Employee Engagement

The Rays Employee Community Outreach Team (ECOT) was established in 2008 to provide invaluable volunteer hours to community service agencies that enhance or improve the quality of life in the communities they serve. Service projects are chosen from ideas suggested by an employee led committee. Volunteering not only benefits the community, but also Rays employees, by allowing them to give back in a meaningful way through the course of their normal work day. In total, Rays employees have logged more than 43,000 volunteer hours to support nonprofits in the Tampa Bay region.

Each year, the Rays partner with Campbell Park Elementary School for the Great American Teach-In. The Great American Teach-In provides an opportunity for members of the community to come in and speak with students about their occupations, hobbies, or areas of interest. Rays staff members speak to students about the many career opportunities at the Rays.

Throughout the year, Rays employees visit the Ronald McDonald House in St. Petersburg to provide the families of patients at local children’s hospitals with a home-cooked meal. Rays employees purchase the food, then cook and serve the meal while socializing with the families.

As part of the Rays partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters, each year, Rays employees volunteer to be a Big Brother or Big Sister and mentor a student at Campbell Park Elementary School which is located next to Tropicana Field. In addition to providing guidance and companionship through weekly mentoring, the Bigs also bring their Littles to a Rays game during the season.

Since 2006, one day per week, Rays employees deliver meals to homebound seniors in St. Petersburg. The deliveries provide seniors with not only a nutritious, balanced meal that they would otherwise not have access to, but also conversation and companionship.