Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation celebrates 10th anniversary of Dodgers Dreamteam during annual Playerfest presented by Bank of America on July 15 at Dodger Stadium
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will host its annual Dodgers Dreamteam PlayerFest, presented by Bank of America, on Saturday, July 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dodger Stadium. PlayerFest is a fun-filled experience for all Dodgers Dreamteam participants, their families, and coaches where they will receive health screenings, education resources, meet Dodger Alumni, take pictures with the 2020 World Series trophy, tour the stadium, receive giveaway items from various sponsors, and participate in an abundance of other engaging activities.
This year’s event is extra special as Dodgers Dreamteam, an affiliate of Nike RBI, enters its 10th year, coinciding with LADF’s ’10 Years Reimagined’ – a celebration of the organization providing essential support, services and programs to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. LADF was reimagined in 2013 by the Los Angeles Dodgers Ownership Group, under the leadership of Owner and Chairman Mark Walter, with a vision to make the organization bigger than baseball.
More than 11,000 Dodgers Dreamteam participants and their families residing in the Greater Los Angeles area, encompassing communities such as Compton, Hawthorne, Huntington Park, Watts, Inglewood, Long Beach, Lynwood, East LA, and South LA, are encouraged to join in on the fun. PlayerFest unites program sponsors and partners to help foster a unique experience for often marginalized communities. The event offers vital resources and assistance to families participating in the Dodgers Dreamteam program, where 75% of families have an income below $40,000.
Free resources at PlayerFest include food items provided by LA Regional Food Bank, Dodger Dogs from Papa Cantella’s and water from Dasani, UCLA Health screenings, eye exams from Vision to Learn, and more. Activities include baseball and softball instruction via the Dodgers Training Academy, coach recruitment opportunities from the Positive Coaching Alliance, LADF’s Science of Baseball curriculum, and other activations from LA Public Library, Up2Us Sports, WSS, LADWP, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Football Club, LA Kings, Chargers, Rams, LA Sparks, and Angel City Football Club will also be available for participants.
"Dodgers Dreamteam is an inclusive program that transcends ZIP codes, fostering awareness and providing support to those that need it most. As we mark our 10th year and celebrate our reimagined foundation, we are proud of the profound impact this program has had on Angelenos,” said Nichol Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. "PlayerFest unites our families from across LA and allows us to celebrate the everyday champions of the communities we support."
Bank of America is returning as the presenting sponsor of PlayerFest, as well as Dodgers Dreamteam Community Ambassador Sponsor. Additional sponsors include ARCO, California Masonic Foundation, California Pizza Kitchen, Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Center For Health and Justice Through Sport, Delta Airlines, Dunkin Donuts, Health-ADE, Helen and Will Webster Foundation, Hello Insight, Kershaw’s Challenge, Melissa’s Produce, Natasha Watley Foundation, LA84 Foundation, LeagueApps, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Nike RBI, Pitch In For Baseball & Softball, Topps, and Prime Hydration.
“We share the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s focus on creating opportunities for youth to learn and succeed, which is why we’re excited to once again support the Dodgers Dreamteam and PlayerFest,” said Raul Bustillos, senior vice president, community relations at Bank of America. “More than 250 local Bank of America employees will be volunteering to help make the day unforgettable for the thousands of kids who come together at the iconic Dodger Stadium from across Los Angeles.”
Dodgers Dreamteam is a comprehensive sports-based youth development program that uses the power of sport to provide critical resources and services to communities experiencing social injustices. LADF works with 14 affiliate partners to deliver sports-based programming and wrap-around services for 11,000 youth and support communities and families across the city. As interest in Dodgers Dreamteam continues to grow, LADF aims to serve 25,000 youth annually by 2030. The program aims to provide an inclusive, barrier-free youth development program for underserved communities that otherwise may not participate and train parents and coaches to create a social and emotional learning environment. All participants receive free uniforms and access to baseball and softball equipment.
For more information about Dodgers Dreamteam, please visit Dodgers.com/DodgersDreamteam. For those wanting to make a difference in a child’s life and join a network of LADF’s trained volunteer coaches, please register by clicking here.