Mississippi Badges for Baseball

Mississippi Badges for Baseball, youth participants

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation has kicked off Mississippi Badges for Baseball in the Mississippi Delta.  The program brings young people together with law enforcement professionals to help bridge the gap between officers and youth living in some of the country’s most disadvantaged communities.  This crime prevention initiative uses law enforcement officers as mentors, coaches, umpires, and volunteers on and off the ball field allowing young people to see officers as mentors and leaders in their neighborhood.

Two of the Mississippi Delta’s strongest youth serving organizations are teaming up to bring Badges for Baseball to five communities.  The Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Mississippi and the Boys & Girls Club of the Mississippi Delta are working together to serve over 5,000 Mississippi youth in Yazoo City, Indianola, Itta Bena, Cleveland, and Grenada.  Mississippi Badges for Baseball will utilize the Big Brothers, Big Sisters model of partnering a young person with a mentor in a one-on-one relationship that shows the power that comes with knowing that someone believes in you.  Young people from Boys & Girls Clubs in the five communities will be paired with mentors from local high schools, colleges, and law enforcement agencies.

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s Mississippi Badges for Baseball program includes baseball and softball equipment, Ripken Quickball, training, technical support, Healthy Choices, Healthy Children character development program, and all expense paid trips to Aberdeen, Maryland for the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s Summer Camp.  All totaled, the program will bring over $100,000 to serve more than 5,000 young people in five of the Delta’s most needy communities.

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is excited about the program which will unite two outstanding youth serving organizations with the support of the Mississippi Attorney General’s office to bring young people together with law enforcement officers in a community of cooperation and mutual respect.