Major League Baseball Players Association: Action Teams

High schools can get in on the action at any time, so don't delay! Send in your application today. For more information, please e-mail the Action Team at ActionTeam@mlbpa.org.

Join the more than 150 high schools across the country that have already teamed with the Major League Baseball Players Trust and Volunteers of America to make a difference in their communities.

Jake Peavy, Curtis Granderson and Shane Victorino join Action Team members to encourage youngsters to Get in on the Action.

Reaching out with the Players Trust

Inge named Man of the Year »

When they’re not on the field, Major League Baseball players put their energy into serving their communities outside the ballpark. Players use their celebrity status to raise awareness of community problems and needs. They also roll up their sleeves to get
involved -- like Craig Breslow with his Strike Three Foundation (http://www.strike3foundation.org/) which strives to heighten awareness, mobilize support and raise funding for childhood cancer research.

The Players Trust is a charitable foundation that supports the volunteer activities of individual players and initiates broad-based programs like the Action Teams. Formed in 1996 by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) -- the players’ union -- the Players Trust is the first professional sports foundation of its kind, established and run by the athletes themselves.

Players and Teens Teaming for Service

Felipe Lopez, J.C. Romero and Alex Cora share a moment with the local Action Team at the World Baseball Classic in Puerto Rico.

Major League Baseball players have teamed up with Volunteers of America to recruit and help train a new generation of volunteers. Major Leaguers and high school students across the country are dedicated to encouraging more students to get involved and volunteer.

These students become Action Team captains, who spread the players' messages about the importance of community service to teens in their area. To date, more than 26,000 students have made a difference in their communities through the Action Teams, helping more than 111,000 people where they live. Read more >

Eric Young Jr. and the Denver Action Team fix up a homeless motel.

Want To Get Involved? Take Action in Every Community

It's easy to get involved ... and you don't have to be an Action Team member to experience the joys of volunteering. Below are some tips to volunteering by yourself or with a group.

Contact a local charity that you're interested in and ask how you can help. Be sure to leave your phone number and e-mail address so they can contact you whenever the need for volunteers arises.
Be a leader and organize a volunteer activity for your school, club or team. Talk with a teacher, guidance counselor or coach to enlist their support. Involving more people in your volunteer activities will allow you to help even more people in need.
Work with the elderly. Read to them, help them with computers, listen to their stories and become e-mail pals.
Collect children's books and deliver them to elementary-school children. Read to them; you'll be their hero.

To learn more about how you and your friends can get involved, please check out The Wall Street Journal's Classroom Edition Web site and the Action Team page on the Volunteers of America Web site.

Action Team Roster

More Action Teams are forming each year. Here are the Major League Baseball players working with each Action Team:

LOCATIONS
AL Mobile
AZ Mesa
AZ Phoenix
AR Newport
CA Arcadia, Compton, Covina, Hayward, Hemet, Las Flores, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, San Lorenzo, Stockton
CO Arvado, Aurora, Boulder, Denver, Fort Morgan, Golden, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Westminster
DE Smyrna, Woodside
FL Gibsonton, Plant City, Weston
GA Augusta, Savannah
HI Wailuku
ID Boise
IL Chicago, Lansing, LaSalle, Mt. Zion
IN Bloomfield, Indianapolis, Mooresville
KS Kansas City
LA Marrero, New Orleans
ME Auburn, Augusta, Bath, Biddeford, Brunswick, Corinth, Hiram, Lewiston, Lisbon Falls, Portland, Saco, Scarborough, Thomaston, Topsham, Wales, Windham, York
MA Boston, Dorcester, West Boylston, Worcester
MI Detroit, Ferndale, Fraser, Warren
MN Edina, Minneapolis, South St. Paul, St. Louis Park
MO Waynesville
NJ Blackwood, Ewing, Gloucester County, Leonia, West Deptford
NM Santa Fe
NY Cold Spring Harbor, Farmingdale, Long Island City, New York, Queens
OH Cincinnati, Cleveland, Lakewood
PA Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sharpsville
PR San Juan
SC John's Island
TX Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston
WA Everett, Marysville, Sultan
PLAYERS
Bobby Abreu, Andrew Bailey, Josh Barfield, Russell Branyan, Craig Breslow, Jay Bruce, Mike Cameron, Matt Capps, Jamey Carroll, Shawn Chacon, Eric Chavez, Alex Cora, Johnny Damon, Rajai Davis, Mark DeRosa, Josh Fogg, Dexter Fowler, Ben Francisco, Jeff Francoeur, Ryan Garko, Jason Giambi, Curtis Granderson, Bill Hall, Joel Hanrahan, Kevin Hart, LaTroy Hawkins, Dirk Hayhurst, Koyie Hill, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, Austin Jackson, Jason Jennings, Gabe Kapler, Mark Kotsay, Matt LaPorta, Mike Lincoln, Noah Lowry, Nick Masset, Gary Matthews Jr., Joe Mauer, Justin Maxwell, Nyjer Morgan, Brandon Morrow, Ross Ohlendorf, David Ortiz, Jake Peavy, Carlos Pena, Hunter Pence, A.J. Pierzynski, Joel Pineiro, Nick Punto, J.J. Putz, Nate Robertson, Jimmy Rollins, J.C. Romero, Aaron Rowand, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Chris Sampson, Kelly Shoppach, Kevin Slowey, Ryan Spilborghs, Huston Street, Cory Sullivan, Mike Sweeney, Mark Teixeira, Ryan Theriot, Jason Varitek, Shane Victorino, Dave Weathers, Todd Wellemeyer, Dontrelle Willis, Randy Winn, Randy Wolf, David Wright, Eric Young Jr., Michael Young, Brad Ziegler, Ryan Zimmerman

Action Team: Get in on the Action

Reaching out with the Players Trust

Players and Teens Teaming for Service

Want To Get Involved? Take Action in Every Community

Action Team Roster