It's a commitment that started close to home with a cousin serving overseas in Afghanistan. That experience stayed with Justin Verlander, and as he learned more about what veterans face coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, he wanted to give them something to hold onto that wasn't just gratitude in the abstract, but instead a real place to be welcomed, seen and celebrated.
That instinct took shape in 2011, when Justin partnered with the Detroit Tigers Foundation to launch Victory for Veterans. On days he pitched, veterans connected to VA Medical Centers in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan, were invited to Comerica Park, many of them settling in with their families in his personal suite for the afternoon. The details were deliberate: a personalized welcome letter with Justin's name on it, a Victory for Veterans T-shirt to take home, a moment on the videoboard in front of a packed stadium, food and drinks taken care of so the only thing left to do was enjoy the game. For a lot of these families, it was the first time since a deployment that a day out felt easy. Justin also helped fund the renovation of a waiting room and rehabilitation facility at the VA medical centers in Detroit and Ann Arbor, and he made a point of meeting veterans face-to-face when they came through the program.
He went further in 2013, launching the Wins for Warriors Foundation with an initial $1 million commitment. Where Victory for Veterans gave veterans a day to feel celebrated, Wins for Warriors was built for the harder, quieter work: mental health support for veterans and their families in Detroit and the Richmond/Norfolk region, delivered through grants to organizations already doing that work on the ground. In its first grant cycle, Wins for Warriors put more than $267,000 behind Give an Hour and The Mission Continues -- funding that helped Give an Hour bring on more volunteer mental health professionals, and helped Mission Continues send veterans from our communities through a six-month service and leadership fellowship. In 2014, Wins for Warriors joined the White House's Joining Forces Initiative Impact Pledge, formally committing to years of continued support for veterans and military families.
That same instinct showed up in Justin's giving beyond veterans. He was a longtime supporter of the Detroit Tigers Foundation, including its youth baseball outreach and its "Keeping Kids in the Game" fundraiser benefiting children's health organizations across the region -- the kind of quieter, recurring support that doesn't make headlines but adds up over the length of a career. Whether it was a veteran in his suite, a kid at a foundation event or a family back home worried about someone overseas, the throughline was the same: Justin treated his platform as something to be shared, not just enjoyed.
As Justin closes out a career that will be remembered for its excellence on the mound, he is ensuring his impact in Detroit will continue beyond his final pitch. As a retirement and legacy gift, Justin is donating $100,000 to Michigan Humane for Military, which connects veterans and active-duty service members with companion animals while providing ongoing veterinary support. His gift will help significantly expand the program. It is a fitting next chapter in a commitment that has defined his career: from welcoming veterans to Comerica Park, to investing in their mental health, to now helping provide companionship and support long after his playing days are over.
