Before the Burger Family Foundation ever had a name, it had a calling. For Ashlyn Burger, that calling was rooted in a long-standing desire to live with intention and purpose—especially alongside her husband, MLB first-baseman, Jake Burger, whose platform came with both opportunity and responsibility. “We have always been searching for our purpose and how we can be impactful,” Ashlyn shares. That search became crystal clear just nine weeks into her pregnancy, when she and Jake received Penelope’s Down syndrome diagnosis.
Not long after, another realization followed: Jake was the only active MLB player with a child who had Down syndrome. Rather than feeling overwhelmed or uncertain, the Burgers felt directed. “We instantly knew that this was going to be our mission,” Ashlyn says. “We were going to hit the ground running.” What could have been a moment marked by fear instead became one filled with resolve, faith, and a deep sense that God was already at work, preparing them for something bigger than they had imagined.
The idea of home took on new meaning as their family grew. With Jake’s baseball career requiring them to live across two states and log roughly forty-two flights each year, home became less about a fixed place and more about presence. “Home to me is being with Jake, Brooks, and Penelope in one place,” Ashlyn explains. “Anywhere we are together, I call that home.” In the midst of packed bags, busy schedules, and constant movement, togetherness became the constant—and the foundation of everything else they hold dear.
Alongside that sense of home came an unexpected gift: community. “Down syndrome brings a community of people with it,” Ashlyn says, “and a real one.” It’s a community built on showing up, celebrating milestones big and small, and walking through both joy and challenge together. Through Penelope, Ashlyn witnessed a strength in individuals and families she hadn’t known before. “It was something we never expected,” she reflects, “and something we are so grateful for every single day.”
Each year on March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day brings that gratitude into sharper focus. In the Burger household, the day is both celebratory and purposeful. “It’s not just a day to celebrate,” Ashlyn says, “but such an impactful day to teach others about the beauty of Down syndrome and how capable our people truly are.” Education is central to the Burger Family Foundation’s mission, because understanding leads to acceptance—and acceptance creates opportunity. By using their platform to teach and advocate, the Burgers hope to break down stigma and replace it with truth, dignity, and respect.
Of course, mission-driven work is rarely without strain. Ashlyn admits that her desire to help every family and say yes to every opportunity often stretches her thin. “I want to do what I believe God put me on this earth to do,” she says, “but I’m also a mother and a wife.” Learning to balance those roles has been one of her greatest challenges. On the hardest days, it’s her village—family, friends, and community—that keeps her moving forward, reminding her she was never meant to do this alone.
While Penelope is the heart of the foundation, some of Ashlyn’s most powerful moments come through quiet messages and conversations. Parents reaching out after a diagnosis. Words like I found your Instagram and it gave me hope or It’s going to be okay. “Those moments mean everything to me,” she says. They affirm that hope, when shared, multiplies—and that simply being visible can change someone’s story.
At its core, Ashlyn believes advocacy begins at home. Teaching children that differences exist, but kindness and inclusion matter most, is a simple yet powerful starting point. Looking ahead, her hope for Penelope is unwavering: that she always knows she belongs, that there is a place for her in this world, and that she deserves to be exactly where she is. Through faith, family, and the Burger Family Foundation, Ashlyn is helping ensure that truth becomes not just a possibility—but a promise—for every individual with Down syndrome, now and for generations to come.
“We instantly knew that this was going to be our mission,” Ashlyn says. “We were going to hit the ground running.”
“It’s not just a day to celebrate, but such an impactful day to teach others about the beauty of Down syndrome and how capable our people truly are.”