Inside the Inspiring All Rise Work of New York Yankees Captain Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge has truly reached great heights (pun intended). What the 6 feet 7 inches tall veteran has achieved in his life, he gives back to society, because he always “thought that was pretty cool.” Not only is he a star-studded performer on the diamond rising to the occasion every single time, but also has done complete justice to his moniker, ‘All Rise’. 

Following his adoptive mother’s words, “It’s important.. that young people make good decisions and handle themselves responsibly to become contributing citizens”, the New York Yankees captain encourages kids to think about their unlimited possibilities. This is what forms the driving force of most of his philanthropic endeavors. But how did all of this come about? 

Aaron Judge laid the foundation stone of the All Rise Foundation in 2016

“Have you heard the story about a little boy who grew up in Linden, California and now is the right fielder for the New York Yankees?” That’s how the story of a wonderful establishment starts. The seed was planted in 2016 when Judge made his MLB debut. Soon after, in 2018 the idea materialized and Judge set up the 501(c)(3) ALL RISE Foundation with the goal of serving the youth of San Joaquin County and Fresno County. A major part of the initiative was to fuel them with the internal drive to identify possibilities and turn them into yielding opportunities. 

Since the launch of the foundation in Linden, #99 has spread his philanthropic branches. But one in particular, which pioneered the whole initiative stands out. The first Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation Baseball ProCamp was held in his hometown on the baseball field of Linden High School, Judge’s alma mater. With that started a series of programs that have only had positive turnouts.

The Motive: Thought Process Behind Setting Up A Foundation for All

Patty Judge, Aaron’s adoptive mother and teacher, has been a great support for him throughout his career, particularly in this concept of All Rise Foundation. She is a staunch believer in “You can accomplish anything that you put your mind to”. Instilling the belief in her son, that whether it is sports or any other profession, one must seize the moment and live the dream, only to see it work, is a testament that if one child can do it, so can others. 

With that intention, the 31-year-old took it upon himself to “inspire, engage, and encourage” kids and grabbed every opportunity to make a difference. The greatest bit about this is that the 5x All-Star focuses on starting young, and what better place to do that than in school? As Judge’s work gives one food for thought, it gets more inspiring to look further into the details of his programs. 

Initiatives Which Made a Mark: A Look Into Successful Programs From Aaron Judge-Led Foundation

As the son of two educators, he believes in the idea of mentorship and “being a positive role model”. Following that North Star, the MVP tied up with programs that help him achieve his and many other children’s goals. 

One such program was the GENYOUth via PepsiCo which was to actively encourage ‘Fuel Up to Play 60’ at his own school. ‘Fuel Up to Play 60’ was the in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and the NFL. Their motto translated to Eat healthy, live healthy. Aaron Judge’s collaboration in promoting this program resulted in a donation of a nutrition cart to Linden High School. Their motto now translates to, Eat healthy, live healthy, and learn healthy. That said, one can’t stress enough how important education is. 

Watch This Story: New York Yankees Star Aaron Judge’s Impressive Workout Routine

With the intention of celebrating academic success, the All Rise Foundation joined hands with the New York Yankees and with #ICANHELP and participated in the Yankees’ Bronx Educational All-Star Day. Not only was the emphasis on education, but also on community service, and soft skills such as leadership. This was a huge one with around nine thousand students between the age of 10 to 14 from the Bronx participating.  

Worthy Acknowledgment: A Path That Won Aaron Judge the Precious Roberto Clemente Award

By now it is established that Aaron Judge is a man with many goals. He is not one to slow down. Proof? The latest feather of his cap. On the night of 30th October 2023, he was the recipient of the most prestigious award in the realm of baseball, the Roberto Clemente Award for his philanthropic endeavors. The Yankees captain was resolute on one thing early on in his career; he wanted to be known for his achievements off the diamond just as much as for his stats. 

 

He has stood true to his goals and aspirations. So much so that Luis Clemente, son of late Roberto Clemente, called him a “great representative” of his father’s legacy. What an honor! He went on to share more words of appreciation, summing up Judge’s personality in the best way possible. His words were, “This is a phase that many youngsters look upon too. And what you’re doing, inspiring them to become incredible human beings and citizens, it’s truly amazing”. 

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Just being a nominee itself is nothing short of a privilege, let alone winning it. Completely overwhelmed by the award, Judge stands established as a man who is building an amazing legacy of his own.