Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies Player, Donates $1.2 Million To Local Schools

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Phillies star Ryan Howard is helping local students dress for success – in athletics.

The first baseman announced Thursday that his Ryan Howard Family Foundation will donate Adidas sportswear valued at nearly $1.2 million to the cash-strapped Philadelphia school district.

The gift will enable 57 city high schools to select athletic shoes and apparel to match the schools' colors. Four middle school athletic programs will receive shoes.

Acting Superintendent Leroy Nunery says the donation "will make a world of difference to our athletes." The school district had a budget gap of more than $629 million this year, forcing layoffs and cuts in many programs.

Howard's foundation is also providing turkeys, winter coats and school supplies to more than 500 struggling families in the Philadelphia area.

Comments

[Emilia Rastrick]

08:26 PM on 12/05/2011

Great donation to the School District of Philadelphia. I just need to point out that the budget of the Office of Athletics was cut by around $1million this year. Essentially middle school sports was gutted with this dramatic budget. Our middle school students are now seriously lacking after school structured sports. It would be great if the donation could go to restore these funding cuts but alas I have to agree that bureaucracy would mean that it would be very difficult for the funding to get to the right location.

[Emilia Rastrick]

08:12 PM on 12/05/2011

This is a great donation but approximately the same amount was cut from the budget of the Office of Athletics. The budget cuts slashed middle school sports to a bare bones skeleton. It would be great is the donation could help restore this funding.

[cyoohoos]

02:58 PM on 12/05/2011

Shoes? Why can't you do something to improve education rather than hocking Adidas. They had something similar where the local Burger King donated coupons for kids meals to give to students with good grades? Does anybody think that was in the interest of the children either?

[bleuwolf13]

12:56 PM on 12/03/2011

Thanks Ryan! Any donations help ~ wish they were for the classroom though!

[mrskorn]

09:32 PM on 12/03/2011

My thoughts as well. Although, you know the admins would have decided where it would go, and it wouldn't have ended up in the classroom anyway!

[mlaiuppa]

10:24 PM on 12/02/2011

Boy, that's sure going to go a long way to raise test scores.

Too bad his gift had strings. Does he by any chance have a product endorsement contract with Adidas. Man, imagine the free advertising of all of those students wearing their products, and in their school colors too.

Imagine what that $1.2 million could have done if it wasn't restricted to shoes and clothes.

Like....library books. Or laptops.

[noudidnt]

08:44 AM on 12/03/2011

Perhaps you can make a $1M unrestricted donation instead of beeit_ching about his gift.

[Nick Petten]

05:57 PM on 12/02/2011

Why is Adidas specifically identified? This could be an example of neoliberalism in the public education system. I urge readers to consider the ethical implications of public schools accepting 'donations' from private corporations (Adidas). Schools are about learning and growing, not marketing sports apparel.

[mlaiuppa]

10:26 PM on 12/02/2011

The Ryan Howard Foundation is donating. They're probably a non-profit unaffiliated with Adidas.

I suspect Mr. Howard *is* affiliated with Adidas.

And you are spot on the money. This is all about marketing. Free advertising on the feet and backs of all of those high school students.

And a tax write-off too, I'm sure.

[fridakahlofan]

03:45 PM on 12/02/2011

A good man with a big heart!
A patriot who cares about his fellow man!

[gingerland62]

02:59 PM on 12/02/2011

If he donated money there is no guarantee that it would ever make it to the students. This way,kids will actually get something of value.. The feeling of pride in something is an important value for every growing brain.

[9thman]

02:56 PM on 12/02/2011

Ryan and David Freese of the Cardinals were teammates at a suburban St. Louis high school. That must have been a pretty good high school team. Congratulations Ryan on your contribution to the athletic programs in the Philadelphia school district. Remind them of how athletics in their purest form can help them be better citizens; they helped me. I'll be 64 years-old next month and some of my fondest childhood memories come from my days as a baseball, football and basketball player and coaching my son and other young men from the early to the mid 1990's. I always did well academically and have practiced a learned profession (Accounting) all of my adult life, and my athletic accomplishments provided another area for successful activity. The more things a person does well during his or her lifetime, the more we can pass on by way of example and financial resources. It works. Keep up the good work, Ryan.

[rjohns3]

01:41 PM on 12/02/2011

Ok... something is better than nothing.

[HearMeNow1959]

02:46 PM on 12/02/2011

What the he]] does that mean? How much have you donated to charity this year?

Lemme guess....

[rjohns3]

03:08 PM on 12/02/2011

Clothes.... sports clothes... really? It means just what it says. Something is better than nothing. But I don't really see giving $1.2 million in Adidas clothes to a district that had $629 million budget gap as a really big deal. They really could have used the money instead. Props on the food, coats, supplies however.

As for your guess, ever since the incredible help a family member received from Hospice in her time of need every year I donate as much as I can be it a few hundred or up to a thousand over the course of a year.

[ReadHead322]

10:36 AM on 12/02/2011

The Big Piece kicks in a big piece. Thank you, Ryan Howard!

[Drlous Place]

01:29 AM on 12/02/2011

This is a start....if every multi millionaire gave one million back each year...what a difference it could make....

[mlaiuppa]

10:27 PM on 12/02/2011

How many shoes do we really need?

[DoctorWhoDat]

12:15 AM on 12/02/2011

Get better soon Ryan.