Phillies or Yankees? Either Way, the World's Children Win

Major League Baseball and World Vision to Distribute Postseason Apparel Overseas

SEATTLE, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Whether the Phillies or the Yankees win the World Series, Major League Baseball and World Vision are ensuring that everyone wins, by continuing their partnership to provide unsalable, postseason MLB-licensed apparel to children and families in need around the world. MLB will donate World Series apparel that is unusable because it lists the wrong winning team, since it is being produced in advance to be prepared for that outcome.

The Phillies or Yankees merchandise that turns out not to be needed but for distribution to athletes and fans on-site and through retailers, will be added to the 13,000 pieces of Angels' and Dodgers' apparel donated to World Vision after the American League and National League Championship Series. World Vision will ship and distribute the goods to impoverished people in the developing world, many of whom have never owned a new article of clothing in their lives.

As is the case each year, as teams have been eliminated during the 2009 postseason, an excess amount of inventory has become available but is not salable. MLB has continued its work with many of its licenses to ship the losing teams' apparel to World Vision's Gifts-in-Kind Distribution Center in Pittsburgh, PA. The goods are being sorted and packaged for shipment to developing countries where World Vision has experienced staff and established product distribution networks.

"Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities and this is a tremendous opportunity for Major League Baseball to make an impact on the lives of those in need around the world," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "We are pleased to work with World Vision, which brings 60 years of experience successfully assisting millions of people around the world."

Unsalable World Series '09 goods this year will go to Indonesia, which was devastated by a 7.3 earthquake in September. The World Series apparel will be added immediately to a large shipment of World Vision supplies scheduled to ship this week to help with the long-term relief response. As part of its emergency response in Indonesia, World Vision is operating three mobile libraries, distributing tool kits to build shelters, and has provided two months worth of water purification tablets for 12,000 families. The organization has also distributed hygiene kits, 4,000 water containers, and 10,000 family kits consisting of blankets, sleeping mats, tarps, sanitation items and soap. Future MLB postseason apparel donations will go to additional countries.

World Vision will carefully monitor and track the unsalable postseason merchandise as it makes its way to the intended beneficiaries. World Vision's network and resources will offer a secure, turnkey process to effectively utilize excess inventory that might otherwise have been destroyed.

"The children and families we serve will take great joy in these goods," said Richard Stearns, president of World Vision, " World Vision thanks Major League Baseball and its partners for recognizing that even though these items are unsalable, they are valued and appreciated by many people in need around the world."

About World Vision Gifts-in-Kind
Gifts-in-Kind (GIK) are a company's first-quality, excess inventory donated to assist those in need, and World Vision provides these goods to millions of people in need each year. World Vision works in 100 countries, half of which have duty free status to import donations, and through 11 U.S. sites, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Appalachia. In the past 5 years, World Vision has placed $1.1 billion of donated goods from major corporations, such as clothing, shoes, medical supplies, books, school supplies, personal care, sporting goods and building materials.

About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.worldvision.org.