Miguel & Rosangel Cabrera donate $250,000 benefitting children and families in Detroit community

DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera and his wife, Rosangel, have partnered with the Detroit Tigers Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities, to donate $250,000 to several organizations in Detroit that serve families and children.

“During these very tough times for all, my wife, Rosangel and I wanted to help the Detroit community that is very special to us. Through our foundation, we have always focused on the well-being of children and we wanted to continue this effort in such a time of need,” said Miguel. “We partnered with the Detroit Tigers Foundation to make a donation that will assist with meals for children, technology for students, affordable childcare, and protective face masks for families. The people of Detroit have been so great to us over the years and we hope this brings some hope and positivity to this very strong city. We will get through this together.”

The donation is among the largest made by a professional baseball player during the pandemic, and will impact numerous important causes that directly help Detroiters.

“This generous donation further cements Miguel Cabrera’s legacy as an all-time great both on the field and in the community, and all of us with the Tigers, and Ilitch Charities, are thankful for his and Rosangel’s contribution to Detroit families and children in need,” said Christopher Ilitch, Chairman and CEO of the Detroit Tigers and Chairman of Ilitch Charities. “In addition to today’s donation and partnership with the Detroit Tigers Foundation, we recognize the Cabrera family for years of awarding annual college scholarships, renovating baseball fields and hosting special fundraising events that positively impact thousands. Thank you, Miguel and Rosangel.”

The Detroit Public Schools Community District will receive $50,000 to aid in meal distribution to students and families. Every week DPSCD provides approximately 120,000 meals across 19 Grab and Go sites. This donation will provide the logistical support needed to ensure that families continue to receive breakfast and lunch throughout the COVID-19 closure.

The Detroit Public Schools Foundation will also receive $50,000 from the Cabrera family’s donation, which will go to the Connected Future initiative to help address the digital divide that exists for DPSCD students by providing tablets, six months of sponsored internet and IT support for all 51,000 DPSCD students. This donation contributes to making sure that all DPSCD students can access their teachers and online resources both during the COVID-19 closure and beyond.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) and Brilliant Detroit will receive $140,000 to support their collaboration to provide affordable childcare for families in Detroit. With schools closed for the remainder of the academic year, children will not be able to attend classes and camps as their parents go back to work. This donation will allow these three organizations to impact nearly 3,000 Detroit youth.

The Boys and Girls Club will increase the number of youths served daily from 200 to 1,000 by the end of June. Detroit PAL will provide summer programming in-house for an estimated 230 youth across its programs, along with virtual programming for more than 1,000 children. This donation will allow Brilliant Detroit to provide reading tutoring to 200 children, learn at home kits to all participants, and information to families regarding books, health nutrition, parenting support classes and ways to work with children at home.

The remaining $10,000 of the donation will support a philanthropic collaboration organized by G1 Impact to hire Detroiters to manufacture 100,000 reusable, hospital-grade masks for children and families in Detroit. Forgotten Harvest, Life Remolded, Brilliant Detroit, and The Prayer Truck will distribute the 100,000 masks. The Cabrera family donation will aid in purchasing 2,000 masks and distributing them to residents in the Durfee/Central High School area.

For more information on the Detroit Tigers Foundation, visit www.detroittigersfoundation.com.

Statements from Community Group Leaders

Superintendent, Detroit Public Schools Community District, Dr. Nikolai Vitti:

"We appreciate this support for our students' across the district from Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers. We have families who are facing severe hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. This example of compassion and thoughtfulness goes a long way, especially from one of our hometown baseball greats."

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan’s CEO, Shawn H. Wilson:

“This extraordinary gift will help ensure that our Clubs are safe and clean, staff are adequately protected, and youth have meals and enrichment activities as we begin to safely reopen our doors. Our youth need us today more than ever. We thank Rosangel and Miguel Cabrera for their generous donation and for understanding the importance of funding collaborations for greater community impact.”

Detroit PAL CEO, Robert Jamerson:

“We are in unprecedented times, and the needs are plenty in the City of Detroit. On behalf of Detroit PAL and our partners, I want to thank Rosangel and Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers Foundation. Many remember plays made on the field, but there is nothing more important in life than investing in children. We are thankful for this donation to help Detroit youth find their greatness.”

Brilliant Detroit’s Co-founder and CEO, Cindy Eggleton:

"This gift will ensure that kids across our city get the services and support they need, delivered by organizations that are built on putting kids at the center of everything. To have a hometown team like the Detroit Tigers – and a superstar like Miguel Cabrera – that truly supports this work is so meaningful and essential. We are tremendously grateful.”

Community Engagement Director of G1 Impact, Nicole Farmer:

“We are very grateful that Miguel and Rosangel recognized the need to provide high-quality masks to protect socially disadvantaged families. This gift will help keep children and families in Detroit healthy, and help save jobs that pay a living wage and support our local economy.”