On Tuesday, May 22nd Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun, Christian Yelich and Chase Anderson helped Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity kick off their build season in the Midtown Neighborhood. Braun spoke in front of a large crowd of volunteers on site to raise the walls of seven new construction homes being built on the 2100 and 2200 blocks of North 29th Street. Brewers Community Foundation and Ryan Braun are sponsoring one of the homes beginning construction. The build kicks off Milwaukee Habitat’s Midtown 100 initiative to build, rehab and repair 100 homes in the Midtown neighborhood over the next three years.
The Brewers have been involved with Milwaukee Habitat since 2006. Joining Braun on the build will be employees from local businesses: Accunet Mortgage, Associated Bank, First Weber, Johnson Controls, Kohl’s, Thrivent Financial, and We Energies. These businesses are partnering with Milwaukee Habitat in 2018 to provide both funds and volunteers to help families in need of safe, affordable housing.
“Three in five Milwaukee renters are living in unaffordable housing, paying 40%, 50%, and in some cases 70% of their income just to put a roof over their heads,” says Milwaukee Habitat’s Executive Director Brian Sonderman. “We are so grateful to have the support of Brewers Community Foundation, Ryan Braun and all of the organizations joining us in combating our city’s affordable housing crisis.”
Braun, Yelich and Anderson joined future homeowner Sade in constructing the porch of her future home. For mother of three Sade, Habitat for Humanity is all about providing a safe, stable place for her three young boys to grow up. At her current rental, Sade says her basement has flooded numerous times. The landlord typically tries a quick fix, only to find that a few weeks later, the basement floods again. Living on a busy street and having only a parking lot behind their home, right now her three sons don’t have a decent place to play. Soon Demarion, Robert and Samir will have their very own backyard to play in, not to mention a basement that isn’t consistently under water.
CLICK HERE to see pictures from the Milwaukee Business Journal
CLICK HERE to watch CBS58 Interview Braun and Sade
CLICK HERE to read MLB.com’s coverage of the build