Tag: donations

Seahawks players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund awards 2022 grants

The Seattle Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund has awarded $250,000 in 2022 grants to local worthy nonprofits.

The Seattle Seahawks have never been a team to shy away from social justice issues. In fact, over four years ago, members of the club created the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund.

The Players Action Fund has since received donations from fans, Paul G. Allen Philanthropies, the Carroll Family Fund, John and Traci Schneider, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s Nadella Family Trust, and from Starbucks and the Starbucks Foundation.

In exchange, the Players Action Fund has awarded over $1.337 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations, schools, and via scholarships.

The Players Action Fund has now announced its latest round of grants to be awarded in 2022 totaling $250,000. The worthy recipients, with links to their websites, are below.

For more information on how you can donate or help contribute to the Players Action Fund, click here.

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Jaylen Waddle shows up to tragic scene in Surfside, Florida to offer support

Jaylen Waddle may be new to the Miami area, but that hasn’t stopped him from trying to help during this difficult time.

Former Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has been a member of the Miami Dolphins for roughly two months now, but he is already helping out within the community alongside his new teammates.

Early Thursday morning, tragedy struck Surfside, Florida, a community near Miami Beach, when a residential 12-story building collapsed. The horrific event has led to many being injured, various deaths and over 150 people missing.

First responders have been on the scene non-stop since it occurred. Monetary donations, food and water have been plentiful in the area.

Today, Waddle showed up to the scene with Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker to help deliver water and drinks to the family reunification center, where impacted individuals and families have sought refuge been brought back together with loved ones.

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Jaguars to make contribution in honor of civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson

In honor of both Juneteenth and the birthday of civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson, the Jaguars announced a donation to create a park.

In honor of the birthday of civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), The Jaguars Foundation and the Khan Family announced that they will donate $250,000 in support of the creation of the Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park.

The name of the park is a reference to the song of the same name, widely known as the Black National Anthem. Johnson, along with his brother John Rosamond Johnson, wrote the song while living in the LaVilla neighborhood of Jacksonville between 1900-05.

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” was first performed in 1905 by students at the Stanton School, where Mr. Johnson was principal, as part of a tribute to Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.

“I think it is only fitting that on his birthday, we honor our native son, James Weldon Johnson, with a permanent reminder of his many contributions to Black culture and American culture at large,” T-Neisha Tate, Jaguars vice president of social responsibility and impact, said. “We’re grateful to have the platform and opportunity to bring awareness to how much rich history exists mere miles from our stadium home and can’t wait to see how the City of Jacksonville continues to embrace its history.”

This contribution is part of a celebration of both Johnson’s birthday and Juneteenth, the day slaves in Texas were emancipated toward the twilight of the Civil War. The holiday represents the anniversary of the day all slaves within the former confederacy were informed of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Juneteenth is celebrated in recognition of Black liberation, activism and culture.

Jaguars receiver Marvin Jones Jr. delivered a performance of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” at the Ritz Theater in LaVilla, a historic black landmark described as “the mecca for African American culture and heritage.”

“It’s always amazing when you can go and see your culture and see where things started and see where things have developed,” Jones said. “I know growing up in the church, we sang this song as well. It just brings back memories. It’s very heartfelt and very powerful. I’m just glad I had the opportunity to sing it.”

June 19 became a company holiday for the team last year, and this year, the city of Jacksonville has a number of events planned with the aim of giving both players and staff a greater understanding of the significance of Juneteenth and the role that Black culture has played in the history of the city.

With minicamp in the books, the team has a good bit of time off from the grind of practice and instead will have the opportunity to recognize the history associated with this week.

Deonte Harris going the extra mile to support the needy

New Orleans Saints punt returner Deonte Harris was an All-Pro last season, but saved his best work for supporting local community food banks

Deonte Harris can be counted in the group of New Orleans Saints players doing their part to help their communities. The second-year returns specialist out of Assumption College had an electrifying rookie season, leading the NFL in punt return yards and earning a spot on the Pro Bowl roster, as well as recognition on the All-Pro first team list from the Associated Press. Not bad for someone who went from playing in front of crowds maybe 2,800-strong to the Mercedes-Bez Superdome, which regularly seats more than 73,000 roaring spectators.

But Harris’s most important contributions came in the offseason, when he donated over 10,000 meals for local food banks in New Orleans and Baltimore, his hometown. The coronavirus pandemic has caused a surge in unemployment as tourism industries and small businesses struggle to turn a profit, leading to a ripple effect in heightened stress on public school lunch programs and food banks.

What’s impressive about Harris’s actions is that this wasn’t a small gesture for him. He’s nowhere close to ranking among the NFL’s highest-paid players; in fact, his $678,333 salary cap hit for 2020 barely qualifies for offseason salary cap accounting purposes. While Harris is bringing in extra income through endorsement deals with Under Armour and the men’s grooming company Manscaped (which he’s stumping for like a champ), it’s not as simple an equation for him to give freely like this as it may be for some of his peers.

And that speaks to the kind of character the Saints have worked hard to stock their locker room with. Community-minded people like Harris are great fits alongside advocates for social justice like Demario Davis and Malcolm Jenkins, and Cameron Jordan, Thomas Morstead, and Drew Brees. It’s easy to see how they can all give each other examples of how to use their resources and platforms to make the world a better place.

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Drew Brees pledges $5 million for coronavirus relief efforts in Louisiana

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his wife Brittany committed $5 million to fight the coronavirus pandemic in Louisiana.

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The novel coronavirus pandemic has spread rapidly throughout America, closing businesses and putting many people out of work. It’s been especially prevalent in Louisiana, which has recorded one of the highest rates of infection in the world, leading New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his wife Brittany to make a huge move towards helping their community.

Brees announced Thursday that he and his family will commit $5 million towards Louisiana food banks and hospitals, working to  help those affected by the coronavirus. Their plan includes several restaurant chains and meal delivery services Brees has partnered with in the past, with a goal of 10,000 meals shared per day with those in need.

This move follows a $1 million donation by Saints team owner Gayle Benson, which was aimed at helping New Orleans residents who work in the tourism industry that were impacted by job loss. At a time when communities must work more closely together than ever in the face of a public health crisis, it’s great to see this sort of leadership from the faces of the Saints franchise.

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