serving the public and advocating on behalf of underserved populations in California. The university will celebrate the Giants at a gala dinner on Monday, Nov. 12 on the USF campus, located in the heart of San Francisco. Larry Baer, president and CEO of the Giants, will be accepting the USF California Prize on behalf of the Giants during the event.

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The Giants' work in the community, through the Giants Community Fund, Giants in the Community, and Junior Giants Baseball, translates into a variety of unique and progressive programs dedicated to addressing some of the most pressing needs of children and their families, including health, violence prevention, youth fitness and recreation, education, and literacy.

Since its inception in 1991, the nonprofit Giants Community Fund has donated more than $14 million to community efforts to improve the lives of youth and families. The Junior Giants Program, for example, uses baseball to teach confidence, integrity, leadership, and teamwork. Each year, more than 20,000 boys and girls in nearly 100 communities across California participate in this free baseball program. Initiated in 1994, the program gives at-risk youth ages 5 to 18 an alternative to drugs, gangs, and crime.

"As an organization, the Giants places a high priority on community engagement — with all employees, from front-office staff to the players themselves, giving back to the Bay Area in myriad ways," said USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J. "Through community events and programs that help under resourced youth and families to live healthy, productive lives, the Giants organization has shown its extraordinary dedication to the people and issues that affect the San Francisco Bay Area. The Giants are an inspiration and model for sports teams across the nation, and we honor and celebrate the organization's positive influence in our city and beyond."

"It is a remarkable honor to be recognized by the city's first university for our work off the playing field," said Baer. "The USF California Prize is certainly a source of motivation for us to continue these efforts."

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the USF California Prize. Previous recipients include:

• 2011    Daniel Lurie, CEO and founder of Tipping Point Community
• 2010    One PacificCoast Bank and Foundation (formerly OneCalifornia)
• 2009    Alice Waters, chef and champion of locally grown food
• 2008    Lynn Fritz, social entrepreneur and founder of the Fritz Institute

For more information on the University of San Francisco California Prize for Service and the Common Good, or for details on the Nov. 12 prize dinner, please visit californiaserviceprize.org. More information on the San Francisco Giants and its work in the community can be found at sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com.

About the University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is located in the heart of one of the world's most innovative and diverse cities and is home to a vibrant academic community of students and faculty who achieve excellence in their fields. Its diverse student body enjoys direct access to faculty, small classes, and outstanding opportunities in the city itself. USF is San Francisco's first university, and its Jesuit Catholic mission helps ignite a student's passion for social justice and a desire to "Change the World from Here." For more information, please visit usfca.edu.

About the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants of the National League is one of the oldest franchises in Major League Baseball. Boasting a 129-year history, the team moved to San Francisco from New York in 1958, playing a total of 42 years in Seals Stadium and Candlestick Park before moving to AT&T Park in 2000. Since opening its gates, AT&T Park has become internationally renowned as a premier venue in the world of both sports and entertainment. On the field, more than 37 million spectators have witnessed a number of magical moments and four playoff appearances, including the Giants' 2010 World Series victory, the team's first since moving West. The franchise was named 2010's Sports Organization of the Year by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal Daily.

Off the field, the Giants organization has one of the premier community outreach programs in professional sports, becoming the first team to implement 100 percent participation, involving every player, coach, and uniformed staff member in at least one community project throughout the season. Through its community outreach programs, the Giants and the Giants Community Fund work with corporate and nonprofit partners to raise awareness, educate, and generate interest in a variety of issues important to both their fans and community including education/literacy, violence prevention, health, and youth recreation and fitness.  

SOURCE University of San Francisco