{"id":73382,"date":"2019-12-14T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-14T19:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/english-marc-anthony-javier-baez-and-henry-cardenas-join-kids-in-puerto-rico-to-celebrate-restored-community-baseball-fields-through-liscs-play-ball-again-initiative\/"},"modified":"2019-12-14T17:03:02","modified_gmt":"2019-12-14T21:03:02","slug":"marc-anthony-javier-baez-y-henry-cardenas-llegan-a-puerto-rico-para-compartir-con-ninos-de-puerto-rico-en-la-inauguracion-y-restauracion-de-campos-de-beisbol-comunitarios-de-la-iniciativa-play-ball-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/marc-anthony-javier-baez-y-henry-cardenas-llegan-a-puerto-rico-para-compartir-con-ninos-de-puerto-rico-en-la-inauguracion-y-restauracion-de-campos-de-beisbol-comunitarios-de-la-iniciativa-play-ball-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Marc Anthony, Javier B\u00e1ez, and Henry C\u00e1rdenas join kids in Puerto Rico to celebrate restored community baseball fields through LISC&#8217;s Play Ball Again initiative"},"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>LOIZA, <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">Dec. 14, 2019<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212;\u00a0Little League baseball is coming home to hurricane-weary communities in <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Today, music icon <span class=\"xn-person\">Marc Anthony<\/span> and Chicago Cubs All-Star infielder Javier B\u00e1ez, joined local officials and families to celebrate restored ball fields at Parque de la Comunidad La Ceiba in Lo\u00edza, which were demolished by hurricanes that devastated much of the island in 2017. This is the first project completed under a new initiative called <i><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2672072-1&amp;h=3269174774&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lisc.org%2Four-stories%2Fstory%2Flisc-launches-play-ball-again-rebuild-community-baseball-fields-puerto-rico&amp;a=Play+Ball+Again\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play Ball Again<\/a><\/i><i>,<\/i> which aims to restore up to 25 athletic fields and related facilities that will serve 17,500 youth across the island.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is a celebration of resilience, just as much as it is of baseball,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Marc Anthony<\/span>, as he met community members and cheered the first pitch. &#8220;In rebuilding these fields, we can help families take another step beyond the trauma of the last two years toward a stronger, healthier future for our children and their families.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The <span class=\"xn-money\">$1.6 million<\/span> <i>Play Ball Again<\/i> initiative was launched by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) earlier this year as part of a broad effort to spur economic recovery across the island. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2672072-1&amp;h=3458147917&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmaestrocares.org%2F&amp;a=Maestro+Cares+Foundation\" rel=\"nofollow\">Maestro Cares Foundation<\/a>, which Anthony helped form in 2012, teamed up with Good Bunny Foundation and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2672072-1&amp;h=2443307312&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> in field renovations. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2672072-1&amp;h=2823770617&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 another <span class=\"xn-money\">$100,000<\/span>, and Kohler Company added its support with donated bathroom fixtures for onsite facilities. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Two years after these devastating storms, the need to rebuild the island remains strong,&#8221; said 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>&#8220;Since its inception, Maestro Cares has incorporated baseball fields in its work building orphanages throughout <span class=\"xn-location\">Latin America<\/span>,&#8221; added Henry C\u00e1rdenas, co-founder of the foundation. &#8220;This project allows us to contribute to the restoration of more athletic fields in <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span> and serve children around the Island.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>All told, LISC anticipates that <i>Play Ball Again<\/i> will restore another two dozen fields over the next year, including sites in Vega Baja, Carolina, Yabucoa, Yauco, Utuado, Caguas, and Caste\u00f1er, in addition to Lo\u00edza. 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. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Local fields, teams, and programs are at the heart of <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico&#8217;s<\/span> tradition of baseball excellence,&#8221; noted <span class=\"xn-person\">Carlos Pagan<\/span>, regional director for Little League Latin America, who was in Lo\u00edza to celebrate the new fields. &#8220;They not only help build great players; even more importantly, they help build great people.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Through <i>Play Ball Again<\/i>, LISC has been working with a range of organizations and community leaders to outline redevelopment plans for fields, including <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2672072-1&amp;h=2564439357&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.littleleague.org%2Fregion%2Flatin-america-region%2F&amp;a=Little+League+Puerto+Rico\" rel=\"nofollow\">Little League Puerto Rico<\/a>, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2672072-1&amp;h=3455153593&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fpathstone.org%2F&amp;a=PathStone\" rel=\"nofollow\">PathStone<\/a> Enterprise Center, and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2672072-1&amp;h=1229283792&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;These collaborations are part of our long-term commitment to <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>, one focused on building a broadly shared prosperity and a good quality of life in both urban and rural areas,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Maurice A. Jones<\/span>, LISC president and CEO. &#8220;I can&#8217;t imagine a better illustration of those goals than youth playing on a ballfield, with coaches teaching and leading, parents cheering, and a community coming together to support each other.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;After so many difficult moments, these spaces will bring hope and union to the youth, so that they continue dreaming, growing and making a better future,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Noah Assad<\/span>, co-founder of the Good Bunny Foundation. &#8220;The goal of all this is to restore happiness to the Puerto Rican people and support them to grow as a society.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;UNICEF <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span> is incredibly grateful for the support of partners like LISC, Maestro Cares and Good Bunny Foundation, who share our belief that play is the right of every child,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Anucha Browne<\/span>, chief engagement, advocacy and global programs officer at UNICEF <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span>. &#8220;In rebuilding these fields, they are not only helping a community that has endured so much over the past two years, but also giving kids the chance to play and just be kids.&#8221;<\/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=2672072-1&amp;h=2150391289&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=2672072-1&amp;h=460974813&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 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=2672072-1&amp;h=3535141983&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlb.com%2Fcubs%2Fcommunity%2Fcubs-charities&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlb.com%2Fcubs%2Fcommunity%2Fcubs-charities\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/cubs\/community\/cubs-charities<\/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=2672072-1&amp;h=3098649272&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unicefusa.org%2F&amp;a=www.unicefusa.org.\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.unicefusa.org.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Media Contacts:<br \/><\/b><span class=\"xn-person\">Amanda Fox<\/span> for LISC and event photos\/footage \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 \/><span class=\"xn-person\">Ariana Moaveni<\/span> for Javier B\u00e1ez and Cubs Charities \u2013 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:amoaveni@cubs.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">amoaveni@cubs.com<\/a> <br \/><span class=\"xn-person\">Ann Reinking Whitener<\/span> for UNICEF <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span>&#8211; <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:areinking@unicefusa.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">areinking@unicefusa.org<\/a> or 212-922-2623<\/p>\n<p>SOURCE  LISC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p>LOIZA, <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">Dec. 14, 2019<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212;\u00a0Little League baseball is coming home to hurricane-weary communities in <span class=\"xn-location\">Puerto Rico<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Today, music icon <span class=\"xn-person\">Marc Anthony<\/span> and Chicago Cubs All-Star infielder Javier B\u00e1ez, joined local officials and families to celebrate restored ball fields at Parque de la Comunidad La Ceiba in Lo\u00edza, which were demolished by hurricanes that devastated much of the island in 2017. This&#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":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deportes-y-recreacion"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73382","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=73382"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73382\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}