Proceeds from this one-of-a kind sports event benefit ABCD SummerWorks
(BOSTON, MA) — Thanks to the partnership with the Boston Red Sox, on Friday, June 30, 2023 from 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ABCD will host its iconic summertime fundraiser, Field of Dreams, at Fenway Park to benefit underserved Boston youth participating in the ABCD SummerWorks program. Whether sponsor teams strike out or hit a grand slam, Field of Dreams is a homerun for youth in need of summer job opportunities.
SummerWorks takes place June 26-August 25, 2023, and places youth in nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, allowing youth to give back to the community while obtaining career skills, earning a paycheck and being in community with their peers when school is not in session. Participants will engage in career development, job readiness workshops and mentoring opportunities.
Longtime coach and ABCD ally, Lew Eisenberg, partner at Cosgrove, Eisenberg & Kiley, P.C. and Allison Ford director of development at the Massachusetts Bar Foundation are serving as co-chairs for this year’s event.
Field of Dreams has raised more than $5 million since its inception in 1998. Corporate teams contribute $20,000 to participate and players are permitted to invite an unlimited number of guests to watch the games at Fenway. A variety of off-field activities including free baseball pictures and a photo booth are all part of the day’s events. Red Sox mascot, Wally, will be there to cheer on these generous teams and take pics with players and fans alike.
ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler said, “ABCD is very grateful to the Boston Red Sox and to all the sponsoring teams who make this fundraiser possible. “Many youth in the communities we serve struggled during the pandemic due to isolation. SummerWorks offers access to a fun and enriching summer while earning a paycheck.”
Scott-Chandler continued, “The money raised for Field of Dreams allows more young people to participate in SummerWorks and to see their potential.”
Red Sox President Sam Kennedy said, “The Boston Red Sox are proud to partner with ABCD, an organization that is committed to enriching the lives of youth through employment opportunities that build on their strengths and offer a positive outlet during the summer months. We look forward to hosting Field of Dreams in our iconic ballpark to bring together employers and create hundreds of jobs for youth across our community through a shared love of baseball.”
Impact
SummerWorks participated in a study assessing factors that mitigate challenges that low- income students and students of color in urban settings face during school breaks, thereby widening the achievement gap. According to Commonwealth Magazine, “New research evidence among Boston high school students points to an out-of-school factor that can help close those gaps: a job,” citing the study led by Alicia Sasser Modestino, the research director at the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University.
Modestino told Commonwealth Magazine “Along with gaining other skills, summer employment inculcated a sense of responsibility to show up every day that carried over into the school year.”
SummerWorks Alumni
Over the years, SummerWorks has produced thousands of success stories. Some notable alumni include Boston’s first woman, first Black mayor of the city of Boston and former Boston City Councilor Kim Janey; Boston’s first Black Police Commissioner William Gross; Boston City Councilor, At Large, Julia Mejia; Multicultural/Cause Related PR & Marketing Consultant and Boston University Professor of Practice Kelley Chunn, and Golden Globe winner and four-time Emmy nominated writer, actor and producer Frank Renzulli whose credits include Crash, The Sopranos, The Walking Dead and The Wonder Years, among others.
To learn more about ABCD Field of Dreams, email events@bostonabcd.org, call 617.348-6238 or visit abcdfieldofdreams.org.
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About ABCD: A nonprofit human services community action organization, ABCD provides underserved residents of Boston and the Mystic Valley area, with the tools, support and resources they need to transition from poverty to stability and from stability to success. Each year, the organization serves more than 100,000 individuals, elders and families through a broad range of innovative initiatives as well as long-established, proven programs and services. For 60 years, ABCD has been deeply rooted in every neighborhood and community served, empowering individuals and families and supporting them in their quest to live with dignity and achieve their highest potential. For more information, please visit bostonabcd.org.
