Healthy Lifestyles
The Yankees unveiled their first-ever Tower Garden at Yankee Stadium in late May of 2022. The structure, located inside the stadium’s Gate 2 entrance, uses the vertical, aeroponic garden system of Tower Gardens, allowing for the growth of healthy, fresh produce that requires minimal resources. In addition, the garden is used to provide a hands-on learning experience for students taking part in the “New York Yankees Healthy Home Plate Program,” which the team has been proudly conducting since 2011. Items grown in the garden are served in select menu items, most notably in salads found at Yankee Stadium “grab-and-go” locations.
The New York Yankees and Legends Hospitality partner to implement/host the Healthy Home Plate Program at Yankee Stadium. The Healthy Home Plate Program provides area youth with the opportunity to participate in a program focused on the importance of preparing affordable, healthy meals and incorporating these meals into their lifestyle. Kitchens located within Yankee Stadium become classrooms, where sous chefs engage youth with hands-on cooking demonstrations.
As part of programming in 2024, young people from Little League Raiders and the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development’s “Exploring Futures Program — two Bronx based nonprofit organizations— took part in a series of hands-on cooking demonstrations at Yankee Stadium led by Legends Executive Sous Chef, Nick Karoly. Each participant also received a bag filled with provisions to prepare the demonstrated healthy meals at home after each session. The youth participants were then treated a pair of games at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees-Rays game on July 20th and the Yankees – Guardians game on August 22nd.
Health and wellness, as well as grassroots engagement with local communities within the Bronx, are pillars of the Yankees’ Diversity & Inclusion Committee’s ongoing focus. As part of the organization’s commitment to Bronx-based individuals, the Yankees and local DREAM Charter Schools partnered on the “Fueling our Future” youth initiative that targets underserved communities. On July 17th and 25th, 2024, local area youth visited Yankee Stadium and were provided with the resources necessary to promote health and wellness and were positioned to excel in the classroom, on the field/court and in life in general.
In total, approximately 50 program participants from DREAM will be exposed to informative and interactive speaking engagements that will feature elements related to working in sports and overall health. In addition, all program participants and staff were invited to and enjoyed the Yankees-Blue Jays game on August 4th.
The Yankees partnered with the Green Bronx Machine in support of their efforts throughout the Bronx. Green Bronx Machine builds healthy, equitable, and resilient communities through inspired education, local food systems, and 21st Century workforce development. Their school-based model uses urban agriculture aligned to key school performance indicators to grow healthy students and healthy schools and transform communities that are fragmented and marginalized into neighborhoods that are inclusive and thriving.