The day Kyle Gibson became an Oriole in December 2022, he contacted the front office immediately to discuss his charitable passions. As a veteran pitcher in a clubhouse full of young stars, Kyle’s role is more than just being a leader on the field. It’s leading by example off of it, a role he takes seriously and one that our community is grateful for him to play. Having been a three-time nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, while part of three different teams, shows just how passionate Kyle is about giving back to the communities he calls home.
Shortly after he was drafted in 2009, Kyle and his wife, Elizabeth, traveled to the Dominican Republic to attend the grand opening of a community project that his agent and a few other players had worked on together. That was when the couple realized the opportunity they had to make an impact abroad.
Soon thereafter, the Gibsons joined Help One Now, a nonprofit which aims to empower families to end extreme poverty, with whom they helped build a secondary school in Ferrier Village, Haiti. For the first time, the children of Ferrier Village had a school within 40 miles of their home. The Gibsons are still involved with Help One Now, frequently raising money for the organization to continue its efforts in third world countries. They are also involved with Crisis Aid International in St. Louis and work with a soup kitchen and food pantry in Fort Myers, Florida.
In 2019, during his time with the Minnesota Twins, Kyle raised nearly $94,000 through his virtual fantasy football league and charity Swinging for Impact event at Topgolf. During an abbreviated COVID-19 season, he raised $34,000 through his digital fundraising campaigns. He joined the Texas Rangers in 2020, and benefitted thousands of dollars to The Sheridan Story, Tandem, Food for the Soul, Grace's Place, Help One Now and the Texas Rangers Youth Foundation.
In 2021, Kyle started the season in Texas and ended his year in Philadelphia. He committed to helping both communities through the year. Continuing his philanthropic efforts was a key focus, raising more than $104,000. These funds were distributed to Help One Now, Grace's Place, SafeHaven of Tarrant County, Food for the Soul, Philabundance and Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia. In Philadelphia in 2022, Kyle raised more than $195,000 through Swinging for Impact at Topgolf, his fantasy football league and his digital strikeout campaign.
While the Gibson family’s reach extends far beyond Baltimore, Kyle is committed to giving back to the community where he spends his career. To celebrate Mother’s Day, they donated hundreds of dollars in diapers, wipes, breast pumps and baby monitors to a local “mommy closet” at She Rises, an organization helping young single mothers get back on their feet.
One of Kyle’s focuses this season is interacting with a different group of community members every homestand. Kyle has met with multiple community-based organizations, including STAND Mentorship, whose mission is to enrich the lives of young men through educational experiences that will help them grow and have a positive impact in the future, and Diamonds on the Rise, an organization committed to developing and promoting quality programs that provide a nurturing and thoughtful environment for individuals living with psychiatric diagnoses who may have challenges with their daily living activities. Kyle uses this time to discuss goal setting and the importance of perseverance. He has spoken with active-duty members of the military and their families to learn about their careers and thank them for their service. He has given private tours of the Orioles’ clubhouse to children battling life threatening illnesses, providing a memorable moment of reprieve for struggling families.
Again, this year, Kyle has launched his #ALLWIN digital fundraising campaign. With every strikeout he records, Kyle is feeding families in need in Maryland with a donation to the Maryland Food Bank, totaling $13,700. With every Orioles' win, Kyle is providing life-saving resources to women escaping domestic violence with a donation to House of Ruth Maryland. Kyle has also rallied teammates Cedric Mullins, Tyler Wells and Austin Hays to make donations for personal milestones and every team win to causes that are significant to them, totaling $35,275.
In August, Kyle hosted two charity events in the Baltimore community. The first was Swinging for Impact benefiting City of Refuge Baltimore, a faith-based organization that helps individuals and families transition out of crisis. This effort has raised more than $36,000. In late August, he launched a fantasy football league where fans can donate to play fantasy football with their favorite Orioles players with proceeds benefiting Help One Now.
As the vice president of Big League Impact, a role he has held since 2019, Kyle sets up volunteer projects for the team while they play in different cities through the organization’s Mission 3:18 Program. So far this season, he has volunteered at Mission Arlington, City of Refuge Atlanta and Bowery Mission NYC. He encourages others to participate with him, hosting more than 10 other Orioles players and members of the clubhouse staff in various cities around the country so far. He also led activities for players from teams visiting Baltimore at The Franciscan Center, which provides emergency assistance and supportive outreach to persons who are economically disadvantaged, proving that baseball is much bigger than what happens on the diamond.
If you ask Kyle to say hello to a community member, he will make them feel like they are the only person in the room. If you ask him to hand out bicycles at an elementary school, he won’t leave until he has personally helped every child learn to ride. He has raised nearly $500,000 for the communities where he has played. His passion for giving back shines through his storied 10-year career embodying the spirit of Roberto Clemente. Kyle’s legacy of philanthropy is only just beginning.