Orioles, Adam Jones Announce Slew Of Donations To Baltimore-Area Charities

Adam Jones may be putting on an Orioles uniform for the last time this weekend. But if this is it, he's leaving Baltimore charities something to remember him by.

The Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation, Jones and his wife, Audie, on Thursday announced a joint $150,000 gift spread out among six area charities.

“Adam and Audie Jones have always been strong supporters of underprivileged children in Baltimore and they have generously dedicated their time and resources to improving educational opportunities for youth throughout our city,” Orioles Executive Vice President John Angelos said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with Adam and Audie again this year by matching their donation to several outstanding organizations that create meaningful change in our community.”

Nearly all of the money will support efforts to give children educational or recreational opportunities.

“These incredible organizations are doing amazing work to empower Baltimore’s youth, which has always been our top priority,” Jones said. “Audie and I personally met with each of these groups and we were so inspired by their various missions. We know that educational opportunities are critical for inner-city children, and we are proud to support causes that will help these kids achieve academic success, develop financial literacy, and ultimately, pursue higher education.”

Living Classrooms will receive the largest sum--$100,000. Of that, $90,000 will be used to set up a scholarship for underprivileged youth. The rest will buy school supplies for under-served schools.

The $20,000 gift this year to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore, a longtime favorite cause of Jones, helped to fund the Youth of the Year Scholarships in April.

Stocks in the Future will receive $10,000. That organization integrates business concepts into mathematics and language arts education through a model in which students earn money to make stock purchases. The program aims to equip underperforming or at-risk middle schoolers with academic achievement, financial lteracy and life skills. A portion of the money will be used to cover stock purchases for about 100 students.

Another $10,000 will go to Harlem Lacrosse for its newly-formed program at James McHenry School in Baltimore. Harlem Lacrosse formed in the city in 2014 and now serves more than 80 area youth.

Sharp Dressed Man will receive $5,000. A partnership between the Baltimore Fashion Alliance and Living Classrooms, it provides men in workforce development programs with recycled suits and interview skills. The donation will help them renovate their new location.

Finally, $5,000 will go to the Baltimore Urban Baseball Association. Founded in 2016, it brings together local former college and professional baseball players to mentor young Baltimore men. The gift will fund new baseballs, gloves, training tools and field maintenance equipment.

Jones, the longest-tenured active Oriole, is frequently active in the community, donating and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Boys & Girls Clubs and giving to other causes close to his heart, including the Mamie Johnson Little League team in Washington and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.