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RED SOX FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH ZIPCAR ON SECOND ANNUAL CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT INNER-CITY YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL

Zipcar Hosted “Zipcar Home Run” Campaign for Summer Drivers

BOSTON, MA – On October 04, 2018, Boston-based Zipcar visited the Red Sox Foundation to celebrate a successful summer partnership and present a check for $15,000 to support the Foundation’s Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities (RBI) Program. RBI welcomes youth 9-18 years old to the game of baseball and softball free of charge and uses the sport to promote the importance of good-decision making through development of good nutrition, leadership, respect for others, nonviolent conflict resolution, and an overall commitment to one’s potential and to the community.

Over the summer months, Zipcar activated a “Zipcar Home Run” campaign for its summer drivers, which allowed Zipcar members the opportunity to drive one (1) of ten (10) wrapped cars to support the cause. The wrapped cars featured images of kids playing the sport, Fenway’s neighborhood, the city skyline, and of course donned the RBI and Red Sox Foundation’s logo. Drivers who chose to reserve the wrapped cars were already giving to the Red Sox Foundation as each hour driven resulted in a monetary donation. In addition, throughout the summer, a few lucky drivers found special Red Sox themed gifts waiting for them. These prizes ranged from Red Sox giveaways to autographed memorabilia.

The partnership went even further than creating awareness and donations by helping to provide inner-city youth the equipment necessary to play all summer long. The focus was to enable more opportunities for the entire Boston community. Zipcar generously provided each volunteer RBI coach with a membership and driving credits to use for practices or games. Some fields are more challenging to access via public transportation and coaches often pick players up or drop them off to ensure they make it to the field or home safely.

“Teaming up with the Red Sox Foundation again this year has been a great opportunity for us to help RBI players develop positive habits and behaviors that they can carry with them throughout life, whether it’s giving back to the Boston community, using sustainable transportation or going on to work at a mission-driven company,” said Chris Moulding, Regional Community Marketing Manager for Zipcar.

In addition, Zipcar welcomed a group of high school juniors and seniors from the RBI program to visit their offices for a career exploration day. This daylong event introduced the players to Zipcar’s organization by taking a full tour and stopping along the way to talk with many of the employees. The students engaged in conversations with team members in PR, Brand Management, Member Experience, IT Support, Technology/Applications, and more. Following the tour, the group received hands on experience learning about the cars and splitting into groups to work on current topics that Zipcar is currently exploring. The day concluded with Zipcar’s president, Tracey Zhen, speaking to the group.

“My favorite part about the trip was learning about how Zipcar is able to incorporate it’s branding, sharing the message of making the city a better place,” said Robert P., an East Boston High School Student who attended the career exploration day.

Visit www.zipcar.com/rsf for more details.

About the Red Sox Foundation

The official team charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation has donated to over 1,680 organizations since its creation in 2002, and focused on making a difference in the lives of children, families, Veterans, and communities in need by improving their health, education, and recreational opportunities. Through partnerships with best-in-class organizations in healthcare, the Red Sox have helped raised over $135 million for cancer treatment and research for The Jimmy Fund, supported more than 15,000 Veterans and their families suffering from the “invisible wounds of war” with the Home Base Program, and helped the Dimock Center serve over 17,000 patients annually with health and human services. The Foundation’s self-run education and youth baseball programs have helped 274 Boston Public Schools students with college scholarships, and promotes healthy choices and valuable life skills to more than 700 urban youth annually through its RBI baseball and softball program.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Red Sox Foundation raises funds through special events, corporate sponsorships, and grants. Founded and initially funded by Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, President/CEO Emeritus Larry Lucchino and their partners, the Red Sox Foundation has won numerous awards for the impact of its innovative programs. In 2010, the Foundation’s Red Sox Scholars program was recognized by Major League Baseball with the first-ever “MLB Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence.” In 2009, the Red Sox Foundation was honored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Sports Philanthropy Project with the Patterson Award as the nation’s “Best Team Charity in Sports.”  For more information about the foundation, visit redsoxfoundation.org.