Community Corner
Phillies Pitcher Cole Hamels Delivers Education to Communities in Need
Cole Hamels and his wife Heidi started The Hamels Foundation to support area schools and help build a future for children in Malawi, Africa.
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After winning the World Series in 2008, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels and his wife Heidi founded The Hamels Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting education in the United States and establishing a school in Malawi, Africa. Patch caught up with the foundation to find out what inspired its start and how its been able to help those in need.
Patch: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve taken on?
The Hamels Foundation: The Hamels Foundation has a dual purpose to provide support for quality education in the United States and establish a school in Malawi, Africa. The Hamels Foundation takes a community-based approach to education by providing assistance to schools as well as supporting other education based non-profit entities in the United States in need of support. This includes but is not limited to providing stimulating learning environments, high-quality educational programs and necessary provisions to promote learning.
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The commitment of The Hamels Foundation extends globally to Malawi, Africa where there are over one million orphans due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Malawi is one of the poorest, most impoverished nations in the world. The Hamels Foundation is dedicated to building a primary school (grades 1-8) that will educate boys and girls in the Mulanje District of Malawi. The first step towards breaking the cycle of AIDS is education, as well as tending to basic needs such as shelter and food. Our goal is to provide this first step in improving the lives of thousands.
Patch: What inspired you to take on this challenge?
HF: The Hamels Foundation was founded by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels and his wife Heidi in 2008, after the Phillies won the World Series. It is driven by Cole and Heidi's desire to give back to the communities in which they live (Pennsylvania and Missouri) as well as Cole’s hometown of San Diego, CA. To achieve our goals, we rely on the generous support of our incredible sponsors, patrons, and friends of the foundation. We host exciting fundraisers throughout the year, including our annual star-studded Diamonds and Denim event.
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Patch: Did you succeed?
HF: The Hamels Foundation has donated over $2 million dollars to support kids and education here in the United States and Malawi, Africa. Most recently (in 2012), The Hamels Foundation gave away over $315,000 to an inner city school in Philadelphia (Bayard Taylor Elementary) for a complete outdoor renovation. For over 100 years, the students’ play yard looked like an empty parking lot. Now, there is a state of the art playground, a greenhouse, an iPad/Tech learning center, a chess/checker station, a soccer field, a beautiful mural, and more! We have donated over $660,000 to over 20 public schools. In the Ozarks Area in Missouri, The Hamels Foundation has donated $186,500. We have donated $15,000 in scholarships to students in the CA area. We are also currently building a primary school in Namunda Village, Malawi. It is located in the South East part of Malawi in the Malunje District which is slightly west of the Mozambique Border.
This year's Diamonds and Denim event takes place Aug. 15 at Vie in Philadelphia. For more information on tickets and sponsorships, visit www.thehamelsfoundation.org/events.
