Mancini's foundation eyes big impact in city

Long before he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer, Trey Mancini felt the call to use his platform to help others in need. Now that he’s recovered from the disease, those efforts are expanding.

The latest example came recently, when Mancini and his family launched the Trey Mancini Foundation with an eye toward planting long-term charitable roots in Baltimore.

“Especially when I quickly became one of the more veteran guys on the team, I really wanted to have a foundation and to officially become a part of the community in Baltimore,” Mancini told MLB.com. “This city of Baltimore truly does appreciate it and they love you back, especially if you care for them and for everybody in the city.”

Mancini has broad goals for the foundation, which is run by his older sister, Katie Pettinari. Under Pettinari’s direction, the foundation will strive “to support those who are facing illness, empower those suffering from emotional trauma and provide assistance to those experiencing hardship,” according to its mission statement. Mancini’s younger sister, Meredith, is also a board member of the organization, which lists “cancer patients, teachers, students, young athletes and fighting hunger” under its intended purview.

Mancini also plans to continue prioritizing his work with Colorectal Cancer Alliance, which he officially partnered with in November to help build awareness of early onset colorectal cancer. The Orioles raised $80,000 for the CCA last year through sales of their #F16HT T-shirts, designed to support Mancini’s recovery. Mancini said both causes remain near and dear to his heart.

“Even though we’re going to be doing a lot of stuff with the cancer alliance, I did not want to neglect the kids in Baltimore,” Mancini said. “That’s something we’re still really passionate about working on.”

One of their first efforts will be partnering with Blessings in a Backpack, the food insecurity nonprofit that garnered headlines during the NFL playoffs for its connection to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Mancini also hopes to hold future events in remembrance of his late friend and O’s superfan Mo Gaba, who died in July.

Said Pettinari: “For Trey, it’s about using your voice and using your platform to do good. Trey has been in Baltimore a while and there is a lot of need in the area. We wanted to figure out how to make an impact.”

The foundation has been in the works for some time. The wheels began turning in July 2019, when Mancini was in the midst of a breakout season that saw him emerge as one of the American League’s most productive hitters. Mancini inherited Adam Jones’ former PurpleTailgate charity event that November, stating publicly his desire to remain in Baltimore long-term. Then last year happened. Mancini had a malignant tumor surgically removed from his colon March 13, the same day baseball shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He missed the entire '20 season. Meanwhile, nonprofits of all kinds faced economic and logistical challenges doing their work without the ability to host in-person events. The Trey Mancini Foundation officially launched in late November.

Mancini’s hope now is that 2021 brings some return to normalcy, both on and off the field. He has resumed baseball activities and remains cancer-free, expecting to fully participate in Spring Training and to be ready for Opening Day. He’s also played a central role in the foundation’s first outreach efforts, hosting a Instagram Q&A session with fans last week and helping plan future virtual events.

“I was always pretty passionate, but if I needed any more help putting things in perspective, this year certainly did it, to say the least,” Mancini said. “Obviously, that really helped me appreciate what I have and what I can do to help others.”