- LOUIS, Mo., August 28, 2020 – Cardinals Care, the charitable arm of the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation are grateful to On the Run for their donation of $15,000, to be split between the two organizations. Each year, On the Run holds a Jackie Robinson Day Jersey raffle of game-worn 42 jerseys that Cardinals players wear on April 15 in celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, to raise money for the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) and Cardinals Care. The raffle has been postponed until next season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite the delay, On the Run has generously made a donation to celebrate Jackie Robinson’s iconic achievements in breaking baseball’s color barrier and sparking a national conversation on civil rights and equality.
Over the past twelve seasons, in partnership with Anheuser-Busch, the Jackie Robinson Day Jersey raffle has raised more than $560,000 to benefit the local JRF’s Scholars and Cardinals Care. The money raised supports students of color in pursuit of a college education and children throughout Missouri and Illinois. JRF currently supports seven college students from St. Louis and the surrounding area. This year’s donation brings that to $575,000. This year’s JRF scholar is Kenyon Hill, who will attend Vanderbilt University to study political science.
“The Cardinals are grateful to have On the Run as a long-time team and community partner through the Jackie Robinson Jersey Raffle program, said Thane vanBreusegen, Vice President of Corporate Sales and Marketing, St. Louis Cardinals. We are proud of the efforts put forth over the last 13 years to raise money for the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Cardinals Care and look forward to continuing the partnership for years to come.”
“We are thankful to have such generous customers and thoughtful teams at our On the Run stores, who together donate to and support the effort of raising funds for these two wonderful organizations. Both Cardinals Care and the Jackie Robinson Foundation are first class associations that are true heroes in so many communities, and we are extremely proud to work with them each year, “said Lynn Wallis, President of Wallis Companies.
“Cardinals Care is thankful to On the Run and their patrons for their continued contributions that help develop programs in underserved communities in St. Louis, as well as provide financial support to local Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars, said Michael Hall, Vice President Community Relations and Executive Director of Cardinals Care. We look forward to the resumption of the Jersey Raffle next season.”
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About Cardinals Care
Cardinals Care was established to give fans a way of teaming up with Cardinals players and the organization to help children in our community—both on and off the baseball field. Established in 1997, Cardinals Care has invested over $22 million to support St. Louis area children and built or renovated 24 youth ball fields in local under-resourced neighborhoods.
About the Jackie Robinson Foundation
For 45 years, the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) has continued Robinson’s commitment to equal opportunity by addressing the achievement gap in higher education — and is poised to expand his rich legacy by building the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City.
Founded in 1973 by Rachel Robinson, the Foundation has advanced higher education for minority students by providing generous, four-year scholarships, coupled with a comprehensive set of support services to highly motivated minority students attending colleges and universities throughout the country. JRF’s efforts have led to a consistent 98% graduation rate among JRF Scholars, which is more than twice the national average for African American college students. The 1,500 JRF alumni are proven leaders in their communities and across a broad range of professional fields –and are true ambassadors of Jackie Robinson’s legacy of service. JRF has disbursed over $85 million in grants and direct program support to students who have attended over 260 different colleges and universities across the country.
Expanding its mission of education, the Foundation is engaged currently in constructing the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City. The Museum, which will include a robust online component, will chronicle Jackie Robinson storied athletic career and his long-lasting impact across society through artifacts, state-of-the-art exhibits, film and other media. This permanent tribute to Jackie Robinson, and his and Rachel Robinson’s role in promoting equal opportunity, will serve as a destination for innovative educational programming and a place for vibrant dialogue on critical social issues. For more information, visit www.JackieRobinson.org
