Sports make someone’s day – what’s the biggest league in the US doing to help others?
I’ve written before about the remarkable way many individual athletes help people in their community through their foundations. But what about the largest league in the US? Two weeks before the Super Bowl, the NFL announced it is expanding its partnership with the Players Coalition for an additional five years and a new $15 million grant. This long-term commitment was recently reaffirmed by owners at the December League Meeting. The grant will extend the work in building awareness and influencing legislation and policy around racial and social justice issues to drive systemic change in the following four areas: education, economic advancement, public and community relations, and criminal justice reform. More specifically, here are the initiatives for each area.
Education: Fostering Mentorship for Better Outcomes in Education and Beyond
Economic Advancement: Advancing Access to Financial Literacy and Career Pipelines
Police and Community Relations: Creating Changes in Policing through Law Enforcement-Community Collaboration and alternative crisis responders
Criminal Justice Reform: Providing Transition Support for the Formerly Incarcerated and Advocating for Key Reforms to the Criminal Legal System.
Specific organizations to work in these areas are chosen on a local level so that teams can identify which issues need the most focus for them to inspire change.
Many times we look around us and say where do we start? How do we start? It starts with a commitment and financial support to work on the key areas that will bring about needed change. Kudos to the NFL and to all sports leagues that work to improve the lives of others around us and make their day.