Dansby Swanson and Mallory Swanson are taking their work off the field with the Purpose and Calling Foundation, using their platform as athletes to help children, families and communities. In 2025, the Chicago Cubs shortstop and Chicago Stars FC forward created the organization with a mission of providing opportunities for underserved youth through sports, education and community spaces.The foundation received considerable attention in 2026 when the first-ever Swanson Games brought together teammates, partners and supporters from the couple’s two professional sports circles. The event brought in more than $700,000 for the foundation’s work. However, the fundraising drive and a separate $600,000 commitment by Dansby Swanson to Vanderbilt baseball are two separate financial developments, not a donation split between Chicago and Vanderbilt.
Dansby and Mallory Swanson’s $600K fundraiser fuels Chicago youth programs
The Purpose and Calling Foundation marked a major milestone in its first full year of activity with the Swanson Games. The first event, which Major League Baseball said included teammates from the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Stars FC, as well as partners and supporters, raised over $700,000 for the foundation.That fundraising total is notable because it’s separate from the $600,000 number that’s connected to Vanderbilt baseball. Proceeds from the event went to the Purpose and Calling Foundation started by the Swansons to help underserved and underprivileged youth through sports, education and community development.The foundation has also been directly involved, not just in financial support. Dansby Swanson has hosted kids at Wrigley Field, providing transportation, food and access to the game so cost doesn’t keep young fans from participating. MLB said more than 250 children were welcomed to the ballpark during the 2026 season.The foundation’s largest announced commitment was $200,000 in 2026 toward a fully accessible playground in Evanston, Ill. The project was developed with the involvement of the community and is intended to be an inclusive recreation area for children of various physical abilities. MLB said the playground is projected to serve more than 17,000 children annually.The foundation also gave $75,000 to New Life Centers to expand its Light the Nite program. The program offers organized sports, meals, family activities and safe spaces for children in underserved Chicago neighborhoods in the summer. Also, Dansby Swanson sponsored a youth baseball team that is associated with the organization.These programs go part of the way to explaining where the $700,000 raised through the Swanson Games goes. The fundraiser wasn’t framed as a payment to Vanderbilt baseball, but as a way to help the foundation expand its ability to offer youth-oriented projects and experiences.Dansby Swanson’s Vanderbilt baseball ties fuel confusion
Vanderbilt baseball connections to Dansby Swanson cause confusion
While there is a real Vanderbilt connection, it doesn’t come from the Swanson Games fundraiser; it comes from Dansby Swanson’s own baseball history. Swanson played college baseball at Vanderbilt, where he was part of the program’s first national championship team in 2014. He was later drafted in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft and embarked on a career in professional baseball.Swanson still appears on the list of former Vanderbilt players in professional baseball on the school’s official athletics website. Swanson had a strong run with the Chicago Cubs, posting 15 hits with eight home runs and 26 RBIs over a 10-game stretch from June 23 through July 1, the school noted in a July 2026 update.His association with Vanderbilt extends beyond his playing days, too. In September 2026, MLB reported Swanson committed $600,000 to Vanderbilt’s baseball program to benefit future student-athletes. That’s on top of the $700,000-plus that came in at the Swanson Games.
| Financial development | Amount | Purpose |
| Swanson Games fundraising | More than $700,000 | Raised for the Purpose and Calling Foundation |
| Vanderbilt baseball commitment | $600,000 | Support for future Vanderbilt baseball student-athletes |
| Evanston playground commitment | $200,000 | Fully accessible community playground |
| New Life Centers grant | $75,000 | Expand youth sports and community programming |
The difference is important because the two major figures are for different initiatives: more than $700,000 and $600,000. The first is the foundation’s fundraiser; the second is Dansby Swanson’s additional support of the Vanderbilt baseball program.
Mallory Swanson and Dansby Swanson expand youth impact
The Purpose and Calling Foundation is a reflection of Dansby and Mallory Swanson’s professional worlds. Dansby plays shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, and Mallory is a forward for the Chicago Stars FC. Their foundation gives the couple a way to connect those sports platforms to community-based projects in Chicago.The work of the organization has gone beyond fundraising in the traditional sense. Wrigley Field has offered kids opportunities to go to games, meet players and experience batting practice. The foundation has also paid for transportation and meals, which helps remove some of the practical barriers that can keep families from attending professional sporting events.The foundation’s work in Chicago blends direct youth experiences with longer-term community projects. The latter is exemplified by the Evanston playground commitment, in which the proposed facility is designed to provide an accessible space for children of varying physical abilities to interact with one another.The New Life Centers partnership also connects sports with broader community support. Its Light the Nite program provides sports, meals and activities in safe spaces for children in Chicago neighborhoods during the summer. Swanson’s sponsorship of a youth baseball team also provides a direct connection to the sport that influenced his career.So, the financial numbers are telling two different stories. The Swanson Games raised over $700,000 for the Purpose and Calling Foundation, which supports its larger youth and community mission. Dansby Swanson made his latest gesture of giving back to Vanderbilt baseball with a pledge of $600,000, tying his professional success to the college program that helped shape him.The distinction clarifies the central confusion surrounding the couple’s 2026 charitable activity. The fundraiser was affiliated with the Purpose and Calling Foundation, which raised more than $700,000, and the Vanderbilt figure was a separate pledge by Dansby Swanson to his former college baseball program for $600,000.
