News

For Immediate Release

August 21, 2026

RED SOX FOUNDATION AWARDS $350,000  TO BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER NASHUA, COLLEGE VISIONS AS SPECIAL RECOGNITION HONOREES

Funding will Support Educational and Recreational Opportunities for Young People Across New England

BOSTON, MA – The Red Sox Foundation today announced the recipients of the 2026 Special Recognition Award, granting a combined $350,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua and College Visions in support of high-impact initiatives expanding educational and recreational opportunities for young people across New England.

This year, the Red Sox Foundation will award $200,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua to support new and enhanced spaces for youth recreation and learning, and $150,000 to College Visions to strengthen college access, college success, and career-readiness programming for more than 550 first-generation students across Rhode Island.

Both organizations will be recognized with on-field check presentations during pregame ceremonies today, Friday, August 21, at Fenway Park before the 7:10 p.m. Red Sox-Giants game.

“The Special Recognition Award gives us an opportunity to invest more deeply in organizations that are meeting important needs in their communities and creating meaningful pathways for young people,” said Bekah Salwasser, EVP, Social Impact & Executive Director, Red Sox Foundation. “Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua and College Visions each have a strong track record of helping young people realize their potential, whether through a safe place to learn and play or through the guidance and resources needed to navigate college and career. We are thrilled to welcome them as our second class of Special Recognition honorees and celebrate their work at Fenway Park.”

“This recognition from the Red Sox Foundation sends a powerful message to our kids: you matter, your dreams matter, and an entire community is behind you. That belief will stay with them far beyond their time at the Club, helping them see what is possible for their futures,” said Craig Fitzgerald, Executive Director and Club Alumni of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua. “On behalf of all of our Club staff, kids, and volunteers, thank you so much to the Red Sox Foundation.”

“We are incredibly honored to receive this extraordinary recognition and investment from the Red Sox Foundation,” said Lamont Gordon, Executive Director of College Visions. “This award is a powerful affirmation of our students and the impact College Visions is having across Rhode Island. This recognition comes at an exciting moment for College Visions as we continue to grow our reach and deepen our impact. We are deeply grateful to the Red Sox Foundation for believing in our mission and, most importantly, believing in the extraordinary potential of the young people we serve.”

Details on this year’s recipients and their projects are below.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua will receive $200,000 in support of its “The Power of Youth” capital campaign, which is nearing its $12 million fundraising goal. The organization works to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.

The Red Sox Foundation’s investment will support the creation of a new youth wiffle ball program and dedicated paved field featuring a Green Monster mural, building on a longstanding Club tradition. Wiffle ball has deep roots in the organization, where Executive Director Craig Fitzgerald grew up as a Club member.

Funding will also support renovations to the Club’s Project Learn Zone, an interactive learning and recreation space designed to give young people additional opportunities to learn, connect, and grow.

College Visions

College Visions will receive $150,000 to support its college access, college success, and college-to-career programs, providing more than 550 first-generation students from across Rhode Island with the tools, resources, and confidence to pursue their academic and professional goals.

College Visions empowers first-generation students from underserved communities to achieve the promise of higher education and become the next generation of leaders. Its College Access Program supports Rhode Island students with the highest financial need as they navigate the college admissions and financial aid process through individualized advising, workshops, campus visits, family engagement, technology access, and financial aid coaching.

Through its College Success Program, College Visions continues supporting scholars for four to six years or more as they progress from college enrollment through graduation, providing individualized coaching, workshops, assistance navigating campus resources and renewing financial aid, and access to emergency grant funding.

The organization’s College to Career Program extends that support as scholars prepare to enter the workforce, with programming tailored to the experiences of first-generation college students and designed to build career knowledge, professional skills, and networks.

–RED SOX–