For every “Viva Los Dodgers” Sunday home game, the Dodgers honor a community hero with their “Heroe de la Comunidad” Award which recognizes outstanding leadership and service in the Latino and greater Los Angeles community. This is the Dodgers way of saying “thank you” to those individuals who are making a difference in the lives of many every single day.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation joined the East, Mid, and West Valley Family YMCAs as a sponsor for YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day with a free community event that encouraged kids and families in the San Fernando Valley to get moving and live healthier. Healthy Kids Day is part of the Y’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being. Dodger alumnus Lee Lacy was on hand to meet the youngsters and sign autographs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) in partnership with the LA84 Foundation and the City of LA Dept. of Recreation & Parks, unveiled two new Dodgers Dreamfields at Highland Park Recreation Center in Los Angeles on April 20.

Local officials were on hand as well as Dodger Alumni Manny Mota, Bobby Castillo, Tommy Davis, “Sweet” Lou Johnson and Derrel Thomas. The alumni conducted a baseball clinic for youth from the Spring Youth Baseball and Softball League on one of the new fields following the dedication.

Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium were the center of Major League Baseball’s celebration of the man who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947. On April 15 to begin the day, Matt Kemp, Dodger Alumnus Tommy Davis and Sharon Robinson, Jackie’s daughter, author, MLB Educational Programming Consultant adn Vice Chair of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, visited the students of Wsashington Middle School in Pasadena. Jackie Robinson attended Washington Middle (formerly Washington Junior High School) as a young man. Sharon discussed her new book Jackie Robinson: American Hero, and the Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life program. The school participated in a special Breaking Barriers essay contest and one student was presented a special gift by Sharon Robison.

Later that evening of April 15 at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers hosted Hollywood stars, sports royalty, key African American business, community and civic leaders, and most significantly the family of Jackie Robinson. No person represented the day better than Robinson’s wife, Rachel Robinson. The Dodgers also hosted a pregame reception on the Loge Terrace for fans who purchased a specially priced $42 dollar ticket. Dodger Alumni greeted fans at the reception and Dodger Owner Earvin “Magic” Johnson joined in to say a few words about Jackie and conducted a raffle for the fans.

Pregame ceremonies for the significant day included recognizing two members of the Tuskeegee Airmen as the Veterans of the Game; the choir of the West Los Angeles Church of God in Christ sang the national anthem; fans welcomed Rachel and Sharon Robinson, Dodgers Special Advisor to the Chairman Don Newcombe, son and daugher of Roy Campanella, Joni Campanella Roan and John Campanella; and Harrison Ford who plays Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey in “42” threw out the ceremonial first pitch. In the seventh inning, Kelly Jakle, the great granddaughter of Branch Rickey sang God Bless America.

Finally, all 30 Major League Baseball players wore the number 42 as a most important tribute to Jackie Robinson.

On April 14 at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers and MLB hosted 250 youth from the LA area RBI programs. The baseball clinic was conducted by Dodger Alumni Maury Wills, Tommy Davis, Al Downing, Kenny Landreaux, “Sweet” Lou Johnson, Dennis Powell adn Derrel Thomas. Also in attendance were MLB Executive Vice President and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, Jackie Robinson’s daughter Sharon Robinson and Dodgers Special Advisor to the Chairman Don Newcombe. The youngsters learned baseball skills and heard about the impact of Jackie Robinson from Newcombe, Sharon and Frank Robinson.

On April 13, Dodger Alumnus “Sweet” Lou Johnson took part in “Jackie Robinson Triple Play Day” at the Sports Musuem of Los Angeles. Hosted by the Zimmer Children’s Museum, the event celebrated the career and legacy of Jackie Robinson adn included a tour of a special section of the musuem dedicated to Robinson, and a speaker’s panel discussion about the Hall of Famer’s career.

On April 13, the Dodgers and MLB hosted a private screening of the movie “42” for more than 200 youth from Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Los Angeles. Dodger Alumni “Sweet” Lou Johnson and Derrel Thomas joined the youth for the screening to talk about how Jackie Robinson inspired them. Also in attendance were RBI Director David James and Jackie’s niece Kathy Robinson Young. The youth in attendance were from the Venice Boys & Girls Club RBI, LA Recreation & Parks RBI and the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton.

The Dodgers hosted several events and collaborated with Major League Baseball to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day.

April 12 – LA City Council presented an official proclamation to Dodger Alumni “Sweet” Lou Johnson and Tommy Davis. Also in attendance were Jackie’s niece Kathy Robinson Young adn her daughter Brittni Hamilton. Other local leaders taking part in the ceremony were Councilmembers Ed P. Reyes adn Dennis Zine, General Manager of City of LA Recreation & Parks Jon Kirk Mukri and former Major Leaguer John Young.

Matt Kemp hosted 100 youth at a special screening of the movie “42” at the Warner Brothers lot on April 4. Youth from Ladera Little League and Sportsman Little League heard about the legacy and the impact of Jackie Robinson from Kemp and actor Chad Boseman who played the role of Robinson in the movie.

For the third year, the Dodgers played an exhibition game with a higher purpose. On March 21, the Dodgers made a two-hour drive to Tucson to play at Kino Memorial Stadium where the game benefited the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation. Christina-Taylor was the 9-year old daughter of John Green, the Dodger’s National Crosschecker, and granddaughter of longtime big league manager Dallas Green. She was one of six people fatally wounded outside a Tucson shopping center on Jan. 8, 2011 when she joined others to hear from Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords.