Kenley Jansen recently became the latest member of the Los Angeles Dodgers clubhouse to take more of a proactive approach with giving back to the local community by forming the Kenley Jansen Foundation.
The Foundation’s mission is to impact the lives of families who have seriously ill and chronically ill children by providing them with daily support through life-improving resources and life-changing experiences.
The Kenley Jansen Foundation carries out its goal through the creation of a “Kenley’s Locker,” which are built in local hospitals and house various video game systems and iPads.
“My focus has basically been on stuff kids don’t have in the hospital,” Jansen told DodgerBlue.com. “Like PS4, Xbox, iPads and all that stuff.
“Whenever they’re battling their illness, now they can have somewhere to go, feel good, and play video games and stuff like that instead of just sitting around in a room all the time. I try to make sure they don’t worry about stuff and just get better, get healthy.”
The inaugural “Kenley’s Locker” was built at the White Memorial Medical Center. It featured several Nintendo Switch gaming systems, accompanying games, 20 iPads, and $500 worth in iTunes gift cards to be used for apps.
“Me being there and my wife Gianni also, it was big,” Jansen said of his Foundation’s first event. “You realize what you want to do for kids. Whenever kids are fighting their illness, you can light their lives up.
“It was priceless. It’s nothing but love, man. Everything I can do, I have the chance and opportunity to give back to the community and the kids. I know what a lot of kids are going through. They can’t speak, so we speak for them. I want to do stuff for them so they can feel better.”
The idea to form the Kenley Jansen Foundation began two years ago, when Jansen and his wife Gianni were in New York. Their son ran a high fever and fell ill, leading to countless hours spent in a hospital.
“For me, it’s emotional. I went through stuff, man. My son battled some stuff,” Jansen said. “You go through stuff and it makes you feel like you want to do good.”
Along with the Foundation, Jansen also started “Kenley’s K for Kids” this year. Fans can pledge donations for every strikeout Jansen records, and the Jansen family will match donations up to $50,000. The initiative has already raised more than $52,000.
