Scottsdale family helps make baseball more accessible in the Dominican Republic, and in Arizona too
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A Scottsdale family started a baseball charity in 2020.
They’ve been collecting gloves, balls and bats for kids in need in the Dominican Republic.
They quickly realized that the same need existed in Arizona communities.
Baseball is a beautiful sport.
It teaches teamwork, discipline and patience.
For a couple of kids in Scottsdale, it’s becoming the most rewarding experience of their lives.
Baseball is everything to 16-year-old Ryan Penney.
Throwing with his dad, the Chapparal High pitcher says his older brother is now playing college ball in New Hampshire.
They’ve played in big game, but none bigger than on a littered field with young kids in the Dominican Republic.
"It was amazing just seeing the kids' faces being on the island and experiencing and seeing them play baseball. Playing baseball against these kids was just priceless," Ryan Penney with Home2First Foundation said.
A few years back, the family started the Home2First foundation after seeing the need there. They placed donation boxes of used baseball gear in a Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers restaurant.
When they brought their first donations in 2021, Penney saw how big the need was.
"It’s just a shared helmet for a team, and they’re used to it. They’re grateful for what they have. A lot of shared gloves, torn plastic bottles for shoes. Very minimal, just not good equipment, not good at all," Penney said.
Each kid got donated gloves, bats, helmets and gear. Then they realized they saw similar scenes closer to home.
"There’s a lot of need here, too. A lot of financially challenged communities here in Arizona," Penney said.
In the last three years, they’ve donated thousands of pounds of equipment locally and to the DR. They have started giving out scholarships for club teams.
"Work hard in school, work hard in school just can’t afford to pay," Penney said.
‘It’s really rewarding, and I’m really grateful’
Sports are a universal language, and for Penney, it’s been a rewarding language to learn.
"Super fun. It can take a lot of work to put together, takes a lot to put all these drives together, but it’s really rewarding and I’m really grateful," he said.
They’re not done finding ways to help.
Now they’re trying to raise money for the kids in the Dominican Republic to receive extra help with education, including English courses.
More information and how to help: