A home run for Habitat: How the Brewers are supporting affordable housing in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — This year, Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity plans to build a record-breaking number of new, affordable houses for first-time homebuyers.
On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Brewers ensured their busy build season will be a home run.
Players Andrew Vaughn, DL Hall, and Brandon Woodruff traded their gloves for hammers at the Habitat warehouse, adding their personal touches to the first wall of a new home.
"It's just a great cause," said Vaughn.
"We're starting an initiative here each year, where we're going to provide a roof over somebody's - a family's - head," Woodruff said, joined by his family for his sixth year partnered with Habitat.
"This year, we're going to build 40 brand-new homes for first-time homebuyers and we're going to do up to 200 home preservation projects for existing homeowners in the city of Milwaukee," said Brian Sonderman, the CEO of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity.
Those record-breaking numbers were boosted by a $50,000 donation from the Brewers Community Foundation.
"Growing up, I moved around a pretty good bit, had a bunch of different houses," said Brewers pitcher DL Hall. "Being able to give somebody a steady place to call home and go back to the same place every night is pretty special to me, and it touches my heart."
In 2026, new affordable homes will be built in the Harambee, Midtown and Amani neighborhoods, and for the first time, two will be built in West Allis.
"We're in the midst of an affordable housing crisis," Sonderman explained. "We felt we had to step up and do even more to help hardworking families to be able to stay in their home safely and affordably."
One of the homes will have signed proof of the star-power behind it, as the players autographed the first wall, along with Mayor Cavalier Johnson, State Senator LaTonya Johnson, and the Famous Racing Sausages.
"As homebuyers come out into the build site, they read those notes, they read those messages, and they are tremendously encouraging," said Sonderman.
For the players of the current first-place team in the league, the initiative is a special chance to connect with the community.
"There's a lot of the season left. It's cool to be able to kind of disconnect from that," said Hall. "Try to brighten the city in a different way, other than just winning; obviously, it is lot of fun winning, and we'll continue to try to do that."
Click here to learn more about Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity.