San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado has made a heartfelt and audacious announcement that is shaking the baseball community and beyond he will personally invest $4.9 million to turn dilapidated and abandoned homes throughout Southern California into shelters for young people experiencing homelessness. The announcement, which was made at a news conference in downtown San Diego on Friday afternoon, is among the biggest humanitarian contributions made by a Major League Baseball player in recent memory.
The effort, titled “Safe Steps Home”, will begin with properties in San Diego County and intends to provide long-term transitional housing for teens and young adults facing homelessness—an issue that has reached crisis proportions across California
“It’s Personal.”
One of baseball’s highest-paid players and a six-time All-Star, Machado was open about what drove him to make such a big financial and personal commitment. “This is personal for me,” Machado said. Even though my life and career have been fortunate, I’ve never forgotten that not all children have the same opportunities. There are currently far too many people who are afraid, homeless, and alone. I can’t seem to ignore that.
Machado mentioned childhood friends who ended up on the streets, caught in cycles of poverty, crime, or family disintegration. His own family fled hardship in the Dominican Republic before relocating to Florida.
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The Plan: Reviving Homes, Rebuilding Lives
Through “Safe Steps Home,” Machado is partnering with several nonprofit organizations, including StandUp for Kids San Diego and Father Joe’s Villages, to identify and renovate a minimum of twelve properties over the next two years. These homes, previously boarded up or falling into disrepair, will be transformed into vibrant living spaces where homeless youth can find not just shelter, but opportunity.
Each home will feature:
- Private or semi-private rooms for residents
- In-house counseling and mental health services
- On-site mentors and life coaches
- Education support, job training, and college prep
- A focus on independence and reintegration
The shelters are designed for ages 16–24, a demographic that’s often overlooked in the homelessness response, falling between foster care and adult services. Residents will be able to stay for up to 18 months while building stability and working toward self-sufficiency.
Tackling a Growing Crisis
California has the highest rate of youth homelessness in the United States, with an estimated 12,000 unaccompanied minors and young adults homeless on any given night, according to the California Homeless Youth Project. In San Diego alone, local officials estimate that nearly 1,500 youth are currently unhoused.
The homes will be spread across areas like Chula Vista, City Heights, El Cajon, and National City, offering decentralized, neighborhood-based support rather than traditional high-capacity shelters. Each site will operate under trauma-informed care principles and be staffed by licensed social workers and youth advocates.
From the Field to the Frontlines
Machado’s efforts reflect a growing trend of professional athletes using their wealth and visibility to tackle pressing social issues—but his initiative stands out for its hands-on involvement and scale.
Machado has committed not just money, but also his time. He plans to visit the sites regularly, participate in home renovations, and even host mentorship workshops for residents.
Padres manager Mike Shildt praised Machado’s leadership off the field:
Community and Teammate Support
Within hours of the announcement, support for Machado’s project began pouring in.
Teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. pledged to contribute $500,000 to expand the project in Tijuana, saying, “Home doesn’t stop at the border. We’re one community.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also expressed gratitude and committed city resources to help expedite permits and connect Machado’s team with affordable housing developers.
More Than a One-Time Project
The $4.9 million investment represents the first phase of what Machado says will be a “long-term mission.” His newly established Manny Machado Foundation for Youth Empowerment plans to launch further initiatives, including scholarship funds, internship pipelines with local businesses, and a sports-based youth leadership academy.
The foundation will also release a public impact report each year, tracking how many youth have been housed, educated, and employed through the program.
Final Word
In an era when athletes are often judged by stats and contracts, Manny Machado is redefining what it means to lead. With a $4.9 million personal investment in the lives of San Diego’s most vulnerable youth, he’s swinging for more than just fences—he’s swinging for the future.
As bulldozers and paintbrushes get to work on once-abandoned houses, hope is moving in, room by room. And in those walls, young people will find not only shelter—but strength, purpose, and a new
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