This Is Who I Am

I love helping people, especially kids. They are so innocent, full of such hope and wonder. The youth of today truly are our future.  I plan to use whatever profile I may have while playing this great game of baseball that I love, to make a difference in the lives of others. Whether it’s reading a story to a child in the hospital, visiting with our injured troops, growing out my hair so a live hair wig can be made for a woman living with cancer, or simply making sure I sign as many autographs as I can -- well, this is what drives me. This is who I am.

I’d like to introduce you to a few of my favorite charities, including my own new foundation, Nick Swisher’s “Swish’s Wishes.”

 

Nick Swisher's Community Involvement:

As an advocate for children, Nick Swisher’s Foundation "Swish's Wishes" is a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization designed to help all children in need with vital medical care, education and recreational activities and other essential programs that will make a difference in a child's life, while also helping to raise self-esteem to help create a bright future for children....Nick is actively involved with Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland and UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco where he also served as the honorary chairman for the Macy's Tree Lighting Ceremony, a major fund raising effort to benefit UCSF in 2007.  Nick can often be found reading books to children in the hospital.   
 
As a Holiday gift to over 400 Bay Area children from various community groups in December, 2007, Nick teamed with Columbia Pictures and hosted a special private movie premiere of THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP.... Nick participates in Strikeouts For Troops, a non profit organization that provide assistance to our wounded war heroes and their children by providing "comforts of home" while they recover in military hospitals nations wide.  He toured USA bases in Spain, Greece and Italy on a goodwill mission to visit American soldiers and their families stationed abroad...In honor of his beloved grandmother, Betty Lorraine Swisher, who her lost her battle with cancer in 2005, Nick joined as an ambassador to the EIF Foundation and the Women's Cancer Research Fund.... he went without a haircut for 10 months in 2007 as part of the non profit Pantene Beautiful Lengths program that encourages people to grow, cut and donate their hair to create free live hair wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments.  His father and former major league player, Steve Swisher, made the "kindest cut of all" on the field in Oakland on May 19, 2007, cutting Nick's hair to be donated to help women in need.... Nick also supports Special Olympics, childhood diabetes, all cancer research including. but not limited. to breast, prostrate and brain cancer.  After hearing of budget cuts at the Janet Pomery School for mentally challenged children in San Francisco and their hardship to provide Christmas gifts and a party for the kids, Nick quietly purchased all the gifts and supported their holiday party.  He was the Oakland A's nominee for the Roberto Clemente award in 2007 for community service.   

"Swish’s Wishes" is committed to assist with vital medical and childhood care, education and recreational activities and other essential programs that will make a difference in a child’s life while raising self esteem to help them achieve a bright future.  All contributions to the Nick Swisher "Swish's Wishes" Foundation are processed through The Community Foundation For the National Capital Region (www.cfncr.org), a 501(c) (3) Tax ID 23-7343119 and are distributed through various non-profit avenues to help children.  Your donation is tax deductible to the full extent provided by law.

The "Swish's Wishes" Home Run Challenge
The "Swish's Wishes" Home Run Challenge is off to a great start with Nick pledging $300 for every home run he hits this season to Swish's Wishes, his national non profit foundation.  Nick is being joined by fans, business's and fellow baseball players throughout the country,  to help raise the total amount of dollars per home run he hits.

Download Swish's Wishes Homerun Challenge Pledge form now!

 

Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland is the only independent children’s hospital in Northern California. That's why it's able to focus all its attention and all its people on caring for children.

Children's Hospital Oakland, the oldest pediatric medical center between Los Angeles and Seattle has provided exceptional medical care for children in the region and beyond for 94 years. With 181 licensed beds, Children’s Hospital’s medical center offers outstanding patient care, and also supports nationally recognized pediatric teaching and research.

From modest beginnings it’s grown, not just into a medical “safety net” for East Bay children, but also into a regional pediatric medical center with specialized staff and facilities able to treat rare illnesses and health problems.

Because full-service hospitals just for children are extremely specialized, few communities can support one. Children’s is proud to be one of only 45 freestanding children’s hospitals in the nation, not connected to a university or other institution. Like the others, Children’s Hospital Oakland recognizes that children’s medical needs are vastly different from those of adults.

For more information,click here.

Strikeouts For Troops was founded by my good friend and former teammate Barry Zito. They raise funds to provide ‘comforts of home’ to our war wounded heroes while being cared for at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Bethesda Naval Hospital, Brooke Army and other military hospitals. Strikeouts For Troops also provides assistance to their children and families.

Strikeouts for Troops is non partisan and 100% of the money raised is sent directly to help our wounded.  This is my 4th season to participate in Strikeouts For Troops and I am proud to say that I honor and support America’s Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines working to keep us safe and free.

To find out more, visit www.strikeoutsfortroops.org

I am proud to serve as an Ambassador to the EIF Foundation and The Women’s Cancer Research Fund.   WCRF provides innovative research, education, and outreach directed at the development of more effective approaches to the early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all women’s cancer. To learn how to make a donation to the Women’s Cancer Research Fund, visit www.eifoundation.org

As many of you know, I went without a haircut for 10 months to help women during one of the greatest fights of their lives.  I participated in the Pantene Beautiful Lengths, non-profit campaign that encourages people to grow, cut and donate their hair to create real-hair wigs for women who've lost their hair due to cancer. To learn about donating healthy hair, visit www.beautifullengths.com