Justin Turner gives back at 8th annual golf tournament

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Once a Dodger, always a Dodger.

He may don a Seattle Mariners uniform, but that isn’t stopping Long Beach native and former Dodgers fan-favorite Justin Turner, from giving back to the Southern California community.

On Monday, the Justin Tuner Foundation hosted its 8th annual Justin Turner Golf Classic in Thousand Oaks, with proceeds going to charitable organizations across the greater Los Angeles area.

"We were approached by the Dream Center. They wanted to open their homeless veterans program and they said ‘We have this idea to do a golf tournament,’ and we threw it together in three weeks," Justin Turner’s wife, Kourtney, explained. "And after that event I think we all sat down and realized we had something good, and we wanted to do more and use that platform we have."

Justin Turner added it means a lot to him to be in a position to pay it forward. 

"I think that’s what it’s all about. I get to live out my dream of playing Major League Baseball, and I am so blessed to have been able to do it for a while now, and I think it’s important for guys to understand and realize the platform they have and the ability to really lift people up," Justin Turner said. 

He continued to say, "We want to do everything we can to lift up the city and give back to people in need."

"It just makes you want to do it bigger and better every single year," Kourtney Turner added. 

Kourtney and Justin Turner founded the Justin Turner Foundation in 2016. The foundation’s website said their mission "is to support homeless veterans, children (and their families) battling life-altering illnesses and diseases and various youth baseball organizations." 

In 2022, Justin Turner won the Roberto Clemente Award. 

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