Homeless shelter gets heartwarming donation from famous Middletown family

Bill Fugate, a coordinator at the Middletown church-based shelter, said a generous donation from the Schwarber family was “a real blessing” and it illustrated how they wanted to help others this holiday season.

Kyle Schwarber, a Middletown native who plays for the Chicago Cubs delivered a truckload of goods on Dec. 26 to the office of Serving Homeless Alternative Lodging Of Middletown (SHALOM) along with his sister, Lindsey, a Middletown police officer, and their mother, Donna.

RELATED: Schwarber gives Middletown a World Series champion

The items included bed linens, pillows, towels and wash cloths. They were useful because of the number of items the homeless shelter uses, Fugate said. He said sometimes the items can’t be reused or the homeless take them.

It was the first time Fugate, a huge baseball fan, had an opportunity to meet Schwarber and his family. He was impressed.

“The fact that they decided to buy for others tells you they have Christ in their heart,” Fugate said. “They were thinking of others, and that tells you a lot about them.”

The Schwarber family said they would have preferred to remain anonymous. But the timing of the donation was perfect, Fugate said.

RELATED: Former Middie Kyle Schwarber continues ‘surreal’ ride

“It lifted my spirits,” he said. “It’s difficult at this time when you deal with so many who have so little.”

Instead of writing a check to the organization, Kyle Schwarber, who is entering his fourth season with the Cubs, participated in the donation, Fugate said.

RELATED: Schwarber Indiana bobblehead released; selling well

“It takes a special person to show up,” Fugate said of the Middletown High School graduate who starred at Indiana University. “I’m sure he’s busy. He was so humble around me.”

RELATED: Middletown’s Schwarber talks success, adversity in hometown visit

About the Author