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MLB players sponsor massive delivery to aid Puerto Rico's hurricane recovery

Puerto Rico was ravaged by the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Puerto Rico was ravaged by the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Major League Baseball players past and present are doing their part to provide aid for families in Puerto Rico ravaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

As part of that effort, the Major League Baseball Players Trust announced on Wednesday that it will provide a grant to Pacific Prowler Nonprofit’s Operation Airdrop, which will allow the distribution of up to 1.5 million pounds of food, water and supplies to Puerto Rico to help those in need.

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Puerto Rico natives Ivan Rodriguez and Luis Alicea were involved in the packing and shipping. They’ll also be involved in delivering the goods to their homeland while serving as ambassadors of the Players Trust during this mission.

Here’s more from the Players Trust announcement:

The shipment of food, water, generators, and supplies is expected to leave Tampa, Florida today, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, and arrive in Isla Grande, San Juan, Puerto Rico for same-day distribution to municipalities identified as areas of crisis, shelters, and other location(s).

Today’s contribution to Pacific Prowler/Operation Airdrop is part of the Players Trust’s previously announced $1 million contribution to support disaster relief and recovery efforts in the Caribbean, Mexico and the United States.

Puerto Rico natives Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina have taken the lead in raising funds and bringing awareness to the situation in their homeland. Unfortunately, their commitments will not allow them to be part of delivering aid right now, but Rodriguez and Alicea will proudly carry the banner while hopefully providing hope to those who could use it.

“Seeing my home country suffer this much, truly breaks my heart. We are doing our best to help my people in Puerto Rico. It is an honor and I am proud to represent players through the Player’s Trust as an ambassador. It feels good to know that more help is on the way,” said Rodriguez.

“It was an honor to always represent my family, my island, and my people; and now that I am in the position to give back, I am proud to be one of the ambassadors of the Players Trust that will personally deliver water, food, and supplies to those most in need,” stated Alicea.

Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez will take part of in the delivery of food, water and other supplies to his home country of Puerto Rico. (AP)
Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez will take part of in the delivery of food, water and other supplies to his home country of Puerto Rico. (AP)

The Players Trust has now provided nearly $5 million to help disaster affected communities in Cuba, Philippines, Japan, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States. And we assumed their work is only getting started with hurricane recovery efforts expected to be long-lasting.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!