Rays, Rowdies establish fund to help non-profits

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays and Rowdies are offering financial help to non-profit organizations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund have established a COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, which will aid organizations with 501(c)(3) status that focus on providing hunger relief, shelter and/or health and wellness programs. (For more information, see raysbaseball.com/teamingup.)

There is about $300,000 available for the fund, depending on the number of applicants, from an overall commitment of $1 million by the Rays and Rowdies. Of the $700,000 already committed, about $350,000 is going to recipients of its annual Community Partnership and Community Fund grants, which were also directed to organizations providing help and relief in some form.

“We are proud of how the Tampa Bay community has come together to respond to the current crisis,” Rays president Brian Auld said in a team release. “The Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund was established to support important work being done by nonprofit organizations in our region, and we’re glad to provide this funding so that those affected by COVID-19 can continue to offer relief and opportunity to our neighbors most in need at this time.”

Receiving community partnership grants (typically $15,000 and more) are:

ALS Association Florida Chapter; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay; Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast; CASA St. Petersburg; Crisis Center of Tampa Bay; Feeding Tampa Bay; Florida Holocaust Museum; Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay; St. Petersburg College; Starting Right, Now; Tampa Metro YMCA; YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg; YMCA of the Suncoast.

Receiving community fund grants (typically $5,000-$10,000) are:

211 Tampa Bay Cares; A Kids Place; Alpha House of Pinellas; Dawning Family Services; Eckerd Connects; Meals on Wheels (nine-county region, from Citrus to Charlotte); Metro Inclusive Health; Metropolitan Ministries; Ready for Life; Salvation Army; St. Petersburg Free Clinic; St. Vincent de Paul Charities; The Kind Mouse Productions; The Spring of Tampa Bay; The Thomas Promise Foundation.

The Rays/Rowdies are closing in on meeting their goal for a previously announced donation to Feeding Tampa Bay, with $376,500 of the targeted $400,000 raised. The teams donated $100,000 and agreed to contribute another $150,000 to match community donations.

Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter

We’ll deliver the latest news and information you need to know every morning.

Loading...

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

The Rays and Rowdies also joined the Bucs and Lightning in making $100,000 contributions to Tampa’s Relief Now, Rise Together Fund, designed to help residents and small businesses facing economic uncertainty.

• • •

Tampa Bay Times coronavirus coverage

HAVE YOU LOST SOMEONE YOU LOVE TO COVID-19?: Help us remember them

UNEMPLOYMENT Q&A: We answer your questions about Florida unemployment benefits

CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCRAPBOOK: Help us tell the story of life under coronavirus

BRIGHT SPOTS IN DARK TIMES: The world is hard right now, but there’s still good news out there

LISTEN TO THE CORONAVIRUS PODCAST: New episodes every week, including interviews with experts and reporters

HAVE A TIP?: Send us confidential news tips

GET THE DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information, six days a week

We’re working hard to bring you the latest news on the coronavirus in Florida. This effort takes a lot of resources to gather and update. If you haven’t already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription.