NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Founded in August 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hits For Humanity, a nonprofit fundraising organization that helps other 501(c)(3) nonprofits, is accomplishing its mission by partnering with The Nashville Sounds to raise funds for The Store.
Lifelong friends Andrew Jacuzzi and Burt Lockard founded Hits For Humanity in an effort to improve the lives of our neighbors and strengthen communities throughout the United States by financially supporting mission-centric 501(c)(3) nonprofits that address social issues such as hunger and homelessness.
Jacuzzi sums up his philosophy on contributing to charitable organizations, “I believe that if you have the ability you should always try to help improve the lives of others. It enriches your life and the lives of those you help. It strengthens the fabric of our society, builds better communities and can change lives and families for generations. My Dad, Tullio Jacuzzi, used to say, ‘always leave a place or situation better than you found it and let it be known that someone cares.’ I do this work because I care.” Lockard adds, “I have been blessed to the point that I have never had to experience the feeling of hopeless hunger with no idea of where my next meal is coming from. Even worse is the helplessness that must be felt if a parent has to see their children go through that very experience. That’s why the mission for Hits For Humanity is so important to me.”
Lee Willard, Hits For Humanity Board Chair, and 20 year Nashville music industry veteran sums it up this way, “No one should ever have to go without food or shelter in America. If we all give a little, together we can make a difference and create positive changes in lives and communities across this great country.”
Hits For Humanity’s goal is to gather corporate, group, association and individual pledges for each hit the local MLB or affiliate team gets during their home games for the 2021 season. There are 90 cities that have a form of MLB, Triple A or Double A baseball, each of which has a local Feeding America affiliated foodbank. Hits For Humanity partners with local foodbanks and baseball teams to raise funds in each individual market.
Donors can participate by following their favorite team during their home games and make a pledge starting at .25 cents per hit. Donors can also make a direct one-time or monthly donation in lieu of a pledge per hit.
For more information on Hits For Humanity, follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram or visit hits4humanity.org.
ABOUT THE STORE:
The Store operates in Nashville as a year-round free grocery store allowing people to shop for their basic needs. There is no charge to those referred or to the people and agencies that send them. They may shop for food to supplement their income during times of crisis and as they work toward self-sufficiency. The Store is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit retail store that will offer a variety of foods that will help individuals strive for healthier lives through food choices, as well as nutritional education and cooking classes.
ABOUT THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS:
The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the Triple-A East and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city’s association with the music industry. The team plays their home games at First Horizon Park, which opened in 2015 and is located on the site of the historic Sulphur Dell ballpark. The Sounds previously played at Herschel Greer Stadium from its opening in 1978 until the end of the 2014 season. They are the oldest active professional sports franchise in Nashville.
