{"id":71926,"date":"2019-09-30T15:40:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T19:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/english-lisc-maestro-cares-foundation-good-bunny-foundation-and-cubs-charities-team-up-to-launch-play-ball-again-to-rebuild-community-baseball-fields-in-puerto-rico\/"},"modified":"2019-09-30T15:42:01","modified_gmt":"2019-09-30T19:42:01","slug":"lisc-fundacion-maestro-cares-la-fundacion-good-bunny-y-cubs-charities-se-unen-para-lanzar-la-iniciativa-play-ball-again-para-reconstruir-los-campos-de-beisbol-comunitarios-en-puerto-rico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/lisc-fundacion-maestro-cares-la-fundacion-good-bunny-y-cubs-charities-se-unen-para-lanzar-la-iniciativa-play-ball-again-para-reconstruir-los-campos-de-beisbol-comunitarios-en-puerto-rico\/","title":{"rendered":"LISC, Maestro Cares Foundation, Good Bunny Foundation and Cubs Charities team up to launch Play Ball Again to rebuild community baseball fields in Puerto Rico"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><![CDATA[\n\/* Style Definitions *\/\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n]]><\/style>\n<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">NEW YORK<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">Sept. 30, 2019<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; When Hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span> in 2017, they devastated community baseball programs across the island, shredding more than 300 fields where young people once played and world-class talent had long been nurtured.<\/p>\n<p>Now, music icon <span class=\"xn-person\">Marc Anthony<\/span> and Latin star Bad Bunny lead funding for a new program called <i>Play Ball Again<\/i> to help rebuild some of those damaged fields and facilitate local programming for 17,500 youth. Organizers hope to generate &#8220;an upward spiral of opportunity&#8221; for local residents that goes far beyond the dugout, according to <span class=\"xn-person\">Maurice A. Jones<\/span>, president and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which created <i>Play Ball Again<\/i> and is coordinating development work on the ground. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sports and recreation activities help restore a sense of normalcy, in the wake of disasters,&#8221; explained Latin music icon <span class=\"xn-person\">Marc Anthony<\/span>, whose <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=315689156&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fmaestrocares.org%2F&amp;a=Maestro+Cares+Foundation\" rel=\"nofollow\">Maestro Cares Foundation<\/a> is among the program&#8217;s earliest supporters. &#8220;Baseball isn&#8217;t just a game in this context. It helps young people do better in school and improves family life and health in difficult circumstances.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Maestro Cares teamed up with the Good Bunny Foundation and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=2120946318&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.unicefusa.org%2Fu%3Futm_campaign%3D20190114_PillarPages%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_content%3Dvoice1%26ms%3Dcpc_dig_2019_PillarPages_20190114_google_voice1_delve_none%26initialms%3Dcpc_dig_2019_PillarPages_20190114_google_voice1_delve_none%26gclid%3DEAIaIQobChMI3oD5zLqq4wIVQz0MCh0WjgWgEAAYASAAEgI8S_D_BwE%23intro&amp;a=UNICEF+USA\" rel=\"nofollow\">UNICEF <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span><\/a> to fund the first <span class=\"xn-money\">$300,000<\/span> of what LISC expects to be more than <span class=\"xn-money\">$1.6 million<\/span> in field renovations. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=1199942215&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlb.com%2Fcubs%2Fcommunity%2Fcubs-charities&amp;a=Cubs+Charities\" rel=\"nofollow\">Cubs Charities<\/a> joined the effort with an additional <span class=\"xn-money\">$100,000<\/span> in support, and the Kohler Company made a commitment to donate bathroom fixtures for onsite facilities.<\/p>\n<p>All told, LISC anticipates funding will revitalize 25 fields, including sites in Vega Baja, Carolina, Yabucoa, Yauco, Utuado, Lo\u00edza, Caguas, and Caste\u00f1er. These communities represent a diverse geographic slice of <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>, encompassing some of the most concentrated numbers of youth players in rural areas, and those hardest hit by the hurricanes. Field repairs will augment larger community development work undertaken by LISC and local partners.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Growing up on the island I spent a lot of time in some of these parks that are now destroyed,&#8221; noted Bad Bunny, whose <span class=\"xn-location\">San Juan<\/span>-based Good Bunny Foundation is rallying support for the initiative. &#8220;In parks similar to these, a lot of great athletes like <span class=\"xn-person\">Roberto Clemente<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-person\">Yadier Molina<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-person\">Roberto Alomar<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-person\">Edgar Martinez<\/span>, and <span class=\"xn-person\">Ivan Rodriguez<\/span> grew up. Our commitment is to rebuild these parks so that we can help new athletes grow. This is the first step for the rebirth of sports within the island,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Construction is underway on the first six fields, with renewed baseball programming in process as well.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At UNICEF, we believe that play is the right of every child, and sport is a powerful tool that can build community and bring people together,&#8221; said Caryl\u00a0M. Stern, president &amp; CEO, UNICEF <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span>. &#8220;We are incredibly grateful for the support of partners like LISC, Maestro Cares and the Good Bunny Foundation. In rebuilding these fields, they are not only helping a community who has endured so much over the past two years, but also giving kids the chance to play and just be\u00a0kids.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Two years after these devastating storms, the need to rebuild the island remains strong,&#8221; said Cubs infielder Javier B\u00e1ez, whose family is from the Bayam\u00f3n area. &#8220;Cubs Charities understood the need and has stepped up to the plate to help restore baseball fields and give kids throughout <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span> the opportunity to play the game. This rebuild will make a big difference for the community, and I am proud to continue my efforts to restore the island.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>LISC has been working with a range of organizations to identify priority fields and outline redevelopment plans with community members, including local groups like Little League Puerto Rico and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=574328327&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fpathstone.org%2F&amp;a=PathStone\" rel=\"nofollow\">PathStone<\/a>, Enterprise Center, sports nonprofits like <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=3343397476&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fpifb.org%2F&amp;a=Pitch+in+for+Baseball\" rel=\"nofollow\">Pitch in for Baseball<\/a>, and disaster relief organizations like <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=2794429038&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allhandsandhearts.org%2F&amp;a=All+Hands+and+Hearts\" rel=\"nofollow\">All Hands and Hearts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;After the storms, we were the forgotten, rural towns,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Rafael Surillo Ruiz<\/span>, mayor of Yabucoa, who teared up as he spoke about the future of local fields. &#8220;To have an icon of a park being built <i>by<\/i> the community, <i>for<\/i> the community, and supported by all these stakeholders\u2014it means so much for the spirit of our city.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>LISC expects most of the field renovations will be completed in time for the 2020 baseball season.<\/p>\n<p><b>About LISC<br \/><\/b>With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America \u2013 great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Since 1979, LISC has invested <span class=\"xn-money\">$20 billion<\/span> to build or rehab 400,500 affordable homes and apartments and develop 66.8 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. <i>Play Ball Again<\/i> builds on LISC&#8217;s significant expertise in financing recreational facilities and athletic fields in underserved communities, as well as providing technical assistance to advance youth sports, including a 20-year partnership with the NFL to create 350 fields serving 600,000 youth, as well as work with ESPN to reclaim vacant lots for basketball courts in 14 cities. To learn more, visit <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=1877386823&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lisc.org%2F&amp;a=www.lisc.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.lisc.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>About Maestro Cares Foundation<br \/><\/b>Maestro Cares Foundation is a nonprofit Foundation headquartered in <span class=\"xn-location\">Chicago<\/span> and founded in 2012. The foundation aims to improve the quality of life of orphaned and disadvantaged children in <span class=\"xn-location\">Latin America<\/span> and <span class=\"xn-location\">the United States<\/span>. Maestro Cares Foundation works to achieve its mission by creating safe and healthy environments for children to live, learn and play while supporting their development and academic needs. The Foundation helps to raise\u00a0the necessary funding\u00a0to continue to grow their mission by collaborating with corporate and nonprofit partners. Since the launch of\u00a0its first home for orphaned boys in the <span class=\"xn-location\">Dominican Republic<\/span> in 2014, the foundation has opened youth homes, community centers, school, foster homes, and launched an educational program in <span class=\"xn-location\">Lima<\/span> and Cusco, <span class=\"xn-location\">Peru<\/span>. Altogether, the foundation has committed to 18 projects\u00a0providing safe and\u00a0loving spaces for thousands of orphaned and disadvantaged children in <span class=\"xn-location\">Dominican Republic<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Colombia<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Mexico<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Bolivia<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Guatemala<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Peru<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">El Salvador<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Bolivia<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Chile<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>, and <span class=\"xn-location\">Chicago, IL.<\/span> \u00a0To learn more visit: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=4105376099&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.maestrocares.org%2F&amp;a=www.maestrocares.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.maestrocares.org<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><b>About the Good Bunny Foundation <br \/><\/b>The Good Bunny Foundation works to improve the quality of life of Puerto Rican youth through the support of youth arts and sports initiatives, in collaboration with other non-profit organizations. The Foundation led two relief initiatives providing aid after Hurricane Mar\u00eda, which included the handing out of meals and the complete reconstruction of 10 homes.\u00a0 In 2018, the Foundation organized the first annual &#8220;La Nueva Tradici\u00f3n&#8221; event, in which 30,000 Puerto Rican children received gifts of toys and musical instruments.\u00a0Currently, the Foundation&#8217;s efforts are focused on the Play Ball Again initiative to restore Little League baseball fields in different municipalities of <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><b>About UNICEF <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span> <br \/><\/b>The United Nations Children&#8217;s Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF\u00a0USA\u00a0supports UNICEF&#8217;s work through fundraising, advocacy and education in\u00a0the <span class=\"xn-location\">United States<\/span>, working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and when every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=3654643679&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unicefusa.org%2F&amp;a=www.unicefusa.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.unicefusa.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>About Cubs Charities<br \/><\/b>Cubs Charities harnesses the passion of Cubs fans to improve the lives of children and families across <span class=\"xn-location\">Chicago<\/span> and beyond. Cubs Charities&#8217; goal is to provide increased access to sports opportunities and targets\u00a0improvements in health, fitness and education for those at risk. Through grants to quality nonprofit programs, development of parks and baseball fields, and other community initiatives, the Cubs and Cubs Charities help fulfill a commitment to be the best in the game, on and off the field. For more information, visit <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2596540-1&amp;h=4259373568&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cubscharities.org%2F&amp;a=www.cubscharities.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.cubscharities.org<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p><b>Media Contacts:<br \/><\/b><span class=\"xn-person\">Amanda Fox<\/span> for LISC \u2013 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:amandacainfox@gmail.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">amandacainfox@gmail.com<\/a> or 347-581-6498<br \/><span class=\"xn-person\">Blanca Lassalle<\/span> for <span class=\"xn-person\">Marc Anthony<\/span> and Maestro Cares Foundation \u2013 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:blanca@creativelinkny.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">blanca@creativelinkny.com<\/a> <br \/>Sujeylee Sol\u00e1\u00a0for Bad Bunny and Good Bunny Foundation \u2013 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:sujeylee@acoustylecommunication.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">sujeylee@acoustylecommunication.com<\/a><br \/><span class=\"xn-person\">Alyson Cohen<\/span> for Cubs Charities \u2013 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:acohen@cubs.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">acohen@cubs.com<\/a> or 773-404-4128<br \/><span class=\"xn-person\">Ann Reinking Whitener<\/span> for UNICEF <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span> \u2013 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:areinking@unicefusa.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">areinking@unicefusa.org<\/a><\/p>\n<p>SOURCE  Local Initiatives Support Corporation<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">NEW YORK<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">Sept. 30, 2019<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; When Hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span> in 2017, they devastated community baseball programs across the island, shredding more than 300 fields where young people once played and world-class talent had long been nurtured.<\/p>\n<p>Now, music icon <span class=\"xn-person\">Marc Anthony<\/span> and Latin star Bad Bunny lead funding for a new program called <i>Play Ball Again<\/i> to help rebuild some of those&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interes-humano"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71926"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71926\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}