Jim Thome has consistently been a charitable force in his community. He and his wife Andrea have teamed up with Children’s Home + Aid which focuses on building awareness and support for individuals in the foster care system. They have raised more than $160,000 and hosted an entire family from Children’s Home + Aid during White Sox spring training. The family also was treated to a few days in Arizona complete with complementary game tickets. Beyond that, Thome has donated his time, efforts, and resources to other organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and the Children’s Hospital of Illinois.

Thome has been recognized for his selfless community involvement throughout his MLB career both from private organizations as well as in the baseball world. In 2001 he received the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award. In 2002 he received the Roberto Clemente Award and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 2005 for best representing these two legends.

Thome is inspired by a deep sense of responsibility and says he feels fortunate to be able to play baseball for a living. He maintains an attitude of giving back to the communities in which he plays. Thome is also driven by the memory of his mother, and he hosts an annual Joyce Thome Benefit Dinner in her honor.

About Jim Thome

Born in Peoria, Illinois, Jim Thome was drafted to the Cleveland Indians when he was just 20 years old. Jim spent 12 seasons in Cleveland and then went to Philadelphia for three seasons before getting traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2006. It was in Chicago that Jim Thome hit his 500th career home run and currently has 554. He started playing for the L.A. Dodgers in 2009.