Supporting the Jackie Robinson Foundation

Capital One is continuing its partnership with the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) for a third year in a row.

Founded in 1973, JRF advances the legacy of Jackie Robinson’s civic engagement and commitment to social justice and equal opportunity.

Throughout the 2024 season, Capital One will donate $1,000 to the JRF for each “Capital One Walk-Off” (game-winning hit) this year — committing to a minimum total donation of $250,000 for the season.

This donation will support the Foundation’s initiatives including its JRF Scholars program, which provides scholarship and leadership development opportunities to students as they pursue higher education.

“Capital One’s generosity helps us support the very talented JRF Scholars, the next generation of leaders,” said Della Britton, President & CEO of JRF. “We are thrilled to participate in another Capital One Walk Off season, aligning with a company that embraces leveling the playing field through education. Capital One also supports the educational efforts of the Jackie Robinson Museum, which serves to educate and inspire the public around the values Jackie Robinson represents.”

Robinson’s Legacy

Robinson was an American professional baseball player who became the first Black person to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era.

On April 15, 1947, Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field for his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. At the end of his explosive nine years on the Dodgers, he boasted a .311 batting average, 137 home runs, 734 runs batted in and 197 stolen bases. Robinson took home the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, the Most Valuable Player Award in 1949 and in 1962 became the first Black player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1955, he helped the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees to win their first World Series Championship.

Beyond his excellence on the field, Robinson was a key figure in advancing equal opportunity and first-class citizenship for all Americans during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. Hailed a “freedom rider before freedom rides,” Robinson’s name has become synonymous with breaking barriers.

The JRF furthers Robinson’s values through its efforts with the JRF Scholars program, IMPACT and Jackie Robinson Museum. 

Providing Education, Career and Leadership Development Opportunities for Students of Color

Founded in 1973 by Jackie’s wife Rachel Robinson, the JRF Scholars program is distinctive for the depth of its mentoring curriculum. The program cultivates self-actualization and community engagement among JRF Scholars, who consistently achieve a nearly 100% graduation rate.

There are over 200 JRF Scholars participating in the program throughout the current academic year. These students hail from 34 states and are enrolled at 111 colleges and universities across the United States.

The Foundation also makes elements of its 42 Strategies for Success curriculum available to a broader group of students through JRF IMPACT — an online community for Black college students across the country to connect and share experiences, access college advice and find free resources to support academic and personal goals on campus and beyond. 

JRF IMPACT seeks to scale key elements of JRF’s College Mentoring and Leadership Development program, as well as comprehensive program services delivered through a mentoring curriculum dubbed “42 Strategies for Success in College.”

The public launch of JRF IMPACT took place during the 2021-22 academic year, and has supported over 4,300 students. 

The Jackie Robinson Museum

Additionally, the Foundation’s Jackie Robinson Museum offers a fixed tribute to Jackie Robinson which enhances the Foundations’ mission to promote higher education and serves to educate, inspire, and challenge the public around the values and aspirations that Robinson embodied. 

Exhibitions chronicle Robinson’s achievements on and off the playing field against the backdrop of U.S. history. They invoke his role as a champion for racial, social and economic equality, and focus on critical issues that continue to challenge our society today. 

The Museum was formally opened to the public in September 2022 and has welcomed thousands of visitors through its doors, including a multitude of school groups from the New York metropolitan area through the Jackie’s Legacy, Your Leadership field trip program. Capital One cardholders can enjoy a discounted admission.

Capital One Enters Third Season as MLB’s Official Bank and Credit Card Partner

Capital One’s support to JRF comes as part of its larger commitment to MLB’s efforts to drive community impact, philanthropy and positive contributions both on and off the field.

Since 2022, Capital One presented MLB’s annual Roberto Clemente Day and baseball’s most prestigious individual honor, the Roberto Clemente Award, which celebrates the humanitarian legacy of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente.

Capital One’s support for the community comes to life through the Capital One Impact Initiative, a multi-year commitment that strives to advance socioeconomic mobility by closing gaps in equity and opportunity.