On April 15 every year, baseball pauses to honor Jackie Robinson — the man who in 1947 became the first Black player in professional baseball since a ban on Black players made Moses Fleetwood Walker the last in 1889. Players across Major League Baseball take the field wearing Robinson’s number 42, and clubs across the country mark the day by investing in the values he lived by: determination, commitment, and excellence.

This year, that legacy reached Walker’s Winners.

We’re proud and humbled to share that Walker’s Winners has been named one of the recipients of the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Jackie Robinson Day Grant. Cardinals Care, the charitable arm of the St. Louis Cardinals, partners with Nike each year to award these grants to organizations whose work reflects Jackie Robinson’s core values. To be chosen for an honor tied to his name is something our entire team — students, families, educators, and partners — can feel proud of.

Why this grant matters to us

Jackie Robinson didn’t just change a game. He showed what’s possible when someone is given the opportunity to prove what they can do, and the determination to meet the moment when it comes. That belief sits at the heart of what we do every day.

Walker’s Winners was founded by St. Louis Cardinals player Jordan Walker and his mother, longtime educator Katrina M. Walker, who serves as the Foundation’s Executive Director. We work alongside schools, families, and community partners to promote the academic achievement, holistic wellbeing and personal empowerment of children and youth. We call our students “Goal Getters” — because growth and effort deserve to be celebrated just as much as the finish line.

A grant grounded in Jackie Robinson’s legacy is a meaningful match for that mission. It’s a reminder that belief, opportunity, and resources can change the trajectory of a young person’s life.

A day of celebration at Busch Stadium

The Cardinals marked Jackie Robinson Day at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, April 15, with educational activities about Robinson’s life and his lasting impact on the game and the country. We were honored to stand among this year’s grant recipients alongside two other outstanding St. Louis organizations: The Black Rep, which provides platforms for theatre, dance, and creative expression from the African-American perspective, and The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, which works to empower the region through education, economic self-reliance, and equality.

Being recognized in such company speaks to the strength of St. Louis’s commitment to its young people — and we’re grateful to share the day with partners who pour so much into this community.

Thank you

To Cardinals Care, Nike, and the St. Louis Cardinals: thank you for investing in our Goal Getters and for keeping Jackie Robinson’s legacy alive in a tangible way. To our students and families: this one is for you.

We’re just getting started — and every reading goal met, every math milestone reached, and every achievement celebrated brings us closer to the brighter futures we’re building together, one student at a time.

Want to support our work? Learn more about Walker’s Winners, partner with us, or make a gift at walkerswinners.org.