The San Francisco Giants baseball
team is the winner of the 2012 USF California Prize for Service and the Common
Good.
Given annually by the University
of San Francisco, the prize honors individuals or organizations that have made
significant advances or innovations in serving the public and advocating on
behalf of underserved populations in California. The prize includes a
handcrafted medal and $10,000 for the Giants’ community service efforts. USF
President Stephen A. Privett, S.J., cited the broad involvement of the Giants
organization, from the players to the office staff, in performing community
service as the reason for singling out the team for the California Prize.
“Through community events and
programs that help under-resourced youth and families to live healthy,
productive lives, the Giants organization has shown its extraordinary
dedication to the people and issues that affect the San Francisco Bay Area.” Fr.
Privett said. “The Giants are an inspiration and model for sports teams across
the nation, and we honor and celebrate the organization’s positive influence in
our city and beyond.”
Larry Baer, president and CEO of
the Giants, will accept the award on behalf of the team at a gala dinner on the
USF campus Nov. 12.
“It is a remarkable honor to be
recognized by the city’s first university for our work off the playing field,”
Baer said. “The USF California Prize is certainly a source of motivation for us
to continue these efforts.”
The Giants maintain three separate
programs for community service: the Giants Community Fund, Giants in the
Community, in which Giants players and staff volunteer with local organizations,
and Junior Giants Baseball. Since 1991, the Giants Community fund has donated
more than $14 million to improve the lives of underserved youth and their
families. More than 20,000 at-risk children in nearly 100 communities across
California and into Nevada and Oregon participate annually in the team’s free
baseball program, Junior Giants—which focuses on building confidence,
integrity, leadership, and teamwork, while providing an alternative to drugs,
gangs, and crime.
Past recipients of the USF
California Prize for Service and the Common Good are:
