Brewers help out with Habitat for Humanity

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Brewers hit a home run before they even stepped on the field Tuesday night, helping build a home with Habitat for Humanity.

Brandon Woodruff, DL Hall, Joey Ortiz and the racing sausages stepped up to the plate in the Harambee neighborhood. Woodruff is a veteran with Habitat. This is his fourth year working with them.

"This is special to me because I have a growing family," Woodruff says. "Being able to provide a house for my family is special for me and coming from a small town, not having a lot growing up, I know what it means."

Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity CEO Brian Sonderman adds that "it's huge when we have Brewers players come out. It shines a spotlight on the work that we do at Milwaukee Habitat and helps us communicate about the need for affordable housing."

Sonderman says tens of thousands of Milwaukee families spend more than half of their monthly income on housing.

"With that situation that they're faced with, they can't afford to do anything else. They can't afford to save for the future, pay for their children's education and health care, so housing is really foundational to addressing so many big issues in our community."

Woodruff says his dream for the house is that it will stabilize a home for a family, giving them tons of happy memories - like the ones he is building with his wife, Jonie, and young daughter, Kyler, coming with him to the build every year.

"I think we can look back on these experiences long after baseball is over and explain to her what dad was doing through this process."

This is the Brewers' 16th season partnering with Habitat for Humanity.