masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgMINNEAPOLIS – Major League Baseball has reached out to Orioles center fielder Adam Jones in its continuing support of the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Jones is featured in a new national public service announcement campaign filmed earlier this season at the Brooklyn O’Malley Boys & Girls Club in Baltimore.
It’s a natural partnership.
Jones is an Encanto Boys & Girls Club alumnus in San Diego and credits the organization for helping prepare him for success.
In 2013, Jones and the Orioles…

MINNEAPOLIS – Major League Baseball has reached out to Orioles center fielder Adam Jones in its continuing support of the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Jones is featured in a new national public service announcement campaign filmed earlier this season at the Brooklyn O’Malley Boys & Girls Club in Baltimore.

It’s a natural partnership.

Jones is an Encanto Boys & Girls Club alumnus in San Diego and credits the organization for helping prepare him for success.

In 2013, Jones and the Orioles Charitable Foundation donated $75,000 to the Brooklyn
O’Malley Boys & Girls Club. The money went toward renovating and expanding the Technology and Learning Center within the Club’s facility.

In 2014, Jones and the Orioles Charitable Foundation donated more than $40,000 to building a new Teen Center for the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore, Westport/Winans Homes Center. And the following year, Jones and the Orioles Charitable Foundation donated $75,000 to the Webster Boys & Girls Club.

Detect a pattern here?

Jones seems to be an obvious choice to appear in a public service announcement.

“I think when they first brought it to me, it was quite surprising due to the fact that there’s a lot of players around major league baseball who do a lot of good work with the Boys & Girls Club,” Jone said.

“I think it’s quite humbling, the fact that I grew up in it, me and my brothers and cousins, and then over the last eight years I’ve been able to give back to the Boys and Girls Club in Baltimore and now San Diego. So, I think it’s a pretty good partnership and I think it’s a relationship that started when I was four or five and has continued into my 30s.”

Jones was awarded the Governor’s Service Award from Governor Larry Hogan last year in recognition of his efforts to improve lives in Maryland.

Did he ever imagine impacting so many lives?

“You never really think of it like that,” Jones said. “I’m just trying to help where you can help and what I’ve been able to accomplish between the lines and on the field has been able to catapult a lot of the attention and notoriety. So, I just think it’s a good partnership.

“I never go into things trying to get notoriety for it. I just go into it trying to be that guiding light and try to help out kids and help out communities. This is a good partnership and I think that going forward we should be able to do a lot more, not just for the city of Baltimore but for the city of San Diego.”

Jones continues to lend more than his name and money. He’s also generous with his time.

“I think the kids understand that it’s me in the flesh rather than me as a checkbook or anything like that,” Jones said. “When they see me, I tell them, ‘Talk to me like I’m one of your friends. Don’t put me on any sort of a pedestal. Come and talk to me. I’m human. I’m going to show up in sweats and some Jordans like all of you look.’ I’m there as an innocent bystander, just trying to give back, but in the physical form.

“I know tons of people who do it financially and I think that’s great also, but I think doing it in the physical form, the kids – not just the kids, but the community, the parents – they get to embrace you and see you for who you really are.”

Kids relate to Jones, who isn’t shy about putting his playful side on display.

“Yeah, I’ve had to grow up a little bit over the last few years, which I don’t really like to, but yeah, I am a big kid at heart and I enjoy the activities that still take place in there,” Jones said.

“I remember we played charades and I haven’t played charades in forever. Just things like that. You can interact with the kids and the community. That’s where it’s really at.”