Reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt continues to prove he is an athlete of extraordinary character on and off the field. Since signing with the Cardinals in 2018, Paul has joined teammate and 2020 Roberto Clemente Award winner Adam Wainwright in charitable efforts through Wainwright’s foundation, Big League Impact (BLI). Beginning in 2021, Paul has participated in the #ALLWIN campaign, pledging dollars for causes close to his heart and asking fans to join him.
In 2021, Paul raised $46,420 to help build a community center in the Dominican Republic with Food for the Hungry. In 2022, Paul raised $50,000 for Habitat for Humanity St. Louis, an organization that provides an opportunity for families living in substandard rental housing to help build and purchase a home they can afford to maintain. This season, he is playing for The Little Bit Foundation, a local nonprofit that aims to empower students to achieve their academic goals and dreams for the future by breaking down barriers to learning for students living in poverty.
Paul participated in Big League Impact’s 2023 Swinging for Impact event, which raised more than $120,000 to continue BLI’s mission to help meet basic human needs like food, clean water, medical care, shelter and education to save lives, restore dignity and instill hope.
A runner-up for the Lou Gehrig Award, Paul helped surprise an ALS patient with a customized wheelchair during the Cardinals’ Lou Gehrig Day tribute. The recipient and his wife shared how the chair would better their lives and were touched by Paul’s involvement and compassion. In addition, Paul signed the Lou Gehrig bat used in Major League Baseball’s auction. Paul went above and beyond and provided signed Lou Gehrig baseballs to the ALS Association in St. Louis and the Muscular Dystrophy Association to support their fundraising efforts.
Paul believes it is important to stress to children, coaches and parents that there is more to sports than winning. On Aug. 5, he hosted a free baseball clinic for more than 150 children, ages 7-13, at the Ballwin Athletic Association for this purpose. Cardinals Care Redbird Rookies youth baseball program participants and Little League players were in attendance.
On Aug. 31, Paul hosted his second Uncork for a Cause, a gala to benefit Water Mission, a nonprofit, Christian engineering organization that designs, builds and implements safe water, sanitation and hygiene solutions for people in developing countries and disaster areas.
Paul and his wife, Amy, enjoy spending time with pediatric patients in St. Louis. They participate annually in hospital visits and Make-A-Wish events, including the Wives for Wishes event that raises funds to grant wishes to area children. He autographed baseballs for the Cardinals Family Grab Bag Event, which raised nearly $50,000 this year for area nonprofits Angels’ Arms, Covenant House, KEEN St. Louis and Lydia’s House.
Paul strongly supports the Cardinals' team charity, Cardinals Care. Annual financial contributions and signing of memorabilia used for silent auctions help support the flagship Redbird Rookies program, a free baseball/softball program for children ages 5-13, and the charity’s Grant and Youth Ballfield programs. Paul annually attends the Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up, signing autographs for fans who donated to Cardinals Care.
Since 2019, Paul’s Ticket Program, Goldy’s Golden Ticket, has brought deserving youth organizations to a game. He provides T-shirts, photo cards, tickets and food vouchers and meets with groups to answer questions, sign autographs and take photos. Over the years, Paul has met with hundreds of children, including this season children from Scott Air Force Base Library, The James Project, which supports foster families by providing houses, parental support, children’s provisions and a community of supporters, and STL Youth Sports Outreach, who provide lightly-used donated sports equipment to children who otherwise may not be able to play due to the high cost of such equipment.
Paul’s off-field efforts may not garner much attention, but the positive impact of his giving will reverberate throughout the community for years to come.