For their dedication to Washington D.C.¡¯s underserved neighborhoods, the Nationals are the recipients of the 2024 Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence. The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy has helped over 6,000 youth by providing development and community investment over the past decade.

The annual award recognizes charitable and philanthropic efforts of Major League clubs through the league¡¯s social responsibility program, MLB Together. The Nationals are first-time recipients.

¡°The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is a terrific example of how our Clubs are making a difference in the lives of young people with opportunities on and off the field,¡± said Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. ¡°I congratulate the Lerner family, the Washington Nationals organization, Nationals Philanthropies, and the entire staff at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy for this well-earned recognition. We are proud to celebrate their efforts and we look forward to their continued impact throughout the Greater D.C. region.¡±

The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy opened in March 2014, hosting after-school enrichment programming for 40 third and fourth graders. The Academy has expanded with programs that foster positive character development, academic achievement, improved health and access to baseball and softball for participants aged 5 to 18 years old.

Alumni have the opportunity to return to the Academy as volunteers or staff, fostering a community-centered environment.

The core after-school and summer program offers six classes from grades three through eight. This program has led to attendance at competitive high schools and colleges across the D.C. region and country.

The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy serves as a critical food access point, offering a weekly produce market, healthy food store and meal distribution programs. Created to address food insecurity, this results in 100,000 meals provided annually by Nationals Philanthropies.

On the field, the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy offers free youth development and baseball and softball programs. This ranges from free clinics at the beginner level to structured programming that includes training and tournament play. Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray was named the player ambassador in September 2022.

¡°Throughout its first 10 years, the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy has grown into a community pillar, helping children, families and communities thrive through year-round programs,¡± said Marla Lerner Tanenbaum, founding chair and board member of Washington Nationals Philanthropies and president of The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation.

¡°We are extremely honored that the Nationals Academy, the signature program of Nationals Philanthropies, has been selected by Major League Baseball and its fans as this year¡¯s recipient of the prestigious Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence. We are proud of the decade of impact the Academy has made thus far, and we remain committed to serving our neighbors across the District with continued resources and programming for years to come.¡±

The Nationals were named the recipients of the 2024 Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence by a panel that considered the ability to address or respond to an important community need or problem; produce desired community impact and outcomes; and analyzed the efforts that have significantly impacted the community.

The Atlanta Braves (¡°Our Promise to Hank: Braves building equity & access to our game¡±), Chicago Cubs (¡°Careers As Sports Executives ¨C CASE¡±), Kansas City Royals (¡°Shut Out the Stigma¡±), and the Minnesota Twins (¡°Ball for All¡±) were also 2024 finalists.