NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League, has awarded $1 million in grants to support 89 charitable player foundations, it was announced Monday.
As part of NFL Charities Week, five player foundations receiving NFL Charities grants will be recognized at events nationwide on five consecutive days beginning Monday and continuing through April 3. Players being celebrated this week are Torry Holt and Terrence Holt, both free agents; Matt Light, New England Patriots; Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins; Tony Richardson, New York Jets; and Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys. Each player will host a community event this week. A full list of the 89 player foundations receiving NFL Charities Grants this year is below.
"Our players know that the legacy they leave in the community is as important as any on-field achievements," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, president of the NFL Charities board of directors. "We are proud to support their foundations and applaud their efforts to make their communities healthy, happy, and safe."
The NFL has long supported players' philanthropic endeavors and NFL Charities has awarded more than $10 million to player foundations in recent years.
Formed in 1973, NFL Charities is a nonprofit organization that enables NFL teams and their players to contribute collectively to charitable causes on a national level. NFL Charities, which has approved more than $110 million in grants to more than 300 different organizations since its inception, donates more than $10 million in grants annually to support causes such as sports-related medical research, youth health programs and the charitable work of current and former NFL players
NFL Charities Board
Commissioner Roger Goodell; former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; Charlotte Jones Anderson, Dallas Cowboys executive vice president/director of charities; Michael Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals president; Jack Kemp, former MVP quarterback, congressman and vice presidential candidate; Mary Owen, Buffalo Bills vice president of strategic planning; Alan Page, Minnesota Supreme Court justice and Pro Football Hall of Fame member; Delores Barr Weaver, Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation CEO.
