New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso has launched a foundation called Homers for Heroes to honor those who give back to their communities.

“There’s so many people now that go above and beyond and need to be recognized and should be recognized,” he says. “And Homers for Heroes is going to bring those stories out of the shadows and into the light.”

Alonso started the foundation with his fiance Haley. They are now taking donations and nominations for heroes.

“Our nominees are people we see every day in our lives, but the beauty of it is that they’re doing something incredible,” he says. “It doesn’t matter who you are…as long as you’re impacting someone for the better in a tremendous way.

The foundation’s first honorees are two coaches form the Dream Charter School in East Harlem.

“We were working with the Dream school in Manhattan, which helps out underprivileged kids in low-income homes…The thought of growing up without school or stability. I don’t know what I would do,” Alonso says.

In addition to honoring the coaches, Alonso also presented the school with $10,000. He also took part in a Zoom chat with the students and did a Zoom workout with them.

 

“We’re looking forward to people logging onto our website, nominating anyone in their community who is going above and beyond,” Alonso says.

The Mets’ slugger says that he is also looking forward to baseball coming back once it is safe to do so.

“I’m itching to get out there. I’ve been lifting, doing a tone of baseball activities in Tampa, where, thankfully things aren’t as bad,” he says.

More information about Homers for Heroes can be found on the foundation’s website.