Purpose Prize

Marc Freedman Portrait

The Latest from CoGenerate

What Does It Mean for a Program to be Truly Youth-Led?

What Does It Mean for a Program to be Truly Youth-Led?

Across the country, a new wave of intergenerational collaboration is transforming how communities approach youth development. Some organizations are riding this momentum with ease, while others are still finding their footing.  Amidst the buzz of books, webinars, and...

These Intergenerational Music Sessions Are Transforming Lives

These Intergenerational Music Sessions Are Transforming Lives

We’re partnering with The Eisner Foundation on a new program called Music Across Generations, which explores and celebrates how music brings generations together to bridge divides, create connection, and strengthen communities.  This Q&A series shines a light on...

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Joe Garagiola

National Spit Tobacco Education Program
Purpose Prize Fellow 2006

Educating the baseball family and the public about the dangers of smokeless tobacco

Half a century ago, Joe Garagiola played baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals and witnessed firsthand the danger of “spit” tobacco use. Since then, the anti-tobacco movement has grown in strength, yet the focus has largely been on cigarettes. In the mid-90s, Garagiola became chair of the National Spit Tobacco Education Program and decided to use professional baseball players to educate kids and their parents on the dangers of chewing tobacco. His goal was to help ballplayers quit their use of spit tobacco, and then enlist them, their trainers, their managers, and broadcast media to send the message that the stimulant has no place in baseball, athletics, or a healthy lifestyle. Garagiola’s work is paying off, as several star players with the power of influence have become vocal advocates of the program, and tobacco use among American youth and adults continues to drop at a significant rate. The recent first time decline in U.S. cancer deaths has been attributed in large part to the decline in tobacco use and exposure.