Baltimore Orioles Doing Their Part To Help With Hurricane Milton Relief Efforts

The Baltimore Orioles are helping with Hurricane Milton relief efforts in Sarasota, Florida.

Mar 12, 2024; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jordan Westburg (11) slides into home plate to score a run during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Sarasota, Florida is where the Baltimore Orioles call home for Spring Training in preparation for the upcoming baseball season.

Recently, the city was hit very hard by Hurricane Milton, which followed the devastation of Hurricane Helene in other parts of the state. The Tampa Bay Rays may not have a home field in Florida after the dome at Tropicana Field sustained heavy damage in the storm.

Looking to help out in any way that they can, the Orioles are taking action to help in the relief efforts.

The team will be donating an initial amount of $250,000 in partnership with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The club will also match every dollar, up to $250,000 raised for a potential donation of half a million dollars.

Any money donated and raised in conjunction with Baltimore will be used to aid both Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

“In times of crisis, it's essential for us to stand together as a community," O’s owner David Rubenstein said in a statement, via Jake Rill of MLB.com. “We hope that this match challenge inspires our fans and community members to give generously and help provide immediate relief for those affected by Hurricane Milton."

In a statement shared on the team’s official account on X, it was revealed that The Patterson Foundation will provide another $100,000 in relief to individuals and families in need if the $500,000 target is met.

We're donating $250,000 to Hurricane Milton relief efforts and matching every additional dollar raised up to $250,000.

Learn how you can donate: https://t.co/URJoiW64DR pic.twitter.com/td1kJyXSnc

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) October 16, 2024

“I commend the Baltimore Orioles for living their values of strengthening our community by supporting their fans, friends and neighbors in their second home," said Roxie Jerde, president/CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, in a statement. “This partnership exemplifies the spirit of collaboration that is at the heart of Season of Sharing."

The Season of Sharing initiative can be donated to by fans or anyone looking to help at a specific link made for the Orioles.

Sarasota has been the Spring Training home of the team since 2010, as they call Ed Smith Stadium home for a few weeks at the end of the winter heading into the regular season.

In addition to the Hurricane Relief efforts, Rill shared that other charitable events will be held throughout the team’s 2025 stay in Florida.

“Net proceeds from the Orioles’ 2025 Spring Training 50/50 raffle will be donated to All Faiths Food Bank. After Florida Power & Light uses Ed Smith Stadium as a staging area for recovery operations, the O’s will partner with All Faiths Food Bank to host neighborhood food distributions, extending essential resources to those in need,” he shared.

The goal, as shared by Mike Arougheti, an ownership partner of the team, is to relieve one burden from people whose lives were turned upside down by Hurricane Milton.

“By supporting both Season of Sharing and All Faiths Food Bank, we hope to alleviate some of the financial and food insecurity burdens faced by families affected by the hurricane," Orioles ownership partner Mike Arougheti said in a statement. “Our hope is that these efforts will provide a pathway for families to regain stability and peace of mind as they recover."