Phillies Shortstop Jimmy Rollins Joins Action Team

CAMDEN - Philadelphia Phillies Shortstop Jimmy Rollins joined high school students from Volunteers of America Delaware Valley's Action Team youth volunteer corps April 28 at a storybook luncheon. The event was held for homeless children and neighborhood youth in the Morgan Village and Newton Creek communities.

Action Team youth from West Deptford High School, Gloucester Catholic High School and Camden Catholic High School hosted the event to highlight the need for positive enrichment programs for at-risk children in the area and to encourage other young people to get involved in their community through volunteering.

It's a great honor to join Delaware Valley Action Team captains in raising the awareness of two very important causes - enrichment programs for area kids and community involvement," said Rollins. "Major Leaguers and Volunteers of America are extremely proud of the job Action Team high school students all across the country are doing to help train and inspire the next generation of volunteers."

Administered by Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Trust, the Action Team program was created to encourage young people throughout the United States to volunteer in their communities. To date, Action Teams across the country have inspired more than 9,000 high school students to get involved helping over 38,000 people in need. Action Teams, consisting of Major League baseball players and area high school student Team Captains, are working together in Philadelphia/Delaware Valley, Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York City, Oakland, Portland (Maine), San Francisco and Seattle to encourage young people to get involved in their communities by volunteering. Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Trust are planning to expand the Action Team program to Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Houston and Mobile during the 2007-08 school year.

"This Action Team event is an example of all the good that occurs in Camden," said Volunteers of America Delaware Valley President and CEO Daniel L. Lombardo.  "We are so pleased that Jimmy Rollins was able to give the children who attended so much of his time and attention, and I'm certain they will remember it for years to come."

The Major League Baseball Players Trust partnered with Volunteers of America in 2002 to promote the nurturing and well-being of Americaís children and their families.  For more information about the Major League Baseball Players Trust, visit http://www.mlbplayers.com.