Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt and his wife, Jessica, are bringing back their community-based charitable initiative Bassitts Pitch In, in support of the RBI Summer Edition program with Jays Care Foundation.
The Bassitt family have once again generously pledged to donate $10,000 (USD) to Jays Care for each game the Blue Jays win when Chris pitches this season.
In the previous two seasons, Bassitts Pitch In raised a total of $438,852 (CAD) for RBI Summer Edition, with the Bassitts generously donating $414,202 CAD. The additional funds were raised through donations by Blue Jays fans, thanks to Chris and Jessica¡¯s leadership.
This season, Blue Jays fans can ¡®pitch in¡¯ with the Bassitt family and show their support in a variety of different ways:
- April 28 to May 4: Fans can bid on game used, autographed items, as well as pieces from the Bassitt family personal collection. All proceeds from this auction will benefit the RBI Summer Edition program.
- May 5 to May 22: Chris is stepping up as an ambassador for a special Jays Care 50/50 Homestand Jackpot with all proceeds supporting Bassitts Pitch In and the RBI Summer Edition program. Fans can purchase tickets for this jackpot at bluejays.com/5050.
- Throughout May: Fans who donate $40 or more to Bassitts Pitch In will be entered to win 1 of 2 Chris Bassitt themed prizes.
¡°It¡¯s been incredible to see the impact this program has had on kids across Toronto, and we are excited to bring this initiative back for a third season. As a family, we have always believed in giving back to our community and we are proud to help Jays Care make a difference in the lives of more kids across the city. We hope Blue Jays fans will join us and pitch in to support this life-changing program.¡± ¨C Jessica Bassitt
¡°We are extremely grateful to the Bassitt family for their continued generosity and commitment to Jays Care. We saw firsthand the incredible impact this program had on our community over the past two seasons. The Bassitts¡¯ support will give thousands of kids the opportunity to participate in free programming where they will play baseball, belong to a team, and develop valuable life-skills. Chris and Jessica¡¯s dedication exemplifies the community spirit of the Toronto Blue Jays, and we¡¯re thrilled to continue working together to expand this program." ¨C Peter King, Acting Executive Director, Jays Care Foundation
RBI Summer Edition is a free sport-for-development program designed as a complement to summer school to enhance the mental and physical health of kids in under-resourced communities across Toronto. This season, more than 2,300 students at 13 schools across the Greater Toronto Area are participating in the program. RBI Summer Edition features inclusive baseball programming, leadership training, field trips and special events. Jays Care is also hiring and training more than 500 youth staff from the community to help lead the program. Full program details are available here.
Fans can also show their support by making a donation at bluejays.com/bassittspitchin.