If You Build It, They Will Come

The San Diego Padres knock it out of the park, bringing help that works to homeless neighbors.

In America’s finest city, the San Diego Padres have gone the distance and stepped up to the plate in a significant way. Partnering with the San Diego Rescue Mission, the Padres are making a positive impact on the heartbreaking reality of homelessness—the primary cause that was near and dear to the late Peter Seidler, owner of the Padres.

For the past three years, Padres Special Assistant and former pitcher Craig Stammen has been volunteering with the San Diego Rescue Mission. He regularly joins our outreach teams, distributing “bags of compassion” (emergency hygiene kits) spending his Tuesdays off the field engaging directly with the San Diego community. “On the way to the ballpark, there were a lot of people experiencing homelessness, and it was hard to ignore it every single day. There was something tugging at my heart,” he shared recently at the Lighthouse grand opening. His passion for helping those experiencing homelessness inspired fellow players and staff alike, encouraging the entire Padres organization to make a tangible difference. “We would walk the streets around the ballpark and meet the people right where they were at. No longer were we ignoring the people when we were driving into play major league ball… We were able to love on them just the way that San Diego Rescue Mission does on a daily basis.”

Through the Padres Foundation and Padres player, Manny Machado, the team made an unprecedented $350,000 sponsorship to the Rescue Mission in honor of the late Peter Seidler. This project marks the first of the 2024 Peter Seidler Legacy projects. They presented the check to our CEO, Donnie Dee, during a home game on June 22, 2024, against the Milwaukee Brewers. This donation represents the largest single contribution ever made by the Padres Foundation to an organization.

At the forefront of this corporate partnership is the South County Lighthouse, our new 162-bed emergency shelter in National City. This facility, the first of its kind in the area, provides crucial services to men, women, and families year-round, offering shelter, hot meals, clothing, and access to essential amenities like showers and laundry. It is more than just a place to stay; it is a beacon of hope, a light in the darkness where individuals receive personalized care and social services support to help them reclaim their lives. The Padres Foundation lovingly sponsored the Lighthouse Community Center, a space shelter guests and the South Bay community can use for meetings and events.

We unveiled the Padres branded Community Center at the South County Lighthouse, a room adorned with high ceilings, large acrylic colorful lettering, and a striking mural celebrating Manny Machado’s “Sky’s the limit” motto. This space serves as a hub for community activities and has set a new standard for corporate social responsibility and local outreach.

So, when you cheer for the Padres this season, you’re also cheering for a team that’s changing lives one at a time off the field. Together with the San Diego Rescue Mission, the Padres prove that kindness and compassion are always in season.

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