SANTO DOMINGO - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced a partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association to promote education, address the needs of children with disabilities, and combat domestic violence in the Dominican Republic.  

Dominican MLB players Pedro Martinez, 2015 Baseball Hall of Fame electee; Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers All-Star outfielder; and Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins All-Star pitcher, lent their support to the new alliance and the importance of giving back to their communities.

"Education is the most important element to the development of any nation, any family or person," said Pedro Martinez. "We applaud this partnership as this will contribute to the improvement of our Dominican children and prospects."

The partnership will capitalize on the Dominican passion for baseball to:

1. Motivate thousands of at-risk youth to stay in school and graduate from high school.
2. Improve reading skills in elementary schools.
3. Increase education access and services for children with disabilities; and train teachers on how to identify and teach these children.
4. Generate awareness to end domestic violence; and counsel men who have committed gender-based crimes.
5. Provide 50 high school students with two-year college scholarships.

"The partnership with Dominican baseball superstars will help USAID reach thousands of at-risk youth and encourage them to graduate high school, granting them more job opportunities," said Mark Feierstein, USAID's Associate Administrator. "We also want to support the Dominican Government's efforts to enable all children, irrelevant of need, to attend school, and help parents to provide a healthy home environment." 

Activities will take place in home towns of MLB players:  Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Cristobal, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata, Haina, and Boano.