Most kids aren’t exactly enthused about returning to school in September; but that wasn’t the case for students at P.S./M.S. 71.
New York Yankees Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks stopped by the school to give these kids a proper welcome back on Friday, September 14.
Serving as ambassadors for CC Sabathia’s PitCCh In Foundation’s ‘Welcome Back to School’ assembly and backpack giveaway, the duo gave out backpacks and school supplies to an auditorium’s worth of students and Yankees fans.
“Growing up, my school never did anything like this,” said Hicks. “I’m so excited to be able to stand beside Didi and contribute to such a wonderful foundation. PitCCh In is doing such amazing work here in the community and I feel so blessed to be a part of it,” the Yankee added.
P.S./M.S. 71 was selected over the summer by PitCCh in and when principal Margaret Mirando got the good news call she was belated with joy.
“We were so honored, this gave our students the opportunity to start the year off right with a chance to succeed,” Mirando said. “We’re Yankee fans at this school!” the principal added.
She went on to explain how team members from PitCCh In had been at the school since the end of August filling up over 2,000 backpacks with school supplies for students.
Hicks and Gregorious showed up to P.S./M.S. 71 following a lengthy west coast road trip with the team, putting the students and kids of the Bronx as a priority in what’s’s obviously been a hectic September for the Yankees.
The Welcome Back to School assembly included a DJ, games, photos with Didi and Aaron and of course the backpacks filled with school supplies along with some fun trivia.
The PitCCh In Backpack Program is made possible by the Kids in Need Foundation and State Bags.
The event also acted as one of Gregorius’ signature #DIDIsDEEDs initiatives.
“I’m really excited to be partnering with The PitCCh In Foundation to provide backpacks as part of my latest #DIDIsDEEDs,” said Gregorius. “We want to make sure kids have the supplies they need to be successful in the school year,” the shortstop added.
Launched in 2017, #DIDIsDEEDs is a charitable initiative developed by Didi Gregorius, in which he spreads good fortune across the country to unsuspecting patrons.
From paying for passenger train rides in New York and visiting patients at a local children’s hospital, #DIDIsDEEDs encourages others to always ‘pay it forward’.
Didi also went on to assure those concerned that he has been rehabbing well from his heel injury from mid-August.
The PitCCh In Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and his wife Amber.
The foundation’s mission is to enrich the lives of inner city youth by raising their self-esteem through educational and athletic activities in the New York Tri-State area and Northern California.
It also showcases three signature programs that provide young people with the tools to be successful in school and on the field: All Star Baseball Clinic, Youth Backpack Program and Baseball Field Renovations. For more information or to donate, visit www.PItCC
“It’s awesome feeling, whenever you can give back and change a kid’s life especially when it comes to giving school supplies or making a kid a better student, it’s always going to be awesome,” Hicks said.
