#MLBFightsALS Fundraising Campaign Unveiled

NEW YORK - Major League Baseball announced on Thursday that it is supporting The ALS Association's new ALS Home Health Initiative by launching the "MLB Fights ALS" campaign, a league-wide fundraising effort that will begin on Tuesday and run through Aug. 5. The campaign was inspired by former Boston College baseball captain and ALS advocate and patient Pete Frates.

It will be promoted in ballparks, by MLB's media assets and as well as YouCaring.com. Beginning with an initial $50,000 contribution from MLB, the effort will seek to generate additional funds for the Home Health Initiative's mission of providing in-home care to individuals and families affected by what forever became known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

"Because of Lou Gehrig, baseball has long had a connection to the fight against ALS," Commissioner Rob Manfred said. "In his memory, we are proud to assist ALS patients and families in carrying the enormous financial burden of living with the disease that bears his name. We encourage our fans to join us in helping ALS patients receive the best care possible."

Frates was diagnosed with ALS in 2012 and the driving force behind the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The campaign, which has an initial goal to raise $1 million, is in honor of Frates, fellow members of the baseball family, and fans who are battling the disease.

Fans who donate $50 or more between Tuesday and 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 5 will be entered into a sweepstakes to win two tickets to a 2017 World Series game.

Since 2014, August has become a signature month for increasing ALS awareness and fundraising devoted to finding a cure. A wave of fundraising spurred by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, more than $220 million, led to new discoveries that have advanced the search for treatments and a cure. Now the ALS Association is addressing the issue of the high costs of home health care for people like Frates who are living with ALS.

The ALS Home Health Initiative will augment caregiver support through financial grants, which may cover skilled nursing and/or custodial care to enable a person living with ALS to continue to reside in their home while having their care needs met. Frates' family has been public about the high costs of Pete's care, which they say is at least $90,000 a month.

This effort marks MLB's first endeavor of its kind with YouCaring.com, the leader in free online fundraising for personal and medical causes and a Certified B Corporation, which was recently named MLB's preferred crowdfunding platform. Fans can support MLB Fights ALS by visiting MLB.com/ForPetesSake.

#MLBFightsALS Fundraising Campaign Unveiled

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