Saints News | New Orleans Saints | NewOrleansSaints.com

NFL Charities Awards $1 Million to Players Foundations

Brees' foundation receives grant

NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League, has awarded $1 million in grants to support 87 charitable foundations of current and former players.

Players receiving grants this year include New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Kansas City Chiefs guard Brian Waters and former players Derrick Brooks, Kurt Warner and Steve Young.  The grants, which are distributed in amounts up to $50,000, are part of NFL Charities' annual player foundation grant initiative.

"We are proud to support current and former player foundations and applaud all players' efforts to make their communities healthy, happy, and safe," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, president of the NFL Charities board of directors.

The NFL has long supported players' philanthropic endeavors, and NFL Charities has awarded more than $17 million to player foundations over the course of two decades.  Current and retired players that have received NFL Charities grants in previous years include Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith, free agent Jason Taylor and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and former players Troy Aikman and Dan Marino.
NFL Charities is a non-profit organization created by the 32 member clubs of the National Football League to enable the teams to collectively make grants to charitable and worthwhile causes on a national scale. Since its inception, NFL Charities has granted more than $140 million to more than 1,400 different organizations. NFL Charities' primary funding categories include: sports-related medical research and education grants; player foundation grants in support of the philanthropic work of current and former NFL players; impact grants to support national youth health and fitness education initiatives as part of a league-wide commitment to fight childhood obesity; financial assistance for former NFL players in need via direct support to the NFL Player Care Foundation; and team program grants that supplement the charitable and community activities of the 32 NFL clubs.

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; 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.
NFL Giving

NFL Giving encompasses the many ways that the National Football League, including its clubs, owners and players, strengthen communities nationwide. While representing the NFL's heritage of community commitment and charitable engagement, NFL Giving encourages long-term health and wellness in communities; fosters community citizenship and philanthropy; advances sports-related medical research and education; and supports the health and well-being of our former NFL players.

In addition to league-wide community support programs as well as charitable dollars allocated by the 32 NFL teams and owners to community initiatives nationwide, several non-profit foundations support the NFL Giving initiative, including NFL Charities, the NFL Youth Football Fund, NFL Disaster Relief Fund and Player Care Foundation.

NFL Charities Player Foundation Grant Recipients

Player NameOrganization
Lorenzo AlexanderLorenzo Alexander ACES Foundation
Jason AllenJ. Allen All Stars Foundation
Will AllenWill Allen Foundation
Nnamdi AsomughaThe Asomugha Foundation
Harris BartonHRJ Charities (dba Champion Charities)
Eric BerryThe Eric Berry Foundation
Reggie BerryGoals for Life Foundation
Matt BirkMatt Birk's HIKE Foundation
Leigh BoddenThe Leigh Bodden Foundation
Gary BrackettGary Brackett's IMPACT Foundation
Drew BreesThe Brees Dream Foundation
Derrick BrooksDerrick Brooks Charities, Inc.
Joey BrownerJoey Browner Foundation
Isaac BruceIsaac Bruce Foundation
Marc BulgerMarc Bulger Foundation
Chris ChambersC.A.T.C.H. 84 Foundation
Desmond Clark88 Ways Youth Foundation, Inc
Cris CollinsworthUGIVE.org
Devard DarlingAs One Foundation
Gary DavisOperation Concentrate on You, Inc.
Rashied DavisRashied Davis Charities
Chris DraftChris Draft Family Foundation
Jamie DukesPut Up Your Dukes Foundation
Warrick DunnWarrick Dunn Family Foundation
Riki EllisonYouth Impact Foundation
London FletcherLondon's Bridge
Drayton FlorenceDrayton Florence Foundation
Tom FloresTom Flores Youth Foundation
Doug FlutieDoug Flutie, Jr. Foundation For Autism, Inc.
David GarrardDavid Garrard Foundation
Tarik GlennD.R.E.A.M. Alive
Tony GonzalezShadow Buddy Foundation
Trent GreenTrent Green Family Foundation
Brian GrieseJudi's House
Bruce HarperBrunan Inc
Shack Harris & Doug WilliamsShack Harris & Doug Williams Foundation
Eric HendersonEJ Henderson Youth Foundation
Torry HoltTorry Holt Foundation
Israel IdonijeIsrael Idonije Foundation
Charles JacksonThe Making of a Champion Youth Program
Keith JacksonPark Foundation Inc
Scott JacksonTackling Autism Foundation
Rudi JohnsonThe Rudi Johnson Foundation
Jim KellyHunter's Hope Foundation
Jeff KempStronger Families (Families Northwest)
Tyrone KeysAll Sports Community Service, Inc.
Kenard LangKenard Lang Foundation
Matt LightThe Light Foundation
John LynchThe John Lynch Foundation
Marty LyonsThe Marty Lyons Foundation, Inc.
Peyton ManningPeyBack Foundation
Reggie McKenzieReggie McKenzie Foundation
Brandon McKinneyBJ Kids 91 Foundation
Nat MooreNat Moore Foundation
Anthony MuñozACE Foundation (Anthony Muñoz Foundation)
Ryan NeceThe Ryan Nece Foundation
Terence NewmanTerence Newman's Rising Stars Foundation
Roman ObenThe Roman Oben Foundation
Alan PagePage Education Foundation
Lonnie PaxtonActive Force Foundation
Chad Pennington1st and 10 Foundation
Mike PetersonThe Mike Peterson Foundation
Ricky ProehlP.O.W.E.R. of Play Charitable Fund
Dominic RhodesRhodes To Success Foundation
Tony RichardsonRich in Spirit Foundation
Philip RiversRivers of Hope Foundation
Isiah RobertsonHouse of Isaiah/Athletes for a Drug-Free America
Ben RoethlisbergerThe Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at the Giving Back Fund
Twan RussellRussell Life Skills & Reading Foundation
Junior SeauJunior Seau Foundation
Tony SempleTony Semple Foundation for Hope
Will ShieldsWill to Succeed Foundation
Darrin SmithProject 59 Foundation for Youth
Steve StenstromPro Athletes Outreach
Matt StoverMatt Stover Foundation
Harry Sydney IIIMy Brother's Keeper, Inc.
Charles TillmanCharles Tillman Foundation
LaDainian TomlinsonTomlinson's Touching Lives Foundation
JoJo TownsellMEFIYI Foundation
Greg TruittThe Upside Down Foundation
Justin TuckAll Stars Helping Kids
Mike UtleyMike Utley Foundation
Troy VincentLove Thy Neighbor CDC
Kurt WarnerKurt Warner First Things First Foundation
Brian WatersBrian Waters Foundation
Madieu WilliamsMadieu Williams Foundation
Steve YoungForever Young Foundation

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content

Advertising