SAN FRANCISCO (June 27, 2012) – The University of San Francisco (USF) announced today
that it will award its 2012 USF California Prize for Service and the Common Good to the San
Francisco Giants. USF’s annual prize recognizes individuals or organizations
that have made significant advancements or innovations in serving the public
and advocating on behalf of underserved populations in California. The university
will celebrate the Giants at a gala dinner on Monday, Nov. 12 on the USF campus,
located in the heart of San Francisco. Larry Baer, president and CEO of the
Giants, will be accepting the USF California Prize on behalf of the Giants
during the event.
The Giants’ work in the community,
through the Giants Community Fund, Giants in the Community, and Junior Giants
Baseball, translates into a variety of unique and progressive programs
dedicated to addressing some of the most pressing needs of children and their
families, including health, violence prevention, youth fitness and recreation,
education, and literacy.
Since its inception in 1991, the nonprofit
Giants Community Fund has
donated more than $14 million to community efforts to improve the lives of
youth and families. The Junior Giants Program, for example, uses baseball to
teach confidence, integrity, leadership, and teamwork. Each year, more than 20,000
boys and girls in nearly 100 communities across California participate in this
free baseball program. Initiated in 1994, the program gives at-risk youth ages
5 to 18 an alternative to drugs, gangs, and crime.
“As an organization, the Giants places a
high priority on community engagement — with all employees, from front-office
staff to the players themselves, giving back to the Bay Area in myriad ways,”
said USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J. “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. 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.”
“It is a remarkable honor to be recognized by the city’s
first university for our work off the playing field,” said Baer. “The USF
California Prize is certainly a source of motivation for us to continue these
efforts.”
This year marks the fifth
anniversary of the USF California Prize. Previous recipients include:
- 2011 Daniel Lurie, CEO and
founder of Tipping Point Community
- 2010 One PacificCoast Bank and Foundation (formerly
OneCalifornia)
- 2009 Alice Waters, chef and champion of locally grown food
- 2008 Lynn Fritz, social entrepreneur and
founder of the Fritz Institute
For more information on the University of San Francisco
California Prize for Service and the Common Good, or for details on the Nov. 12
prize dinner, please visit www.californiaserviceprize.org. More
information on the San Francisco Giants and its work in the community can be found here.
About the
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is located in the heart of
one of the world’s most innovative and diverse cities and is home to a vibrant
academic community of students and faculty who achieve excellence in their
fields. Its diverse student body enjoys direct access to faculty, small
classes, and outstanding opportunities in the city itself. USF is San
Francisco's first university, and its Jesuit Catholic mission helps ignite a
student’s passion for social justice and a desire to “Change the World from
Here.” For more information, please visit usfca.edu.
About the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants of the National League is one of
the oldest franchises in Major League Baseball. Boasting a 129-year
history, the team moved to San Francisco from New York in 1958, playing a total
of 42 years in Seals Stadium and Candlestick Park before moving to AT&T
Park in 2000. Since opening its gates, AT&T Park has become internationally
renowned as a premier venue in the world of both sports and
entertainment. On the field, more than 37 million spectators have
witnessed a number of magical moments and four playoff appearances, including
the Giants’ 2010 World Series victory, the team’s first since moving West. The
franchise was named 2010’s Sports Organization of the Year by Street &
Smith’s Sports Business Journal Daily.
Off the field, the Giants organization has one of the
premier community outreach programs in professional sports, becoming the first
team to implement 100 percent participation, involving every player, coach, and
uniformed staff member in at least one community project throughout the
season. Through its community outreach programs, the Giants and the Giants
Community Fund work with corporate and nonprofit partners to raise awareness,
educate, and generate interest in a variety of issues important to both their
fans and community including education/literacy, violence prevention, health,
and youth recreation and fitness.
To request interviews with USF President Stephen A. Privett,
S.J., or Larry Baer, president and CEO of the Giants, please
contact Anne-Marie Devine, senior director of media relations at (415) 422-2697
or abdevine@usfca.edu or Staci Slaughter, senior
vice president of communications for the San Francisco Giants at (415) 972-1960
or sslaughter@sfgiants.com.
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