The Yankees have finalized plans for the third iteration of "Hope Week," the club's week-long charitable initiative set this year for July 25-29. Much like the first two versions of Hope Week, the large-scale annual initiative will involve every player and coach and most of the front office for five consecutive days of community endeavors, coinciding with a Yankee Stadium homestand for the team. The specific Hope Week plans are not yet being publicly disclosed to ensure a surprise element for the honored groups and individuals. But this year's effort carries more of an overt connection to national and global current events and disasters than in prior years, while still tying directly in to causes in the greater N.Y. area. The club received about 1,000 submissions from individuals and agencies seeking to be recognized as part of Hope Week, up significantly from the first two years. This year's submissions also were boosted by an enlarged area on Yankees.com, where proposals could be entered. "The stories and the people are amazing. That's what has made this work and still makes this work," said Jason Zillo, Yankees Dir of Media Relations and a key figure in the creation and growth of Hope Week. "Once again, we were overwhelmed by these stories, and it was emotionally very tough to pick just five." Club sponsor Delta will be heavily involved in this year's Hope Week, providing a variety of resources for the initiative.
