Born
in the Dominican Republic, Manny Mota grew up one of eight children in
an underprivileged family. At a young age, Manny found his passion in
baseball. Years later his hard work and determination led to a
successful career in professional baseball. One of the most popular
players in Dodger history, Manny retired from play in 1980 and joined
the Dodger coaching staff that same year. In his distinguished career,
Manny holds the major league record for career pinch-hits with 150, and
has an overall lifetime batting average of .304.
Married to Manny for over 35 years, Margarita Mota founded many of the Foundation’s programs in the Dominican Republic. 
Included
are the Daily Breakfasts, which supply a hot breakfast to over 250
children, Prenatal Care for expectant and new mothers, as well as the
annual ToyGive-Away. Always the industrious one, Margarita saw to it
that these programs flourished even as she raised eight children with
Manny.
The
Manny Mota International Foundation was established over 30 years ago
by Manny and Margarita as a means of providing needed resources and
assistance to the disadvantaged youth and their families within the
United States and the Dominican Republic. The Foundation has seen
significant growth over the past decade, and has greatly aided in the
relief of many underprivileged men, women and children. Some of the
on-going assistance programs include the provision of school supplies
for students, drinkable water, groceries and toys for underprivileged
families. The Foundation has also seen to it that our young athletes
might benefit from the free community baseball clinics it offers and
scholarships for higher education.
Since
1992, the Foundation has held a yearly fundraising event called the
“Campo de Sueños (Field of Dreams) Awards Banquet.” Proceeds from this
event fund a major portion of our humanitarian programs. It also serves
as an opportunity to recognize special and outstanding individuals and
organizations who make significant contributions to our communities.
The
year 1995 was a milestone for Margarita and Manny. After years of
lobbying, letter writing, phone calls and meetings, the government of
the Dominican Republic donated 15 acres of prime real estate for our
dream project: Campo de Sueños (“Field of Dreams”), a complex that will
include a School, Medical Dispensary, Community Center, Baseball
Diamonds and Basketball Courts. When complete, the facility will serve
the needs of more than 2,000 families.