As we wait for moves to be made and news to report this offseason, and with the Colorado Gives season in full swing, I figured we could look back at some of the positive impacts the Colorado Rockies had in the community in 2026.
The Colorado Rockies Baseball Club Foundationis busy throughout the year, organizing events and participating in partnerships during the season that raise money for non-profits. Here’s a rundown of some of the good news off the field from 2026.
UCHealth and Athletics & Beyond
Each season, the red banner is
draped over the left field tunnel at Coors Field. With its bright color and white mitt in the center, it acts as a target for Rockies looking to make a difference on the field and off.
This season marked the eighth season the Rockies have teamed up with UCHealth for the Hit the Mitt fundraiser. Each year, a new partner teams up to be the recipient of a $5,000 donation per homer that lands on the banner. This season, it wasAthletics & Beyond. A Denver-based non-profit that’s been operating since 2005, Athletics & Beyond works to create opportunities for youth, families, and communities through mentorship, education, sports, workforce development, and wellness programs. Using a trauma-informed approach, Athletics & Beyond has served more than 50,000 young people across Denver and Aurora.
This year, two homers hit the mitt, raising $10,000 for the organization. One of them came off the bat of Hunter Goodman on May 29 in the form of a game-tying, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth against the San Francisco Giants.
Rookie slugger Cole Carrigg hit the second and final homer for a good cause on the Fourth of July. His three-run shot took place in the first inning, but also happened to come against the Giants.
UCHealth and Athletics & Beyond also joined forces, along with the Rockies, several Denver Broncos and celebrities like Blake Street Bomber Vinny Castilla, to host the eighth annual Healthy Swings Home Run Derby on June 4 at Coors Field. Former offensive tackle and Super Bowl Champion Ryan Harris joined Rockies public address announcer Reed Saunders served to narrate the event. Derby participants included Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton, cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, reigning HR Derby champion wide receiver Courtland Sutton and more.
The event raised a jaw-dropping $260,150, which will help fund all the programming that is now taking place in their 25,000-square-foot facility that opened on July 1 in Aurora.
Clothes to Kids of Denver
Another annual tradition is the Rockies Charity Night, which was held on Aug. 19. Each year, Rockies fans can purchase packages loaded with team merchandise and autographed memorabilia with the proceeds going to the Colorado Rockies Foundation. The foundation supports underprivileged and at-risk youth through programs for youth baseball and softball, education, literacy, drug and alcohol-abuse awareness and prevention.
This year, the featured charity was Clothes to Kids of Denver, which helps students ages 5-21 in the Denver community feel more empowered and confident when they go to school because they are wearing quality clothing. Goodman lent a hand in the partnership when he and some Rockies staff went to volunteer at CTKD on Sept. 9.
In addition to Goodman’s off-the-field good deeds, the Rockies All-Star catcher also inadvertently helped Clothes to Kids of Denver on the field on Sept. 26. That’s when Goodman hit two homers, which helped the Rockies defeat the Chicago White Sox 9-6. The victory led to the Cleveland Guardians clinching the American League Central Division.
In an amazing alignment of true fandom and generosity, Guardian fans wanted to thank Goodman by donating to a charity of his choice. He pointed to Clothes to Kids of Denver, where he had volunteered not even three weeks earlier, as a place for the donations to go. Front offices for both teams and fans posted and shared messages on social media to spread the word.
Within days, the Cleveland Guardian community had combined to give over $22,000 through more than 700 donations. This is one of the coolest stories ever.
Camps and more
In addition, the Rockies Foundation hosted its second annual Youth Softball Camp at Metro State University Denver and over 100 young athletes attended. Rockies staff, coaches and alumni also hosted their second Nike Youth Baseball Camp at Coors Field, providing coaching to 172 baseball players ages 8-13.
As always, the Colorado Rockies Foundation also teamed up with the MSU Alumni Association to do the 50/50 raffle throughout the season, which helps raise funds for the foundation. The raffle extended to the two days Coors Field played host to Banana Ball, but the proceeds then went to Bananas Foster, its non-profit arm that supports education and participation in foster care programs.
While there might have been small steps forward in building a winning franchise, it didn’t show on the field as the Rockies recorded their fourth 100-plus loss season in a row. However, off the field, the Rockies organization did a lot of good to help the community.
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