Left: Julieta Mendez, International Community Foundation Program Officer
Center: Kids from the Baseball team, Zumbadores
Back Center and Right: Zumbadores Coaches
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

"There are a lot of ways to help people, and we want to make sure we do it in a way that makes a difference producing better citizens," he said.

During his 15 years in the Major Leagues, the 37-year-old Batista has built a reputation as one of baseball's greatest, most notably pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks during their World Series winning season in 2000. He's been an ESPN commentator during other World Series and writes for the sports network's website.

However, Batista's interests range far beyond baseball. He has written a book of poetry, Feelings in Black and White, a collection of impressions, photographs, and passions; and a fictional thriller, The Avenger Blood, about a 14 year-old accused of murder in Arizona.

While his literary endeavors might be unusual among Major League players, he says philanthropic pursuits are not.
"There are a lot of players involved with philanthropy. A lot are very shy. People would be surprised at how much they do," Batista said. "The Major League has its own foundation."

Most of those activities are domestic, whereas Batista wanted to direct his efforts toward the Dominican Republic, where he grew up in the small community of San Pedro de Macoris, two hours east of the capital city of Santo Domingo. His interest in philanthropy began at a young age, he said. His mother was in charge of Haitian workers at a sugar cane factory, and he accompanied her when she delivered food supplies to them.

"I used to go with her in the truck. It was good seeing the impact that could have on people's lives," he said.
Several years ago, he formed the Fundación Miguel Batista to pursue charitable endeavors in that country. Subsequently, he contacted the International Community Foundation to serve as advisors and manage the Miguel Batista Youth Opportunity Fund.
"My agent recommended ICF, saying it was a very professional organization and that it did international work and would improve the structure under which we were doing philanthropic work," Batista said.

The Fundación Miguel Batista is involved with several diverse programs in the Dominican Republic. A major focus is a youth baseball program that enrolls 100 youngsters between the ages of 17 and 7 each year. The program is so popular it has a waiting list of about 50 kids. For those who excel academically, the Fundación provides scholarships for continuing education either in a four-year university or for vocational training.

"We use baseball as a way to get kids interested in education. When they come to the school, we say to them and their parents, 'We don't want to make you a Major League baseball player, we want to make you a Major League citizen," Batista said. "I'm sure one day one of my students is going to create something wonderful for this world."

Support also is given the El Soco Retirement Home on the outskirts of San Pedro de Macoris and the Colibri Elementary School in an impoverished neighborhood outside Santo Domingo. The school serves low-income Dominican and Haitian families and, despite being in existence 20 years and receiving support from UNICEF and Fundación Ujedo Colibri in addition to Fundación Miguel Batista, has yet to receive official recognition from the Dominican government.

Kids at Colibri Elementary School, Dominican Republic








 

After a site visit last month by Julieta Mendez, the International Community Foundation's program officer for health and human services, she concluded, "I can firmly say that their work is a great example of social responsibility that extends beyond charity. Through his foundation, Miguel Batista has worked hard to establish a strong commitment of giving in the communities in which they live and work."

Batista hopes to expand his charitable activities in the Dominican Republic in the future. He's working on getting the government to donate a piece of land on the outskirts of San Pedro de Macoris to build a larger baseball field.

"We're expanding our horizons, and the International Community Foundation is well informed on how much you can do," he said. "It is very organized and professional in its work. They want to make sure things are done right."

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