NFL Teams
NFL Charities supports the community initiatives of the 32 NFL teams by providing “Team Program” Grants each year. These funds support the league’s national initiatives with local implementations in team markets. These programs are outlined below.
Hometown Huddle
The NFL/United Way “Hometown Huddle” is a league-wide day of service that provides NFL players, owners, coaches, wives, and staff from each team with the opportunity to participate in a variety of community-service activities. For the past five seasons, the league and its 32 teams have used the Hometown Huddle day of service to showcase their collective support for NFL PLAY 60 through playground and indoor fitness zone builds and hosting health and wellness activities for youth in local communities. Started in 1999 by the NFL and United Way, Hometown Huddle continues to help make a difference in NFL communities.
In 1973, the NFL and United Way of America forged a partnership that has become the sports industry’s most visible and longest-running public service program, using players and other NFL personalities to promote community service through public service television ads. Teams and their players support the local United Way chapters in their communities year-round through personal appearances, joint programs including Hometown Huddle and participation in United Way’s LIVE UNITED campaign.
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NFL Play 60
A rise in the obesity rates among today’s youth as well as the decline of physical education programs in schools across the country have prompted the NFL to take a leadership role in the movement to get youngsters physically fit. NFL PLAY 60 was officially launched in October of 2007 to help increase the health of young fans by encouraging them to be active for at least 60 minutes a day.
NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL’s long-standing commitment to health and fitness with an impressive roster of national partners, all working to make the next generation active and healthy. In addition to its national reach through PSAs and online programs, NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented at the grassroots level through the NFL’s in-school and team-based programs including the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge.
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National Partnership Fund
Through its National Partnership Fund grant, NFL Charities encourages broadened partnerships between NFL teams and local non-profit organizations. Specifically, this fund is meant to strengthen relationships with organizations that support either Breast Cancer Awareness or Military Appreciation, two important focus areas of the NFL. Through this initiative, NFL Charities provides NFL teams with the resources to expand upon breast cancer and military grassroots programming outside of the game-day/stadium experience. By connecting clubs with organizations focused on these two important initiatives, NFL Charities helps foster lasting relationships that allow for meaningful programming and events.
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Youth Fitness Zone
The Youth Fitness Zone initiative takes many shapes and sizes: playgrounds, gymnasium refurbishments, activity trails, and interactive fitness technology installations are among the more than 75 projects that have taken place since the program began three years ago. In many cases, NFL Charities and NFL teams will continue to develop Youth Fitness Zones as part of the Hometown Huddle day of service initiative, combining efforts to create one lasting legacy in the local community in the spirit of NFL PLAY 60.
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Volunteerism
The Volunteerism Grant category represents a versatile opportunity for clubs to create awareness of their team’s involvement in the local community and the role that community volunteers play in enhancing the local area. Teams can choose to recognize deserving individuals or organizations who show tremendous commitment to giving back to a specific cause or community.
Historical programs such as Community Quarterback, Junior Community Quarterback and Student All Star can be executed at the club level as part of a volunteerism grant OR teams can elect to create new or different volunteer recognition programs.
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Walter Payton Man of the Year
Each year the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award is given by the NFL and is administered by NFL Charities. It is unique among NFL honors because it is the only award that recognizes a current NFL player for outstanding community service activities as well as excellence on the field. Established in 1970, the award was renamed in 1999 after the late Chicago Bears’ running back Walter Payton, who represented the very best of the NFL as an athlete on the field and as a role-model off the field. There is no greater distinction an NFL player can achieve than being named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
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NFL Teacher of the Year
Beginning in 1990, the NFL Teacher of the Year Award provided an opportunity for current NFL players to honor teachers who had the greatest impact on their educational and life-skills development.
In 2010, the new version of the program invites school administrators to nominate former NFL players who entered the field of education after retiring from football. A panel of educators and civic leaders select the winner from a pool of former NFL player nominations. The voting panel consists of Commissioner Roger Goodell; Georgetown University Board of Trustees Chairman and former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; Congressman Gary Ackerman; Congressman Michael Honda; Antonia Cortese, American Federation of Teachers; and Aaron Craver and Randall McDaniel, former NFL players and current teachers.
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