K.I.D.S and Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Annouce Partnership to Support Disadvantaged Youth

Posted by Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S) - 7/7/11

“Cal Sr.’s KIDS” Partnership to Launch with Opening of 8 Youth Development Parks

New York, NY – July 07, 2011 – Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.), the internationally renowned children’s charity, today announced a strategic partnership with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, which uses baseball and softball themed programs to teach life lessons to at-risk youth in underserved communities nationwide. As part of the year-round program called “Cal Sr.’s KIDS,” K.I.D.S. will donate new apparel and other product to support the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s youth development programs.

The partnership will launch with the opening of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s state-of-the-art multipurpose outdoor Youth Development Parks, which are intended to provide safe places to play for kids in their communities, while helping to strengthen character through baseball and softball themed programs. Eight parks are currently under development in Annapolis and Baltimore, MD, Bridgeport, CT, Collier County, FL, Harrisburg, PA, Houston, TX and Fredericksburg and Richmond, VA.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, as we share a mission to instill hope in kids who need it most,” said Kevin Burke, Chairman of K.I.D.S. “By providing children in distressed communities with their own new clothes and a safe environment for them to play and learn, together we can help them build their self-esteem and ultimately be successful.”

“As the foundation continues to grow and helps more and more kids across the country we continue to look for partners to help us with our mission,” said Cal Ripken, Jr., National Baseball Hall of Famer and co-founder of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation K.I.D.S. is a partner that will help the foundation continue to positively impact the lives of kids everywhere and we appreciate the great work they do.”

As part of the “Cal Sr.’s KIDS” partnership, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and K.I.D.S. will develop a program for the distribution of product to benefit underserved Native American populations. In addition, K.I.D.S. will continue to supply product to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation throughout the year to help them provide support and educational programs for inner city youth.

ABOUT K.I.D.S.
Celebrating 25 years in service, K.I.D.S. has provided over 65 million underprivileged and disaster-struck children with close to one billion dollars of NEW clothing, toys, basic necessities, juvenile products, books and much more. The donations of new products are distributed through an established network of nearly 1,000 local community social service agencies in the U.S. and abroad. K.I.D.S.’ efforts reach youth, age 0-18, who are challenged by poverty, homelessness, domestic abuse, low literacy, military family service, major illness, incarcerated family members and disaster survival. More information about donating new products and supporting our work is available online at www.KIDSdonations.org.

ABOUT THE CAL RIPKEN, SR. FOUNDATION
The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation uses baseball and softball themed programs to help build character and teach critical life lessons to at-risk youth residing in America’s most distressed communities. Founded in 2001 by members of the Ripken family in memory of their patriarch Cal, Sr., the Foundation works to create programs that positively impact disadvantaged youth through active community partnerships with America’s most successful youth service organizations. www.RipkenFoundation.org