USA – Major League Baseball will begin its second year of national fundraising and awareness initiatives for Welcome Back Veterans, a program which addresses the mental health and job needs of returning American Veterans. At three key points of national reflection during the baseball season — Memorial Day (May 25), Independence Day weekend (July 4) and Patriot Day (September 11) — all clubs will participate in a number of initiatives to support Welcome Back Veterans.

On Memorial Day, all Major League Baseball Clubs will wear special “Stars & Stripes” caps. The caps will have the American flag etched into the team’s logo and for the first time, will be red in color (the Toronto Blue Jays hat will incorporate a Maple Leaf design instead of the “Stars & Stripes”). These MLB Authentic Collection caps, produced by New Era, are available for sale to the public at www.mlb.com.

Major League Baseball Properties, Inc will donate all of the proceeds it receives from the sale of the caps to Welcome Back Veterans. In addition, MLB.com will donate an additional $1 to Welcome Back Veterans for each cap purchased through www.mlb.com. Also on Memorial Day, Major League Baseball once again will participate in the National Moment of Remembrance, with all games in progress pausing at 3:00 p.m. ET to encourage all citizens to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served in the armed forces.

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“Major League Baseball considers it a privilege to assist our troops in any way we can,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “We are proud to support these efforts in every way possible, and we ask our fans to join us on Memorial Day and beyond in this effort to raise awareness and funds for this important cause.”

Welcome Back Veterans was created by New York Mets Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fred Wilpon and a group of private citizens. Supported by Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Advanced Media and the McCormick Foundation, the goal of Welcome Back Veterans is to raise $100 million and provide 100,000 job opportunities for Veterans.

All creative materials for the charitable organization, including television, radio and online creative, were produced pro bono by McCann Erickson North America in conjunction with the Ad Council. This includes a series of public service advertisements featuring Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks and directed by Bennett Miller, who was nominated for an Oscar for his direction of Capote.

With its second round of grants in April 2009, Welcome Back Veterans has awarded $5.5 million in grants to 24 non-profit agencies across the country targeting veterans’ greatest needs, including mental health and job training/placement. Welcome Back Veterans has teamed with the University Hospitals of Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, the University of Michigan and Stanford University, which are developing treatment procedures for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health issues of returning Veterans and their families. In addition, Welcome Back Veterans is working closely with corporate America to provide 100,000 job opportunities for returning Veterans.

For additional information on Welcome Back Veterans, please go to www.welcomebackveterans.org.

Photo courtesy of healthmap.wordpress.com

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