The Chicago Cubs through Chicago Cubs Charities and Cubs Care, a fund of the McCormick Foundation support a number of organizations committed to bringing quality sports programming to Chicagoans.
Cubs Care grants fund the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs RBI program. The league provides equipment, uniforms and instruction for approximately 300 mostly minority teens ages 13 to 18 living in some of the poorest community areas in Chicago.
Each year, the Junior and Senior All-Star Teams travel to Minnesota for the Regional Tournaments to compete for the chance to participate in the RBI World Series in Jupiter, Florida.
Please contact the Union League Boys and Girls Clubs at (312) 829-6840 for more information.
"What the Cubs have done for our organization has contributed to the great movement for person with disabilities"
- Jorge Alfaro, RIC Cubs shortstop
The RIC Cubs are a cross-disability, competitive wheelchair softball team that competes in tournaments locally and nationally. The RIC Cubs are a member of the National Wheelchair Softball Association and were the first wheelchair softball program to be affiliated with a major league baseball team. It was a true pioneering partnership that has inspired others to support either teams or fields in their area. The RIC Cubs have won the Wheelchair World Series in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008. Please contact the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago at (312) 238-5001 for more information.
A partnership with the Chicago Park District, Rookie League is an introductory league for 6- to 9- year olds. The league is available at no charge to the participants. The league has grown to 96 locations with 521 teams. Each year, more than 8,000 children from neighborhoods throughout Chicago participate in the program. Please contact the Chicago Park District at (312) 742-PLAY for more information.
Inner City Youth Baseball provides recreational activities for more than 260 kids ages 9 to 12 who live in Chicago Housing Authority developments and scattered site housing throughout Chicago. Inner City Youth Baseball in chartered with Major League Baseball's Jr. RBI League and is collaborative effort between the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Housing Authority and the Chicago Park District. Please contact the Chicago Park District at (312) 742-PLAY for more information.
Cubs Care grants also support the Chicago Park District's Special Recreation programs, which are geared towards helping children and adults with special needs. They include Beep Baseball for the visually impaired, Buddy Baseball for the physically challenged, Deaf & Hard of Hearing softball for the hearing impaired and Alternative Athletic Conference (AAC) softball for those with learning/behavioral problems. Please contact the Chicago Park District at (312) 742-PLAY for more information.
"This project is just one example of the Chicago Cubs' long-standing commitment to support our parks and to give back to the communities of Chicago."
- Chicago Park District Superintendent Timothy Mitchell
Little Cubs Field at Humboldt Park is a ballpark built in and for a community whose passion for baseball is second to none. The Cubs partnered with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago and former Alderman Billy Ocasio to raise $2 million to make this dream a reality.
Little Cubs Field's design highlights some of the well-known elements of Wrigley Field. The scoreboard is reminiscent of the famed Wrigley Field Marquee, and the grandstand features a roofline like the major league park. Little Cubs Field will support opportunities for children in a great community.
"If it were not for the Chicago Cubs, we wouldn't have been able to rebuild our fields."
- Sean Delanty, Hamlin Park Baseball Association President
When the baseball field at Hamlin Park was badly in need of repair, the Cubs joined the Chicago Park District, the McCormick Foundation, local officials and the Hamlin Park Baseball Association to create Cubs Care Legends Fields - named in honor of Cubs legends Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams.
As host to youth baseball games and baseball champions since 1938, Thillens Stadium has a rich tradition of baseball throughout the Chicago area. The Chicago Cubs and McCormick Foundation partnered with the Chicago Park District, the City of Chicago, and the Thillens family and others to revitalize the stadium. The field, once in danger of closing, and its history have been renewed and offer a future of possibilities and memories for youth baseball participants.
The Chicago Cubs have long supported the RIC Cubs and programs for persons with disabilities. A Cubs Care grant funded construction of the first wheelchair baseball park in Illinois for use by the RIC Cubs and other athletes with disabilities. This state-of-the-art field, built in partnership with the Chicago Park District and the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, features a specially designed asphalt playing surface, an electronic scoreboard and a spectator area.
