Brewers give back with #KindnessInMK event

Players, Coaches and Staff Surprise Milwaukee Community with Random Acts of Kindness

May 17th, 2022

MILWAUKEE – Today, virtually every member of the Brewers organization – from players, coaches and front office staff – were seen in Milwaukee and the surrounding five counties surprising individuals and charities with random acts of kindness as part of the Club’s annual #KindnessInMKE event.
 
This morning Brewers players surprised unexpecting shoppers, showing up to pay their grocery tabs and help bag the items. Christian Yelich spent time with unsuspecting customers at a checkout lane at Pick ‘n Save in West Allis. Freddy Peralta did the same at Festival Foods in Greenfield and Aaron Ashby was seen helping shoppers at Fleet Farm in Germantown. Brent Suter donated to the labor and delivery floor where he recently welcomed his second son, Jace Peterson and Rowdy Tellez surprised morning commuters by covering the tab for everyone at Starbucks and Brandon Woodruff donated supplies to a local school.
 
Players spent a minimum of $500 each in gifts and/or donations while staff members also contributed funds to charities throughout the Milwaukee-area. There were no specific rules attached to this event, simply encouragement for every member of the organization to come up with a creative and thoughtful way to impact lives in the community.
 
“We are grateful to be in the community, interacting with fans and surprising people with random acts of kindness today,” said Yelich. “Every action has an impact and I’m very grateful to help bring smiles to so many faces. The fans lift us up, and it is great to return that favor.”
 
This is the sixth consecutive year the Brewers have dedicated a full day to the initiative to find meaningful and personal opportunities to impact the Milwaukee community. During the pandemic, #KindnessInMKE continued with virtual acts of kindness or donations from afar. In 2021, the players purchased more than $30,000 in gift cards from minority-owned restaurants and gifted them to nonprofits around the city. This year marks the first year since the pandemic that the players and all members of the organization are back actively engaging in the community without significant restrictions.
 
Activities throughout the day were highlighted by both participants and recipients with the hashtag #KindnessInMKE on social media platforms.
 
On a related note, the kindness and appreciation for fans continues every Friday away game this season with “This One’s On Me,” a player-led initiative where a different player surprises a restaurant/bar, covering the tab for the customers that evening. Most recently Lorenzo Cain surprised fans dining at Milwaukee Q, with Freddy Peralta, Christian Yelich and Corbin Burnes having also picked up tabs this season. The identity of each restaurant remains a surprise until that evening.