Worcester Red Sox President Dr. Charles Steinberg is urging compassion and action as the city confronts a growing homelessness crisis near Polar Park.

Speaking on The Worcester Red Sox Show, Steinberg said the WooSox are working with Mayor Joe Petty and Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson to address concerns from fans and residents while ensuring Worcester remains a welcoming city for all.

By-Radio Worcester

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WORCESTER, MA– Worcester Red Sox President Dr. Charles Steinberg says the organization is working closely with city leaders to address the growing presence of homelessness near Polar Park and throughout downtown Worcester, calling it a “societal issue” that requires compassion and collaboration.

Speaking on The Worcester Red Sox Show with host Hank Stolz, Steinberg acknowledged concerns raised by fans and residents about conditions at Rockland Park, under the Green Street bridge, and at nearby public spaces. Stolz noted that visitors encounter unhoused individuals, signs of drug use, and encampments extending from Rockland Park to the Worcester Common, an issue reported recently by the Telegram & Gazette and discussed by Mayor Joe Petty.

Steinberg emphasized that the team has heard directly from families. “There was a mom who said, ‘I do not want my twelve-year-old daughter to watch someone with a needle shoot up while we’re walking to the ballgame. That’s not the family experience that you represent at Polar Park,’” Steinberg recounted. “And she’s exactly right.”

The WooSox president stressed that the ballpark cannot be separated from its surroundings. “We are not shielded from societal issues just because we have what we hope is our little blue Shangri-La once you get in. The path of the experience includes your travel to the ballpark,” he said, underscoring the importance of safety for fans parking in city garages and walking through the Canal District.

Steinberg praised Telegram & Gazette reporter Craig Semon for humanizing those living under the bridge, noting that many unhoused residents said they do not bother others. Still, he said, safety must remain the city’s top priority. “Safety is the number one issue. Safety is the number two issue. Safety is the top 10,” he said.

The WooSox have been in regular contact with Mayor Petty and District 2 City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. Steinberg said both officials have been “wonderfully responsive” and have arranged a meeting with multiple city agencies on September 15 to address the situation. “We stand ready to help any way we can,” he said. “This is our community, this is our neighborhood, this is our Canal District.”

While the WooSox Foundation supports social justice initiatives, Steinberg noted it is not a wealthy foundation and cannot simply “write a check” to solve the crisis. Instead, he said the organization can use its platform. “Normally, our best asset is our big mouth — coming on this show, televising our games on NESN. What are the issues we should amplify? We certainly want to be a participant head-on with a solution,” he said.

The issue, Steinberg stressed, requires empathy for both visitors and those struggling with addiction and homelessness. “For the mom bringing the twelve-year-old daughter, mom does not want to see a person shooting a needle in their arm. And that person’s mom, I’m sure, did not want their child to shoot a needle in their arm,” he said. “If you make a little bit of progress, that’s a lot.”

Steinberg said the WooSox take seriously their role in the civic fabric of Worcester. “When your ball club can embrace a seat at the table to try to help the city, then you’re really getting value of having a ball club,” he said. “It’s more than the theater. … As a role to play in the civic fabric of the city, yes, we want to help. This is our city, to paraphrase David Ortiz.”