Live Well San Diego Recognized Partners SAY San Diego, Urban Collaborative Project and Project AWARE Enterprises, local law enforcement, faith groups, community organizations and elected officials partnered together on the 3rd Annual San Diego Unity Games softball tournament held on June 24th at the Willie Henderson Sports Complex. The event, which drew 200 San Diegans to play softball, promotes cooperation, common ground and shared solutions for community issues, among law enforcement, community partners and residents. The Unity Games’ organizers see the annual event as part a larger effort to encourage dialogue, to promote positive activities for youth and families and to join law enforcement officers, youth and community members as partners.

"Building a healthy and safe community takes heart and effort from everyone who lives, plays, worships and works in the community,” said Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CEO of SAY San Diego. “This is what we represent at the Unity Games.”

The Unity Games also promoted use of the park. After the games, nearly 90% of attendees stated that they had never been to the park before and would come back.

The Unity Games, started in 2014 with eight teams competing in a single-elimination softball tournament, has expanded this year to ten teams that included Probation, Southeastern Police Division, the San Diego Public Defenders office, three faith-based teams and four community-based teams. Ninth District Councilmember Georgette Gomez and SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman welcomed everyone, and the Chief threw out the first pitch.