MINNEAPOLIS -- Giving back to the community has always a major point of emphasis for the Twins. It was no different in 2018, when the team led several charity efforts, including raising money for hurricane relief as part of the Puerto Rico Series, the annual Hope Week and the upcoming Holiday Week of Giving.
The Twins and Indians played a two-game series in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from April 17-18, and both clubs helped raise funds for Hurricane Maria recovery efforts. Puerto Rico natives Eddie Rosario and Jose Berrios hosted charity events on the island and continue to give back to their community. Rosario visited his former high school and Berrios visited a hospital with Joe Mauer, who was one of the club's most active players in the community before retiring after the season.

Mauer has long supported Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, hosting the "Mauer and Friends Kids Classic" as well as the "Lanes for Friendship" bowling tournament to support the Highland Friendship Club. He said at his retirement press conference that he plans to remain active in the community and wants to work with the Twins in some capacity going forward.
The biggest week of giving, however, came during the eighth annual Hope Week from June 18-24. It featured events that supported charities such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, Feed My Starving Children, local youth baseball organizations, military members and local hospitals. Reliever Trevor Hildenberger helped with the Feed My Starving Children event with food going to support children in Haiti.

"It was awesome," Hildenberger said. "The kids didn't know that Twins players were coming, so we kind of surprised them. We walked in and they had no idea, so they were very happy. And they were very efficient -- they were very assembly-line like."
Other Twins players with active charity efforts include Jake Odorizzi raising money for the Animal Humane Society, pledging $50 for each strikeout, ultimately raising $12,950 dollars. Kyle Gibson also hosts a "Celebrity Fantasy Football League" that benefits Big League Impact and the Twins Community Fund.

The Twins Community Fund is the charitable arm of the Twins and is in its 27th year. It assists in providing resources for children to play baseball and softball, such as renovated fields, new equipment, grants for coaches and clinics put on by current and former Twins players.
With the holiday season coming up, the Twins will ramp up their efforts, especially in the front office. From Dec. 17-21, the team will host its annual Twins Holiday Week of Giving, which is similar to Hope Week, with different charity events each day. The event has helped organizations in the past such as the Kids in Need Foundation, the Humane Society, The Food Group, Cookie Cart and the Harbor Light Center.

It all leads up to TwinsFest, the Diamond Awards and the Twins Winter Caravan throughout the Upper Midwest in January. TwinsFest remains the largest fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund.