Blue For Kids
BLUE for Kids Hospital Program
In the game of life, it’s not just about balls and strikes. That’s why baseball’s men in blue are giving back to Major League Baseball communities across the country.
The BLUE for Kids hospital program brings a crew of Major League umpires to the bedside of children with life-threatening illnesses, and they don’t come empty-handed. Each crew brings a Build-A-Bear® Workshop experience right to the hospital room!
While a hospital stay can be a frightening time for children and their families, the BLUE for Kids program lifts the spirits of all involved. Children outfit stuffed teddy bears, puppies or monkeys while sharing high-fives and words of encouragement with the BLUE for Kids crew. When available, the home team mascot tags along making it a fun and memorable day.
+ Build-A-Bears® Delivered
Through this program, UMPS CARE delivered 1,700 bears to critically-ill children in MLB markets across the country and in Canada in 2019. To date, UMPS CARE has made more than 150 hospital visits and distributed 16,000+ Build-A-Bear furry friends. We are grateful to the following sponsors who help make this program possible: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai, Inc., US Foods, Santa Clara Umpire Federation, Melanie Ahern, The Williams Family, Santa PICsU, Adam Schwarz of IE-Realtors, among others.
2019 Hospital Visits
May 13
Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Phoenix, AZ
May 22
The Hospital for Sick Kids
Toronto, Canada
May 29
Comer Children’s Hospital
Chicago, IL
June 5
The Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
June 18
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Seattle, WA
July 17
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Baltimore, MD
July 23
Children’s National Medical Center
Washington, DC
July 24
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
July 30
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Center
Cincinnati, OH
August 13
Children’s Hospital at Montefiore
New York, NY
August 15
The Zone at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
August 21
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
August 27
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
San Francisco, CA
August 28
Rady Children’s Hospital
San Diego, CA
September 4
Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, MA
September 10
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital
Houston, TX