TOUCHING NEWS: Manager Craig Counsell Spent a Huge $6.7 Million on Charity Centers to Help Newborns Without Parents – Everything He Did Was Just for Love

In a world often consumed by stats, trades, and bottom lines, a powerful and emotional story has emerged from the heart of Major League Baseball. Craig Counsell, manager of the Chicago Cubs, has quietly donated a staggering $6.7 million of his personal fortune to charity centers supporting newborns without parents—a gesture that has stunned fans and moved communities across the country.

While Counsell is widely known for his strategic mind and calm leadership in the dugout, it is this act of humanity that may ultimately define his legacy far beyond baseball. This wasn’t a press stunt or a public relations move. By all accounts, Counsell tried to keep the donation private—but news of his extraordinary gift eventually surfaced, leaving an entire sports world in awe.

A Manager With a Deeper Mission

Craig Counsell has always been a man of integrity. Known for his cerebral approach to the game and his grounded personality, he’s been a fixture in baseball for decades—as a player, coach, and now one of the highest-paid managers in the league. But those close to him say Counsell’s quiet generosity has long been part of who he is.

“Craig doesn’t chase the spotlight. He believes in doing what’s right, even when no one is watching,” said a Cubs staff member. “This was never about attention. It was about love and doing something that matters.”

Why Newborns Without Parents?

The cause is personal for Counsell, whose own family history includes adoption. According to close sources, Counsell’s grandmother was raised in an orphanage during the Great Depression, a story that left a lasting impression on him.

He has long supported child welfare initiatives, but after visiting a Chicago-area neonatal care facility last winter and seeing first-hand the needs of abandoned newborns, something changed.

“He held a baby that had no name, no parents, and no home,” recalled one hospital worker. “He didn’t speak much. He just cried. Then he asked, ‘What can I do?’”

That single moment grew into a decision to give—quietly, purposefully, and wholeheartedly.

Where the $6.7 Million Is Going

Counsell’s generous donation has been allocated to several life-changing programs across Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Midwest, including:

• Safe Start Chicago – A nonprofit that provides urgent shelter, medical care, and adoption placement for abandoned or orphaned newborns.

• Cradles of Hope Milwaukee – Offers neonatal support, trauma-informed caregivers, and therapy for infants born into crisis.

• National Newborn Safety Alliance – Coordinates services for at-risk infants in hospitals around the U.S., providing resources and volunteers where no family is present.

Counsell’s gift is already making a difference. Facilities report improved resources, expanded care units, and new staff hires. And most touching of all—some centers have named new wings and rooms in his honor.

“Craig’s donation didn’t just fund programs—it saved lives,” said a director at Safe Start. “Now we can care for every baby who comes through our doors.”

Reactions From Around Baseball

When word of Counsell’s donation became public, reactions poured in from fans, players, and even rival teams.

“What a class act,” tweeted Cubs pitcher Justin Steele. “This is who our manager really is—more than baseball, all heart.”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred also issued a statement applauding Counsell’s action, calling it “a profound reminder of the good that can be done when leaders use their platform with purpose.”

Cubs owner Tom Ricketts added, “Craig has always represented the best of baseball, but now he’s shown what it means to be the best of humanity.”

A Legacy Beyond the Game

The Chicago Cubs have since announced a partnership with local hospitals to launch “Counsell’s Cradle,” an annual initiative to fund baby care centers and provide volunteer opportunities for players, staff, and fans.

Counsell himself has remained humble about the attention, offering only a brief statement:

“This isn’t about me. It’s about the children. Every baby deserves to feel safe and loved, no matter what hand they were dealt. If I can help give them that—just a little bit of it—then that’s the greatest win I’ll ever have.”

Everything He Did Was Just for Love

In a sport where wins and losses often define greatness, Craig Counsell has reminded us that true greatness lies in compassion, humility, and love. His $6.7 million gift wasn’t for applause or headlines—it was for the smallest, most vulnerable lives, just beginning their journey.

Everything he did, he did for love. And through that love, countless newborns now have a fighting chance, a warmer cradle, and a brighter start.