HOPE Week

The initial phase of HOPE Week planning involves the selection of the honorees. In order to draw on the most diverse and inspiring group possible, an online nomination form is made available to the public on yankees.com. Additionally, the Yankees Media Relations Department reviews general fan mail and independently reaches out to other public social institutions to find exceptional individuals to recognize.

HOPE Week is designed to be an event that fans look forward to every year. Throughout the five-day stretch of games, the HOPE Week narrative is woven into the Yankees' on-field activities. Honorees are treated like members of the team, joining players and coaches next to the hitting cage during batting practice and on the field after victories for celebratory high fives. They also participate in traditional pregame festivities, including ceremonial first pitches and the exchange of team lineup cards. Most importantly, all are given a platform to tell their inspiring stories in their own voices.

Each of the five honorees during HOPE Week is given a day of their dreams, complete with surprise elements involving Yankees players, dignitaries and celebrities. Throughout the entire process, local, national and international media are given the opportunity to film, record and report on events to allow for comprehensive storytelling over a complete range of media platforms. The goal is to give these exemplary individuals the largest possible audience to hear their inspirational messages.

All events are designed to generate attention and raise the profile of serious social issues affecting our nation and the world. Beyond getting these stories into the mainstream media, the Yankees organization looks to reward honorees for their fortitude in the face of adversity.

The attention that HOPE Week has brought to different causes and charities has changed lives permanently for the better. Since being honored during the 2011 celebration, Daniel's Music Foundation (DMF) ¡ª which provides free therapeutic music instruction to those with disabilities ¡ª has grown from a program serving 150 local individuals to an organization providing more than 3,000 people around the country with programming through a combination of in-person education at its new state-of-the-art, barrier-free music studio, online classes and events, and satellite programs in Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Houston. The group¡¯s HOPE Week Day was highlighted by a concert performance that included its members and Yankees players at a packed Brooks Atkinson Theater on Broadway. Co-Founder Ken Trush explained, "When I looked at the audience that day, I realized what we could be."