Homeless Diamond is a Carabello Properties outreach project that serves downtown Denver. With cooperation from Denver Rescue Mission and St. Francis Center, Homeless Diamond provides healthy, rewarding activity to homeless men and women of all ages. Participants value the opportunity to bond with others who share their challenges, and benefit from the jobs and personal growth outreach provided by the Homeless Diamond staff and supporters.
Workouts and games take place in the summertime at Sonny Lawson Park at 23rd & Welton. For even more information visit www.HomelessDiamondDenver.com.
Workouts and games take place in the summertime at Sonny Lawson Park at 23rd & Welton. For even more information visit www.HomelessDiamondDenver.com.
Homeless Diamond featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer
Check out this story featured on the "America's Strong" segment on ABC World News! They have been coming to games all season. We're very proud.
Watch the video>> ABC World News 8/29/2013: Softball Team Provides a Break from the Everyday for Denver Homeless
Check out this story featured on the "America's Strong" segment on ABC World News! They have been coming to games all season. We're very proud.
Watch the video>> ABC World News 8/29/2013: Softball Team Provides a Break from the Everyday for Denver Homeless
Play ball! Homeless Diamond 2013 begins
We're pleased to announce that at long last the third season of Homeless Diamond begins July 16, 2013! Join us at Sonny Lawson field on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. - JC
Read the article>> Westword, 7/16/2013: Play Ball! Homeless Diamond's third season looks like a hit
We're pleased to announce that at long last the third season of Homeless Diamond begins July 16, 2013! Join us at Sonny Lawson field on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. - JC
Read the article>> Westword, 7/16/2013: Play Ball! Homeless Diamond's third season looks like a hit
Homeless Diamond is still homeless for the time being
A short time ago, officials from the City of Denver informed me that they were postponing the opening of the renovated ball field at Sonny Lawson Park . . . again! I've been told that it's likely we'll have access next week, but since this is not the first postponement, I'm viewing it as an "indefinite postponement." I'll keep you posted. Thanks! - JC
Read the article>> Westword, 7/9/13: Homeless Diamond is homeless; season opener postponed - again
A short time ago, officials from the City of Denver informed me that they were postponing the opening of the renovated ball field at Sonny Lawson Park . . . again! I've been told that it's likely we'll have access next week, but since this is not the first postponement, I'm viewing it as an "indefinite postponement." I'll keep you posted. Thanks! - JC
Read the article>> Westword, 7/9/13: Homeless Diamond is homeless; season opener postponed - again
Beginning a summer tradition - Colorado Public Radio
As you drive by Sonny Lawson Park near downtown Denver you might not be surprised to see a ball game in progress. But you might be surprised who's playing in the game every Tuesday morning this summer. CPR's Pat Mack reports.
Below is a transcript of Pat Mack's report. You can also listen to the report.
Reporter Pat Mack: Joe Carabello says his crazy idea came to him when he was driving by Sonny Lawson Park last summer.
Joe Carabello - The ballfield was empty, around it was a ring of field encampments of homeless. I thought there was too much irony, and we ought to put these two things together.
Read more>> at Colorado Public Radio
Below is a transcript of Pat Mack's report. You can also listen to the report.
Reporter Pat Mack: Joe Carabello says his crazy idea came to him when he was driving by Sonny Lawson Park last summer.
Joe Carabello - The ballfield was empty, around it was a ring of field encampments of homeless. I thought there was too much irony, and we ought to put these two things together.
Read more>> at Colorado Public Radio
Baseball Family brings game to homeless
Jon Bowman FOX31 Denver 5:13 p.m. MDT, July 19, 2011
DENVER -- Thanks to a couple of North Denver lovers of baseball, many members of the homeless community are getting in touch with their childhood.
“We grew up in a home with a dad who was a baseball ump and coach and this park—Sonny Lawson Park—was a key part of our lives,” said Joe Carabello, who along with his brother Tim and son Zeb run the league.
The trio say there are no expectations when ‘players’ walk onto the field at the ball park, which is like Coors Field located in Five Points, just a long fly
ball from the big league park.
“We just want to give the homeless folks who sit around the park all day, a chance to get a bit of exercise and some diversion from their daily woes of
being on the streets,” said Carabello.
Read more>> at KVDR Fox 31 Denver
Jon Bowman FOX31 Denver 5:13 p.m. MDT, July 19, 2011
DENVER -- Thanks to a couple of North Denver lovers of baseball, many members of the homeless community are getting in touch with their childhood.
“We grew up in a home with a dad who was a baseball ump and coach and this park—Sonny Lawson Park—was a key part of our lives,” said Joe Carabello, who along with his brother Tim and son Zeb run the league.
The trio say there are no expectations when ‘players’ walk onto the field at the ball park, which is like Coors Field located in Five Points, just a long fly
ball from the big league park.
“We just want to give the homeless folks who sit around the park all day, a chance to get a bit of exercise and some diversion from their daily woes of
being on the streets,” said Carabello.
Read more>> at KVDR Fox 31 Denver
Johnson: For 90 minutes, homeless dream of greatness on diamond
It was early last summer when Joe Carabello, 64, a Denver commercial-real-estate broker, drove past Sonny Lawson Park at 24th Street and Welton Street downtown.
The memories flooded in. The ball field was where he had played baseball. His father, who taught him, had played, coached and later umpired there as well.
Yet on that sun-drenched afternoon, the field lay empty while around its edges several dozen obviously homeless men and women rested in the shade of the surrounding trees.
Read More>> Johnson: For 90 minutes, homeless dream of greatness on diamond - The Denver Post
The memories flooded in. The ball field was where he had played baseball. His father, who taught him, had played, coached and later umpired there as well.
Yet on that sun-drenched afternoon, the field lay empty while around its edges several dozen obviously homeless men and women rested in the shade of the surrounding trees.
Read More>> Johnson: For 90 minutes, homeless dream of greatness on diamond - The Denver Post
Homeless Diamond, Joe Carabello stage softball games for people living on the streets
Photo from The Westword
A group of homeless men mulled playing another inning of softball this morning at Sonny Lawson Park. One man gestured to his nonexistent watch. Another joked, "My accountant can wait." So the game went on, thanks to the Homeless Diamond program created and sponsored by local real estate broker Joe Cararbello, who organizes softball games on Tuesday mornings for Denver's homeless population.
Carabello, who plays senior league softball, thought of the idea during his daily commute.
"I work down here," he says. "I have roots down here. I grew up on Capitol Hill and I always ride my bike or drive my car down Park Avenue and see the ball field empty, and then see all the idle homeless standing around. It just inspired me to maybe give them a day a week to have some fun and just chill."
>>Read the entire article
Carabello, who plays senior league softball, thought of the idea during his daily commute.
"I work down here," he says. "I have roots down here. I grew up on Capitol Hill and I always ride my bike or drive my car down Park Avenue and see the ball field empty, and then see all the idle homeless standing around. It just inspired me to maybe give them a day a week to have some fun and just chill."
>>Read the entire article
