DALLAS -- Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien, his wife Tarah and their children attended the Semien Family Summer Food Distribution at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy on Friday.

In a joint partnership with Food for the Soul, a Christian nonprofit organization, and the Rangers Foundation, Semien is sponsoring a food distribution program at the Youth Academy that will take place every Friday through Aug. 4.

The food boxes, which feature nutritious fruits, vegetables and non-perishables, will directly benefit the families of the Rangers Youth Academy athletes.

"This opportunity was shared with us by the Rangers, and it made perfect sense to us," Semien said. "We shared our passions with the Rangers and what means a lot to us. Nutrition as an athlete is very important.

"As a young kid growing up in the Bay Area, my mom did her best, but there were times where we needed help. We needed to eat better. Eating better gives you more energy to play better, and it also helps you in school, too. So, that was our main focus. If we can help all these kids who are working so hard each and every day playing baseball by giving them some nutritious food, we're happy to do it."

Since 2009, Food for the Soul has donated over 28 million boxes of food to those in need throughout Texas and Tennessee. This summer, roughly 200 boxes will be distributed to Rangers Youth Academy athletes and their families each week, with any remaining food donated to the greater Dallas-Fort Worth community.

Kimberly Sawler, the founder of Food for the Soul, was gratified to be a part of something so positive and spoke glowingly of the organization's impact.

"It makes you want to cry," Sawler said. "It breaks your heart and it's happy all at the same time. It's beautiful because kids really need nutrition to grow, and when we give them a box, it gives them hope.

"And now we have Marcus [Semien] partnering with Food for the Soul. He was here for our MLK Day event, and he saw how great it was and now we're doing this all summer. So, he's been a blessing to so many lives -- up to 200 families a week. And these kids will never forget this day, when he hands them a box of food and tells them to have a great weekend. So, I love it. We're just blessed to be in this space to do this."

For more information on the Texas Rangers Youth Academy programs, please visit rangers.com/academy.