The Ripken Foundation has partnered with St. Mary's County to provide Badges for Baseball and Healthy Lifestyles programming to local youth this summer. The Foundation will work with the Office of the State's Attorney and the Department of Recreation and Parks to offer fun, healthy, and safe programming all summer 2023 for youth in the Lexington Park area.
"Bringing this program to St. Mary’s County has been a goal since I first learned of the invaluable work done by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. My commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships for our community aligns perfectly with that of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation’s mission,” said State’s Attorney Sterling.
The Badges for Baseball program was created in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice to provide life-skills training to youth by pairing them with caring law enforcement officers from local communities who use sports to teach valuable life lessons.
Healthy Lifestyles helps youth each year struggling with multiple high-risk factors including obesity and lack of access to education on topics like healthy nutritional habits and the importance of physical fitness.
“We are thrilled to partner with St. Mary’s County to bring our Badges for Baseball and Healthy Lifestyles programs to the community,” said President and CEO of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation Steve Salem. “Our programs are designed to help children develop life skills and positive values, and we believe they will have a lasting impact on the youth in St. Mary’s County.”
To learn more about this partnership, check out The Southern Maryland Chronicle's article here. To learn more about our Youth Development programs, click here.