SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - The U. S. Agency for International Development, through the Major League Baseball Dominican Development Alliance (MLB-DDA), teamed up with the Major League Baseball Players Trust on September 9 to help expand medical services in underserved communities in the Dominican Republic.

"This alliance with Major League Baseball is the ideal channel to raise resources through baseball in order to promote community development in the Dominican Republic," said James Watson, Acting Director of USAID's Mission in the Dominican Republic. "This initiative is one more example of how baseball helps the underserved in the DR."

USAID has provided $1 million to benefit partnering 501(c)3 certified community development organizations in the DR.

The new partnership will donate $50,000 to Medicines for Humanity to help provide medicine and vitamins for children, organize a network of 36 health promoters, and establish pharmacies in 20 impoverished sugar cane communities in the Barahona province. The health promoters will work to support the health and well-being of all community members.

In addition, the project will be providing seeds, food supplementation, logistical support and community nutrition education. Medicines for Humanity is a non-profit organization with the goal of combating child malnutrition and infant mortality in Africa, Haiti, and Latin America. In the Dominican Republic, MFH has carried out maternal/child medical projects in 42 Batey communities in the San Pedro province.

"On behalf of all Major League baseball players, I would like to thank the United States Agency for International Development and the Major League Baseball Dominican Development Alliance for their generosity and financial support," said Melissa Persaud, director of the Players Trust. "This matching grant will further the efforts of Medicines for Humanity and the Players Trust in helping Dominican families in need of the lifesaving medicines, vitamins and healthcare we all take for granted."

Since 2002, Major League Baseball players have committed more than $600,000 through the Trust to support community development projects in the DR. Through the Trust, major leaguers contribute their time, money and celebrity to call attention to important causes affecting the needy and to help encourage others to get involved in their own communities.

For more information on the Major League Baseball Players Trust, visit www.MLBPLAYERS.com or visit the Players Trust channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/MLBPlayersTrust.

"The MLB-DDA is an example of MLB's commitment to improve Dominican society," said Sandy Alderson, Major League Baseball Special Consultant to the Commissioner for Latin America. "Many of our players come from poor communities and through the MLB-DDA players, teams, and fans have the opportunity to help these communities by supporting education, health, and economic development projects."

The MLB-DDA was created to attract resources from the MLB industry to support sound community development projects in the Dominican Republic, a country that produces more than 10% of MLB players. To date, the MLB-DDA has channeled over $840,000.00 to support 16 projects in the Caribbean nation.

To learn more about the MLB-DDA, please visit www.mlb-dda.org