Frontline to Field: Jason Stanford's Mission to Support Veterans and Their Families
- Jeff Perro
- Nov 10
- 7 min read
Former Cleveland Indians pitcher Jason Stanford has worn many hats in his life, but none, he says, have carried quite the same meaning as the one he wears today. A little over a year ago, Stanford established Frontline to Field, a nonprofit dedicated to serving veterans, first responders, their families, and the next generation of youth baseball players.
The launch, he explains, came together during a season of crisis. “It was the middle of October,” Stanford recalls. “We had two major hurricanes hit last year, and then all the flooding in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina.” A donor had stepped forward with a generous contribution, and Stanford and his partner, Vanessa Livi, decided to act.
“We loaded up a minivan and took off,” he says. “That was our first trek down there to give back to the families that needed it. From that point on, we just knew it was the right thing to do.”
That spontaneous trip evolved into something much larger. What began as a grassroots relief effort quickly became a structured organization with a clear mission: to create opportunities for connection, healing, and recreation for those who serve their communities and for the kids who look up to them.
Over the past year, Frontline to Field has grown from that single road trip into a multi-state nonprofit with chapters in Ohio, Arizona, and Colorado and plans to expand even further. The group now runs events ranging from youth baseball clinics and veterans’ fishing retreats to firefighter support programs and fundraising challenges honoring fallen heroes.
“We’ve really worked hard on community relations, not just where we live but in the surrounding communities,” Stanford says. “We want to make sure people are taken care of.”
That ethos — simple, direct, and heartfelt — has resonated across state lines. “We wanted to make it not only local or regional, but national,” he says. “That’s when we opened up a chapter in Arizona, and another in Colorado. We have directors running events out there, and it’s been incredible to see it take off.”
Despite the rapid expansion, Stanford insists the focus remains on accountability and authenticity. “We make sure that all the proceeds are accounted for and given back,” he emphasizes. “We’ve been able to take care of firefighters and their unions, support police officers, take veterans and their families on fishing trips, and host youth baseball clinics in Ohio, Arizona, Colorado, and soon, Virginia.”
It’s an impressive list for an organization that just celebrated its first anniversary on October 18. “Major League Baseball has gotten behind us,” Stanford says with quiet pride. “For a first-year organization, they told us what we’ve done in one year, they don’t see people doing in five or ten.”
The scale of their progress becomes even more striking when you realize Frontline to Field is powered by just two people, Stanford and Livi, both holding down full-time jobs while running the nonprofit. “I’m not going to say we’re doing this on the side, because it’s not that,” Stanford says with a laugh. “We’re working a lot. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
For Stanford, the motivation is personal. “I wanted to give back. I wanted to use my platform and be able to control how I could do it,” he says. That drive deepened when he met Vanessa at a veterans’ golf outing in Florida. “Her dad and grandfather both served,” he explains. “One of our mutual friends was also heavily involved in supporting veterans. We started talking regularly, and what’s been amazing is our common ground; loving our country, loving our military, loving our first responders, and figuring out how to give back.”
That shared vision has guided Frontline to Field through its whirlwind first year. And there’s no sign of slowing down.
Stanford rattles off a lineup of upcoming events as if reading from a packed baseball schedule. “We’ve got a youth baseball clinic in Alexandria, Virginia, November 8th and 9th,” he says. “Then on Veterans Day, November 11th, we have a veterans retreat at an equine center in Medina, Ohio.”
The organization is also hosting the Johnny Tetrick 22 Tough Tribute Challenge, an event honoring a Cleveland firefighter who lost his life in a hit-and-run accident while on duty. “His youngest daughter reached out to us,” Stanford explains. “We collaborated to create this event in his memory, carrying on his legacy.” The event includes 22 physical exercises performed in tribute. “It’s all about remembrance and unity,” he says.
Beyond those, the calendar is packed with more youth baseball clinics, Cleveland in December, followed by sessions in Colorado and Arizona later that month, as well as a newly added “Paint and Sip” fundraiser in Salem, Ohio. “We’ve got a ton of stuff going on in the coming weeks and months,” Stanford says. “We’re fighting, pushing, heading for the finish line for 2025 and then right into 2026.”
That growth includes expanding beyond events into products that sustain their programs. Later this year, Frontline to Field will launch its own private coffee brand. “We’re starting Frontline to Field Coffee, it’ll come out late November or early December,” Stanford reveals. “We’ll have a dark roast, a blonde morning blend, and a pecan bourbon roast, all available on our website.”
And coffee is just the beginning. “We also have ten different candle scents coming up,” he adds. “Each one is inspired and named by veterans, first responders, or youth athletes, complete with taglines that represent their spirit.”
Every item sold supports the organization’s programs directly. “All the proceeds go right back into our programming,” Stanford says. “We’re really trying to build our brand nationwide so we can keep giving back to the ones who need it.”
That national footprint is already expanding. “We’re actually going to be growing into Florida next,” he says. “That’ll be our next chapter in 2026.”
In the meantime, the team is continuing to build community partnerships and awareness. Their first annual golf outing, held this year, was a major milestone. “It was an unbelievable success,” Stanford says. “We raised a significant amount to start new programs. So now, any first responder or veteran who’s in the Cleveland area can come golf, courtesy of Frontline to Field. We’ve partnered with a local course that’s heavily involved with the PGA, and we’re hoping to keep growing that relationship.”
Stanford’s love of sports remains the thread connecting all these efforts. “It’s about carrying on the mission of why veterans and first responders are so special to all of us,” he says. “Sports, especially baseball, have this incredible power to bring people together. That’s what we want to keep doing.”
One of Frontline to Field’s more unexpected partnerships came from a very different arena, the NASCAR world. “We got involved late this year with a military veteran named Josh White,” Stanford says. “He’s a Marine, part of the NASCAR series. He had been away for about 15 years, dealing with PTSD and anxiety.”
When Stanford and Vanessa learned about White’s comeback story, they wanted to help. “Frontline to Field was fortunate enough to sponsor two of his races,” Stanford says. “It was amazing being down in the pits, seeing how the teams work, just being part of that world.”
White competed in the ARCA Series, a developmental level just below NASCAR’s major leagues. Next year, he’s moving up to the Truck Series, and Stanford hopes to continue supporting him. “Josh is out there working to find sponsors,” he says. “Vanessa and I went down to Bristol and watched the entire Truck Series race. It was such an exciting time.”
The connection between sports and service is at the heart of what makes Frontline to Field unique. For veterans and first responders who often struggle with the transition from high-intensity work to civilian life, the camaraderie and challenge of athletics can be healing. Whether through baseball clinics, golf outings, fishing trips, or racing partnerships, Stanford’s organization offers a way to stay connected — to purpose, to community, and to each other.
As he reflects on the whirlwind first year, Stanford’s tone is a mix of exhaustion and gratitude. “We’ve accomplished so much in such a short time,” he says. “When Major League Baseball tells you that what you’ve done in one year, they don’t see people do in five or ten — that’s humbling.”
For him and Vanessa, the success only reinforces their belief in the mission. “We love our country. We love our military. We love our first responders,” he says. “If we can help them feel appreciated, give them an outlet, give their families a place to connect. That’s what it’s all about.”
Frontline to Field’s story may have begun with a single van full of supplies, but it’s now a movement stretching across states and communities. From disaster relief to youth sports, from the quiet of a fishing trip to the roar of a NASCAR track, Jason Stanford’s journey shows how one act of giving can ripple far beyond the field.
And for those who want to follow along, the organization keeps its supporters updated online. “You can find us at FrontlineToField.org,” Stanford says. “We’ve got blogs, updates, all our social media; Facebook, Instagram — it’s all there. We want people to see what we’re doing, get involved, and help us grow.”
Because for Stanford, the real measure of success isn’t in the number of chapters or events. It’s in the moments that remind him why it all started. Every time they see a veteran smile, or a kid at one of their clinics light up when they hit the ball, or a firefighter’s family feel supported — that’s what makes it worth it. He says, “That’s the field we’re playing on now.”
The full interview with Jason Stanford is here. Jason tells of his journey from overlooked high school pitcher to Major League Baseball player. With no college offers after high school, he worked his way onto the roster at Barton County Community College and later UNC-Charlotte. Despite going undrafted after his senior year of college, a scout from the Cleveland Indians spotted him, launching his pro career and leading to eventual MLB time.
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