Massachusetts Badges for Baseball

Foundation staff members, Jane Rodgers, Brandon Knott, and Cassie Clemente present a check to the Children of Massachusetts

Communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are kicking off their second full year of Badges for Baseball programming this spring.  Building on a successful pilot year, children from 35 cities and towns will build meaningful relationships with law enforcement while playing Quickball, baseball, and softball.  Kids will also participate in Healthy Choices, Healthy Children, an acclaimed character and leadership development program. 

Massachusetts was the Foundation’s first state funded, statewide Badges for Baseball program, made possible as a result of the financial support provided by the Massachusetts State Legislature and the programmatic support of the Massachusetts Sheriff’s Association.  This program model has allowed community based organizations, law enforcement agencies, and kids and their family’s opportunities to participate in special events while traveling throughout their town, county, and state to other program sites.  In a state with a strong baseball history, local teams including major and minor league partners have supported the program allowing kids to watch the game played at the highest level.

The sustained partnership will help to develop positive relationships between law enforcement, kids, and communities over the long term.  As one of last year’s participants said, “law enforcement is here to serve and protect, not to arrest and put in jail.”