As a huge fan of the NFL, I am always pleasantly surprised at the number of NFL Players who have Foundations dedicated to kids. The philanthropic work of our NFL players, serving their communities, is endless. They truly embody social responsibility and giving back at every opportunity. Let’s take a closer look at a few wonderful examples:
Having played for seven NFL franchises, Insightful Player Chris Draft, has had the opportunity to make an impact in communities all over the country. The Chris Draft Family Foundation helps to strengthen communities by empowering families to live healthy lifestyles. Draft’s dedication to serve has a nationwide focus. In 2007, he launched The Asthma Team in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, the Asthma Consortium, Breathe California, the American Lung Association and school districts spanning multiple states. The team works with children and families, as well as regional and national organizations in “tackling asthma” all across the country.
One of the many important Team Draft initiatives is to heroically change the face of lung cancer. Chris’ wife Keasha (a professional dancer) died of the disease in 2011, at only 38 years old. Keasha was not a smoker, and it’s enormously important to Chris that, as a society, we don’t think lung cancer is solely about smoking. “If people don’t know the numbers, how can we do something about it? How can we change that?” Team Draft drives to let us all to know the truth: That lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, and melanoma combined, and that it’s often diagnosed in stage IV, when the cancer has spread and is hardest to treat.
Alex Smith formed the Alex Smith Foundation to address the issues of foster children and teens. Why does our society spend billions of dollars on foster children, only to abandon these kids when they’re on the verge of becoming adults? At the Alex Smith Foundation, they don’t believe in sitting along the sidelines, watching foster children fail. The only question they ask is “How can we help you?”
The Amani Toomer Foundation was founded in 2001 by Amani Toomer and Dr. Yola Dabrowski. It is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing the awareness of and providing resources to after-school recreation programs in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization’s mission is to identify established after-school programs in underserved communities and to provide assistance to further the purposes of those programs.
The Mission of Charles Tillman’s Cornerstone Foundation is to provide Greater Chicago-area children and youth with educational opportunities and resources needed to excel in the classroom and life. The Foundation’s interactive programs and events are designed to help build a strong foundation through education.
Hundreds of foundations, assisting our children, are backed with Insightful NFL Players. Find which foundation your favorite NFL player supports locally, and take the time to know its purpose and who is involved. Send me a note on how you are going to support them, and possibly be featured in a future blog. We will be writing more about NFL Player Foundations assisting youth in their communities and would love to hear some of the ways you’ve proposed to assist them. Here’s to an EVER growing team to support our generous Insightful Players as they support our kids and our communities.
Until next time, Chrissy Carew
Founder and Head Coach, Insightful Player, LLC To Follow me on Twitter, go to http://Twitter.com/InsightfulPlayr