Skip Schumaker hosts Fantasy Football Challenge Fundraiser to support local and global charities

CINCINNATI - Cincinnati Reds IF/OF Skip Schumaker is hosting a fantasy football challenge and has invited teammates Todd Frazier, Zack Cozart and Brayan Pena to join him.

Big League Impact is bringing its winning formula to Cincinnati on Tuesday, August 25 for a Fantasy Football live draft. The event will take place in The Handlebar at Great American Ball Park from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. Fans will then have the opportunity to compete against a Red throughout the entire NFL season.

Proceeds benefit the Big League Impact Global Initiative (www.bigleagueimpact.org), the Reds Community Fund (www.reds.com/community) and the Jessie Rees Foundation (www.negu.org).

Fans can register at www.bigleagueimpact.org.

Participants will be treated to a VIP ballpark experience that includes drafting and playing fantasy football against a Reds player, a tour of the ballpark, team photos, autographed memorabilia, limited edition BLI merchandise, batting practice viewing, seats to the game and the chance to win an autographed Skip Schumaker BLI jersey and other prizes.

"I'm thrilled to host the Big League Impact Fantasy Football Challenge in Cincinnati for the second year in a row." Schumaker said. "This is such a fun event from draft day through the football season. What better way to raise money for three very important causes."

Founded by Adam Wainwright and his brother Trey, Big League Impact started with a single Fantasy Football charity event in 2013 and has expanded to eight MLB cities: San Francisco, New York, St. Louis, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.. This year's roster of participating MLB players has reached 60 strong and includes Hunter Pence, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Neil Walker, Kyle Gibson, Torii Hunter, Matt Holliday, Michael Wacha, Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer, as well as Cardinal Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, actor Jon Hamm and St. Louis Rams legends Marshall Faulk and Kurt Warner. BLI has raised $560,000 in support of 18 local charities and made major impact around the globe.

"The growth we've seen in Big League Impact this year is really exciting," said Wainwright. "We hope that this is only the beginning. If 10 percent of all the money spent on professional sports were given to effective charities, we could end world poverty seven times over."

This year Big League Impact will be partnering with the Effective Altruism movement and GiveWell in an effort to maximize return on social investment by working with vetted organizations where need and impact are greatest. This year, 25 percent of all funds from BLI charity events will go to the Big League Impact Global Initiative to the largest impact possible for international communities in need.