South St. Petersburg Neighborhood Initiative
The Rays launched the South St. Petersburg Neighborhood Initiative in response to the tragic 2009 shooting death of 8-year old Paris Whitehead in South St. Petersburg, an underserved community located next to Tropicana Field. Since the program's inception in 2009, it has grown to include the following programs:
As part of the initiative, Rays players David Price, B.J. Upton and Desmond Jennings sponsored the Dugout Club, a program for children attending recreation centers in South St. Petersburg. Each player adopted two to three recreation centers and created a club in each. Price sponsored "Price's Pals", Upton sponsored "B.J.'s Bunch" and Jennings sponsored "Jennings' Juniors". Each player visited his clubs throughout the summer to address the youngsters about making positive choices and working hard. The players also hosted the 1,000-plus Dugout Club children at a Rays game and provided funding for the centers' summer programming and supplies.
Another component of the South St. Petersburg Neighborhood Initiative is the Facilitating the Leadership of Youth program (F.L.Y.), a teen-led organization designed to allow youth leaders to be change agents in the community. F.L.Y. meets weekly and has planned three teen summits at Tropicana Field throughout the school year, focusing on stereotypes, racial discrimination and media influence. F.L.Y. is a partnership between the Rays Baseball Foundation and Community Tampa Bay.
In 2012, the Rays, the United Way Suncoast and Jabil teamed up to create the Campbell Park Elementary Walking School Bus. This program provides students in neighboring areas the opportunity to join a safe, supervised walking group from their homes to the school each day.
In 2011, the Rays Baseball Foundation partnered with the Poynter Institute to create the Write Field Program. The program was created in response to the need for drop-out prevention in the South St. Petersburg area. The program hosts 30 middle school students for weekend seminars that discuss topics related to the journalism field. The Rays and Rays Baseball Foundation provide funding and support by offering experts in the sports industry to participate in workshops with the students throughout the nine month program.
The Rays front office provides site-based mentors to students in grades K-5 at nearby Campbell Park Elementary each year. In 2012, a total of 19 Rays mentors met with their "littles" once a week throughout the school-year providing homework help, playtime and group activities including a Rays game.
Rays pitcher Matt Moore and Rays coach Tom Foley participated in the first ever Turkey Drop on November 16th. With the support of Sweetbay Supermarkets the Rays were able to provide Thanksgiving meals to 76 families in the south St. Petersburg neighborhood.