Donations

There are several ways in which you can help Alexandra Baseball.

  • Cash: Alexandra Baseball currently receives no government funding. Our survival hinges on scratching together enough money each week to pay for transport to league games, to help ship more equipment, and to work on field improvements. Please consider a small donation via the PayPal button below to help defray these costs:




  • Equipment: If you're in the U.S., you can help us by collecting used baseball equipment by contacting your local high school or baseball club; you could hand out fliers and get the entire school involved, or better yet, let your kids do a "Baseball for Africa" drive, a wonderful outreach project (see sample donor letter below).  We will arrange shipping to South Africa. Also, Play it Again Sports often has very inexpensive used clothing and equipment on offer, and you might be able to negotiate a special deal with them, in case you'd like to help but don't want to get involved in a donation drive. We especially need left-handed fielding and catcher's mitts.
  • Sponsorship: If you are in a position to allocate community service funds on behalf of your company, please consider Alexandra Baseball. If cash is not an option we are also very grateful for in-kind donations, such as logo t-shirts, water bottles, food (for games and tournaments), petrol vouchers, our biggest wish being our own Toyota minibus for team transport. 
  • Spread the Word: Please read our articles (see Blog page) and repost on Facebook and Twitter

A huge THANK YOU to all our past and present donors!

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SAMPLE DONOR LETTER


Baseball in Africa Needs Your Help!


Having moved to South Africa last year with our family of six, the one thing I didn’t expect to find here was baseball. Our boys, ages 12 and 14, had been avid baseball players before but we were resigned to the fact that it would have to be cricket (cricket!) from now on (let me just say that we are still struggling to understand why it is necessary to have matches last 5 days). However, I was all the more surprised to find that there is a growing baseball movement in South Africa, and not just as a pastime but also a model of social change. One such example is the Alexandra Baseball Association. 

Alexandra is a township in Johannesburg, and one of the most destitute and crime-ridden environments you can grow up in. In fact, I was warned never to set foot there, but I’m glad I did and consider myself fortunate to have met the founders and coaches of Alexandra Baseball. They have passion for what they’re trying to build and work hard, without any compensation. In fact, what little they earn with odd jobs, they pour into their baseball program to provide transport and meals for the kids in their care. Going to practice every day after school keeps the kids out of trouble and stirs dreams in some to perhaps one day make it to the Major Leagues.

 But the challenges are daunting. Their home field has no fence or backstop, no bases and no pitcher’s mound, which forces the team to travel across town to other clubs all season. The biggest need by far is that of more and better equipment, which is where YOU come in. We need your old mitts, bats, helmets, cleats, pants, belts, even socks and balls, catcher’s equipment, discarded team jerseys (an entire team’s old jerseys would be great), and any training equipment such as batting sticks, tees, or videos.

For further information please visit my blog at http://joburgexpat.blogspot.com/2011/03/getting-closer-on-alexandra-boys-dream.html, where you can also make a donation, or leave a comment for me so I can contact you. But mostly it is your used equipment that we need, because even with money it is hard to find baseball gear in South Africa.

You CAN make a difference! Please help these young boys fulfill their dreams. Thank you.


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