Jake Burger and Ashlyn Burger have taken their experience as parents and turned it into a growing philanthropic effort on behalf of Down syndrome awareness, financial assistance and inclusion. The Burger Family Foundation was established in March 2025, a few months after their daughter Penelope was born with Down syndrome in October 2024. The foundation was established to assist families who experience the costs and challenges that can accompany raising a child with a disability.The Major League Baseball Foundation says it raised more than $150,000 in its first year alone with its “Down Syndrome Is Cool” merchandise campaign. The campaign combines fundraising and awareness, leveraging apparel and accessories to initiate discussions on Down syndrome and inclusion. The organization has also expanded its work beyond fundraising through direct family support, community events and its Lucky Ranch initiative.
Jake Burger and Ashlyn Burger build foundation
Jake and Ashlyn Burger launched the Burger Family Foundation on March 21, 2025, World Down Syndrome Day. The organization was started because of Penelope’s inspiration to help other families going through similar struggles. Its stated mission is to provide direct financial assistance, therapy, involvement in the community and ranch-life-related activities.The foundation’s financial assistance program, Pens Pearls, is named after Penelope and provides direct support to families with disability-related needs. The program has already distributed more than $40,000 directly to families seeking help for specialized therapy services, MLB said. The foundation also says Pens Pearls is a way to help meet basic needs, services and opportunities for children with disabilities.Since then, the organization has broadened its work to include employment and community initiatives. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WMOT) Nashville, Tenn. A multi-acre facility is being developed in Nashville, Tenn., with the hope of providing jobs for adults with disabilities. The first phase is poultry operations, and partnerships with Nashville businesses are being used to help support wages for employees with disabilities.
Texas Rangers infielder Jake Burger balances baseball and advocacy
Jake Burger’s tenure with the foundation has overlapped with his time with the Texas Rangers. When Burger arrived in Texas prior to the 2025 season, he changed his jersey number to 21 in honor of Penelope. The number refers to Trisomy 21, the clinical term for Down syndrome.Burger was a standout member of the Texas Rangers lineup during the 2026 regular season on the field. MLB has him playing 155 games with 28 homers, 90 RBIs and a .228 batting average. His 28 home runs ranked among the American League leaders, and his 90 RBIs put him among the leading run producers in the league.Burger has also used his MLB platform to raise awareness for Down syndrome organizations. On road trips, he has traveled the country visiting GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, and he and Ashlyn have participated in fundraising efforts to expand services in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.The Texas Rangers have backed some of these efforts. Globe Life Field has held Down Syndrome Awareness Day in back-to-back seasons, with proceeds from specialty tickets and merchandise benefiting local Down syndrome organizations and the foundation’s Pens Pearls program. The foundation has also received some of the proceeds from the sale of Jake Burger jerseys at Globe Life Field.
Jake Burger and Ashlyn Burger bring community together
The foundation has also organized large-scale fundraising events that combine entertainment with awareness. Nashville hosted the first Lucky Classic celebrity softball game and home run derby in November 2025 featuring MLB players, musicians and other celebrities, as well as honorary participants with Down syndrome. Over 2,500 tickets were sold for the first event.The event became a major fundraising event for the foundation. The first Lucky Classic raised more than $250,000 for its work supporting families and creating opportunities for people with Down syndrome, MLB said. The event involved players and celebrities from the entertainment and sports worlds, adding yet another way for the foundation to combine fundraising with public awareness.The Burgers have continued to build the foundation for direct aid and broader involvement in the community. The “Down Syndrome Is Cool” merchandise campaign has raised more than $150,000, and Down Syndrome Awareness Day events have brought fans into the fundraiser at Globe Life Field. The foundation has also been helped by the Texas Rangers organization and the Players Trust.In May 2026, The Players Trust named Jake Burger its Most Valuable Philanthropist honoree and awarded the Foundation a $10,000 grant from the Players Trust for the Lucky Ranch project. The recognition came after the couple continued their work with families, disability organizations and community programs.The foundation’s progress also highlights a broader shift from raising awareness to offering concrete support. Pens Pearls is providing direct financial support, and Lucky Ranch is equipped to offer job opportunities for adults with disabilities. Those initiatives together represent the two core areas of the Burgers’ work: addressing the immediate needs of families and building longer-term opportunities for people with disabilities.For Jake Burger and Ashlyn Burger, the foundation was built on the arrival of Penelope and the experience of navigating Down syndrome as a family. Since its inception in 2025, the organization has grown into a fundraising and community effort that offers financial aid, awareness initiatives, employment opportunities and major events. The foundation has continued to extend its reach beyond the baseball field, raising more than $150,000 through its merchandise campaign and additional money through events such as the Lucky Classic.
