NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION EXPANDS CHARITABLE PROGRAM TO SIX PARTNERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) announced the six non-profit organizations that will serve as its official charitable partners for 2021: Community Health and Men’s Promotion Summit (CHAMPS), Fisher House Foundation, Play Like a Girl (PLAG), Same Here, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Conscious Kid.

As a part of its continued commitment to the fight for equality and as reflection of a membership and staff that serves as one of the most diverse in sports, the NFLPA has expanded its Charitable Partnership program pillars – children, mental health, men’s health, military and women’s health – to include a sixth: social justice.

Each partner will receive a $25,000 grant from the NFLPA to help fund programs that further the mission of their organization and align with the union’s core values.

“The NFLPA is honored to stand beside each of these organizations as they provide essential services to support their communities,” NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith said. “These non-profits have proven to be committed to the same core values that our union and its player members advocate for, and we are excited to serve as partners in supporting their important work.

In December, the NFLPA opened its application process to any charitable organization that focused on one of the aforementioned pillars and had been in existence for at least five years. Following a lengthy review of each applicant’s proposal, which outlined how the grant would help them and their beneficiaries, the following organizations were selected:

• CHAMPS is on a mission to improve men’s health through education, screenings and referrals. Through advocacy and its partnership with Clark University, the organization hopes to take early action to identify and reduce health risks in medically underserved communities. With the importance of early detection, its belief is that all men are entitled to improving their quality and longevity of life.
• Fisher House Foundation provides “a home away from home" for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. Since 1990, Fisher House has served 413,000 military families and veterans across 91 houses in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany, while providing more than nine million nights of free lodging so families can be close to their loved ones during a medical crisis.
• Play Like a Girl inspires girls through sport and active play to give them a competitive edge in the classroom while inspiring the next generation of women in STEM. Serving more than 1,250 girls and women annually, PLAG provides girls with the space to be themselves so they can break barriers.
• Same Here has a global vision to normalize society’s perception of mental health and make it part of our everyday conversation by rallying around a universal gesture, communicating “I get you, same here.”
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a leading children’s hospital that treats the toughest childhood cancers while also conducting research to advance cures and treatment. Due in part to the generosity of donors, no child is denied treatment and the families never receive a bill.
• The Conscious Kid is an education, research and policy organization dedicated to equity and promoting healthy racial identity development in youth. It supports organizations, families and educators in taking action to disrupt racism in kids.

For the duration of the partnership through December 31 and contingent upon the evolving federal safety protocols due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, each non-profit will have the opportunity to work with active and former players through the NFLPA’s Externship program and volunteer days, request NFL game ticket(s) during the regular season and attend special events throughout the year.

The NFLPA Charitable Partner program recognizes organizations that are making a positive impact in their local communities and are beneficial to our player membership. Through this initiative, the NFLPA has had the privilege of working with select organizations to further their cause and increase the number of lives impacted around the world.

For more information about the NFLPA’s Community Partnership program, please visit our website.

###

About the NFL Players Association:

The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2020 NFL season. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.