NEW ORLEANS - Major League baseball players Marlon Anderson (Los Angeles Dodgers), Chris Capuano (Milwaukee Brewers), LaTroy Hawkins (Colorado Rockies), and Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Don Fehr came to New Orleans today to help build homes and rebuild lives in the Gulf region.

In a demonstration of their commitment to rebuilding the Gulf region, the Major League Baseball Players Trust announced today a gift of one million dollars to launch the Volunteers of America Rental Housing Development Fund. The gift is the largest financial contribution ever made by the Players Trust, the charitable foundation of all Major League baseball players. This contribution, along with contributions from other organizations in the future, will be used to develop affordable rental housing in the Gulf Coast region.

"On behalf of all Major League baseball players, I am delighted to present this check today for one million dollars," Hawkins stated. "We haven't forgotten the needs of the people of New Orleans and the Gulf states. We are committed to help them rebuild their homes and their lives, and we urge others to do the same."

"This generous donation will be used for much-needed housing projects," said Volunteers of America's National President and CEO Charles Gould. "Volunteers of America had a significant presence in the Gulf region long before Hurricane Katrina hit. Now our assistance is needed here more than ever, with so many people relying on us for a broad range of services including affordable housing."

With 111 years of experience of helping people in need, Volunteers of America is one of the nation's largest nonprofit providers of quality housing for low and moderate-income individuals and families. In the Gulf region, Volunteers of America is building high-quality, cost-effective rental apartments to replace those lost in the storms of 2005, enabling individuals and families to return to security and stability.

The Gulf Rental Housing Development Fund is an important vehicle in achieving Volunteers of America's goals of its "Coming Back Home" initiative that is focused on creating more than 1,000 affordable housing rental units for working families of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

In 1996 the members of the Major League Baseball Players Association created the Players Trust, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. The Players Trust exists to help active Major League baseball players provide the resources of caring to help those less fortunate by volunteering in support of causes close to their hearts and encouraging others to do the same. The foundation became the first of its kind in professional sports established and administered by the players.

Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential. Through thousands of human service programs, including housing and healthcare, Volunteers of America helps more than 2 million people in over 400 communities. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America's most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, the frail elderly, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions. Our work touches the mind, body, heart-and ultimately the spirit-of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services. For more information about Volunteers of America, visit www.VolunteersofAmerica.org.

The Major League Baseball Players Trust partnered with Volunteers of America in 2002 to promote the nurturing and well-being of America's children and their families. The partnership features the personal involvement of Major League baseball players and their families with a variety of programs conducted by Volunteers of America throughout the United States. Together they administer the Action Team, a national youth volunteer initiative inspiring the next generation of volunteers in Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York City, Oakland, Philadelphia, Portland (ME), San Francisco and Seattle. For more information about the Major League Baseball Players Trust, visit www.MLBPLAYERS.com.