Just before Spring training started for the St. Louis Cardinals, I got involved in a great fundraising effort for the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation involving the team. Homers For Health is pretty straight-forward; you make a pledge to Cardinal Glennon for each Cardinal home run this season. You can pledge as little as a quarter per homer or as much as you want. You can also make a one-time donation to the cause.

The Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation supports the SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, which has been providing medical care to children in need from all over the country since July of 1956. One of the largest and most well-known events the Foundation puts on is the Bob Costas Benefit. I got to meet Dana Carvey at this year’s event, the 24th. Kevin Costner performed with his band, Modern West, as well. The Foundation also supports many youth programs and camps for Cardinal Glennon kids. According to this report, between 2000-2010, the Foundation transferred more than $51 million dollars to the Medical Center. These funds allowed for expansion on the campus, training for staff and many other opportunities that wouldn’t have been afforded to those children otherwise.

Homers For Health was originally set up for two collection periods, one at the All-Star break and one at the end of the season. If you make your pledge now, your card will be charged now for the 96 Cardinal home runs hit before the All-Star break and after the end of the season for the home runs hit in the second half of the season.

With eight games to go as I write this, the Cardinals have 154 home runs on the year. Last season, the Cardinals finished with 162 home runs so, the team is just about on the same pace as a year go. Last year Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman hit a combined 68 home runs. This year, five Cardinals have hit 20 or more homers. Never has that happened before in Cardinals’ history.

Thus far, Homers For Health has seen pledges come in from 35 U.S. states, Washington D.C. and five foreign countries totaling $2,934 per home run. At the current total of 154, that means $451,836  has been raised for Cardinal Glennon.

Matt Holliday and David Freese helped us launch the program at spring training and have been closely involved all season. Both David and Matt have made numerous trips to Glennon to make new friends with some of the kids. Check out this commercial they did promoting the program:

You can still make your pledge up until the final day of the Cardinals’ regular season by going here.  I pledged $1 per home run at the start of the season. Maybe you don’t want to pledge that much. How about you pledge a quarter per homer? Right now that would be $38.50. All donations are tax-deductible. Still on the fence? Watch this video. With your donation, you will be a part of making things like this happen daily.

If you had been at this year’s benefit and seen Lindsey walk out on stage, you would already be on board with Homers For Health. Now is your chance to make a difference and touch a child’s life. Join me?

 

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