Charity Spotlight: Angels in the Outfield
Organization:
4MOM
Leadership:
CEO: Braden Bishop, Seattle Mariners outfielder and founder of Cognition Coffee
Co-founder: Hunter Bishop, San Francisco Giants outfielder and up-and-coming DJ
Origin:
After Suzy Bishop was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 54, her son Braden made it his mission to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s research within professional sports. He founded 4MOM, named after a message he wrote on his arm before games. Braden’s brother Hunter stepped in to help with the charity, enlisting other professional baseball players in the cause. Although Suzy lost her battle last October at the age of 59, the fight goes on to promote Alzheimer’s awareness across the country.
Annual Budget:
Less than $100,000
Known for:
4MOM has built a reputation for being the younger generation’s voice within the Alzheimer’s community. Its mission is to unite athletes, coaches and fans across all professional sports through community effort in the fight for the world’s first survivor of Alzheimer’s. Braden and Hunter believe that the time to bring awareness and resources to the fight against Alzheimer’s is now, among the younger generation. They’re proud of the tight community of supporters they’ve built that represents 4MOM, whether it be through social media, by wearing apparel or at events. The organization has been featured by ESPN, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, MLB.com, Fox Sports and Root Sports and has sold out every fundraising event 4MOM has hosted since 2019, including an event amid a global pandemic.
Employee VIP:
Leo Despot is in charge of producing the 4MOM documentary, “Will to Survive.” Shooting spans five states and collectively covers 60 years.
Volunteer Who Makes a Difference:
Claudia Bellew, a volunteer for the TopGolf4MOM 2020 event, supports 4MOM with merchandise and attends all 4MOM events in the Valley. She is a strong advocate for the organization because she has personally seen the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Challenges during COVID-19:
With a previously full 2020 event calendar, including a nationwide tour to support the Alzheimer’s Association in Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C. and New York City, 4MOM has been forced to not only cancel events and the tour, but to find more creative ways to engage and grow the 4MOM family. This led them to create an ambassador program that has extended the organization’s reach through the NFL and WNBA. 4MOM also started a YouTube channel as a way to showcase what’s happening at their Arizona headquarters.
To learn more, go to 4mom.org.
