Denard Span of the San Francisco Giants Catches the Hearts of Families
Denard Span knows a thing or two about lending a hand.
Last night, Span made two unbelievable catches to help teammate Matt Moore take a no-hit bid into the 9th inning. Off the field, however, Span lends another type of hand.
Growing up in a single parent home, Span gives credit to his Mom for the sacrifices she made so he could pursue his dream as a Major Leaguer. As a result, Span was inspired to give back to those single parent families.
The Denard Span Foundation was founded to help single parents build happy and productive families. As a Tampa native, Span chose to locate his foundation in Tampa Bay, yet he also helps those in the areas where he works.
The Foundation’s mission is to provide hope and encouragement to single parents, while empowering them to raise confident children within strong families and better communities.
A few striking facts, based on the most recent US Census, stuck with Span in his creation of the Foundation and are prominently displayed on the Foundation’s website. Nationwide, 27% of all family households have single parent. In the Tampa metro area, more than 57,000 homes are headed by single parents. Single parent families are disproportionally at or below the poverty line, resulting in higher school drop-out rates and instances of teen pregnancy.
The first Denard Span Foundation event was held during the holiday season at Springhill Park Community Center in Tampa. The 1st Annual Merry Christmas Celebration invited ten hard-working single parents and their kids to celebrate the holidays by opening stacks of wrapped gifts. The families were also treated to dinner, and received new bicycles.
Span talked to the families that night, encouraging them to keep working hard, stay in school, study and focus on their life goals. He hit a home run with the parents and children, and the Denard Span Foundation plans to continue helping these families.
Keep up to date with the Denard Span Foundation’s latest news and events by visiting their website at www.denardspanfoundation.org.
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Major Leaguers are #GoingToBat for causes near and dear to them, as they personify the Players Trust’s motto to ‘care, act and inspire.’ To learn more about the charitable interests and activities of Denard Span and other Major Leaguers, please click here.
