Larry Fitzgerald

One of my favorite players in the NFL is Larry Fitzgerald. His skills as a wide receiver are unmatched by many and the only factor that has ever stopped him from putting up great numbers is the quality of his quarterback. I wasn't aware of the many different things he does to help the community, and learning about his organization has given me even more respect for him.

The Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund is an organization that helps numerous people in the U.S. and outside of the country. "The Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund was established by Larry Fitzgerald Jr. to help kids and their families by funding positive activities for kids during the summer and throughout the year, supporting kids and families in crisis, and supporting health-related organizations that work with families." This organization has taken those basic goals and expanded on them greatly. Fitzgerald has been to multiple countries to help with many causes, two examples
include helping children fit for hearing aids and an economic development/irrigation project.

There are countless organizations that Fitzgerald supports with donations, and the names are all listed on his website. He showed his openness to support a variety of causes when he let fans nominate a charity for him to donate to every single week of the 2011 season. Also, during the NFL season Fitzgerald is a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society's "Crucial Catch" campaign during the month of October. Even during his season he does not stop helping others.

Fitzgerald is always using his power as an athlete to give back, and he holds many charitable events. He has his own football camps for kids, celebrity softball games, and golf outings along with many other fundraisers that help to contribute to important charities. I have personally never heard anything bad about Larry Fitzgerald. He seems like a genuinely good person off the field, and I see nothing but respect for him.

Chicago Blackhawks

It's that time of year again when all of Chicago watches hockey for a few months. The Blackhawks start their first round series against the St. Louis Blues tonight on their quest for back-to-back Stanley Cups. All sports fans know how great the Hawks are are hockey, but what is overlooked is the amount of time and money this team and organization puts into helping their community.

The mission statement of the Chicago Blackhawks Charities is as follows: "Chicago Blackhawks Charities pledges to support programs and institutions throughout Illinois that work towards creating a better tomorrow. Chicago Blackhawks Charities focuses on health and wellness, education and housing, striving to serve local citizens and impact the lives of youth and their families in and around the city of Chicago." The Hawks help a variety of different groups around the area of Chicago, some of them including athletic and educational groups like the American Hockey Association, Inner City Education, Embarc, and Ingenuity to name a few. They also donate to organizations like the Ronald McDonald House, USO, and the American Indian Center.


The Blackhawks do more than just donate money to organizations, they also give memorable experiences to fans and deserving children through different programs. Some players have participated in the Make-A-Wish organization to show a sick or disabled child what it feels like to be on the team. The players on the team seem to really enjoy interacting with the kids and showing them a good time. In one of the Blackhawks Charity videos, Jonathon Toews says that him and many of the other guys know that it is important to use their power as athletes to give back and improve the community.Toews is a true role model and I believe that many of the other players follow his lead in contributing to the community.

Toews has his own charity along with assistant captain Duncan Keith. Other individual players donate and raise money for various causes.

Lets go Hawks!

Albert Pujols

In honor of baseball season starting, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about a future Hall of Famer who makes an impact on and off the field. Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels has countless awards for his abilities on the baseball field, but he has also received awards for his community work and character. He received the Roberto Clemente Award for his sportsmanship and contributions to the community. He has was also chosen by players for the Man of the Year Award, another one that focuses on someone who goes above and beyond for his community.

Pujols has his own organization called the Pujols Family Foundation which focuses on helping people with down syndrome. This is something that is personal to Pujols because his daughter has down syndrome. His non-profit organization helps people in the U.S. and also in Pujols' home country, the Dominican Republic. The mission of the organization is "to promote awareness, provide hope and meet tangible needs for children and families who live with Down syndrome. To improve the standard of living and quality of life for impoverished children in the Dominican Republic through education, medical relief and tangible goods. To provide extraordinary experiences for children with disabilities and/or life threatening illnesses."

The video above is a story about one of the events that the Pujols Family Foundation hosted called Albert's All-Stars. There is nothing but praise for Pujols from the families involved along with his teammates about the way he goes about helping the community. He is involved in his events and personally makes a difference with his charity work. Pujols has even teamed up with a cross-town rival from the Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw, to raise money for both of their charities. Pujols found something that he truly cares about and has improved the lives of countless people using his power as an athlete.

Make-A-Wish

I normally write about a specific athlete, but the Make-A-Wish Foundation stands out to me for their considerable efforts to give life-changing experiences to children who deserve it most. Their website claims that they grant a wish every 37 minutes. The wishes of children and teens with life-threatening illnesses are granted by a variety of people like Disney Characters, celebrities, superheroes, and many athletes. These wishes being fulfilled can be an inspiration for these kids to keep fighting.

The athletes that are chosen to grant wishes are picked directly by the kids, and these athletes are looked up to as heroes. When these kids watch their favorite team or athlete play, they may momentarily forget about any pain that they are in. Being able to meet someone that they admire and watch every day is what brings an unmeasurable amount of joy to these children. The Make-A-Wish Foundation makes it easier for kids to meet and have a memorable experience with their favorite athlete. If a child decides to write a letter to LeBron James asking to meet him, chances are it won't happen even if the child is deserving. Athletes respect Make-A-Wish, so if there is a request from them to grant the wish of a child, many athletes will do it. LeBron has granted many wishes, and above is the granted wish of a teen who survived cancer.

ESPN often shows the Make-A-Wish stories and that is where I first started watching them. There is not a single story that I have watched that I did not enjoy. The wishes are granted to meet the specific desires of the children involved, and they often get to meet many more athletes in the process to make their experience that much better. So many big-name professionals have been a part of Make-A-Wish, sometimes more than once. Notable people involved include Michael Jordan, Kurt Warner, Tony Hawk, Ken Griffey Jr., and Larry Fitzgerald. It is easy to see the impact that these athletes can have by spending a day of their life to treat a deserving child to a day they will never forget.

Patrice Bergeron

While researching to find the most charitable athletes around the world today, I didn't find much information about hockey players. I am guessing that hockey players don't show up on many lists of "most charitable athletes" because they do not get paid as well as other professional sports. Many of the articles and stories that I research are based on how much money someone gives to certain causes. The average salary of NHL players is almost half of the average in the NBA and MLB. It is hard to compare the salary of NFL players to these other sports because the roster size is significantly different. The point that I am trying to make is that there are many NHL players that positively impact their community, even if they don't get the same recognition for it.

Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins is a prime example of an athlete that cares about his community and gives back. He has his own program called Patrice's Pals that gives life-changing experiences to many children. He invites kids from various hospitals or children organizations to see a Bruins home game in VIP fashion. The children get their own luxury suite, Bruins memorabilia, personalized video recognition on the scoreboard, and the experience of meeting and getting to know Bergeron. This type of activity is something that more athletes should take part in because it gives a special experience to children who deserve it most.

Bergeron has won two awards given by the NHL for community and charity work. In the 2012 season he got the King Clancy Memorial Trophy which is given to a player that is a leader on and off the ice by making significant contributions to their community. The next season, Bergeron won another award called the NHL Foundation Player Award which is given for similar reasons as the King Clancy trophy. It is hard to win a single community award in a league with so many people, yet Bergeron got one two years straight.

The following is a quote from Bergeron on the Bruin's website shows his attitude towards his program, "I've established great relationships with some of the kids throughout the years and to see the difference it makes to some of the kids and their smiles on their faces after the game, it's definitely worth it every time I see that." He has the right attitude towards helping his community and is recognized  by the NHL as being one of the most generous players in the league. He uses his power as an athlete and role model to positively impact the lives of many kids and their families.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams is one of the most well-known female athletes in the world. She is currently ranked number one in the world in women's tennis, and is referred to by experts as the best female tennis player ever. On top of her many Grand Slam titles and numerous Olympic Gold Medals, Williams receives praise for her charity work off the court.

Williams supports over 10 charities regularly for about 20 different causes. The Serena Williams Foundation has given support to these causes for many years now. The five organizations that are highlighted on William's website are as follows: UNICEF, Beyond the Burrows National Scholarship Fund, The Caliber Foundation, Build Africa Schools, and The Equal Justice Initiative. These organizations focus on cause like healthcare, poverty, education, disadvantaged youths, human rights, and family support. She has been a Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF as of 2011. She plays a major role in helping to give children around the world the education they need to have a chance to succeed in life.

Serena Williams has been given multiple rewards for her charity and community work. She was given the Celebrity Role Model Award from the Avon Foundation for her work fighting against breast cancer. She has also received the Young Heroes Reward for her support of Big Brothers Big Sisters. She showed how genuinely she cares about helping people when she decided to stop training for the Australia Open in 2010 to form a charity event for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

The fact that Williams supports 20 different causes makes her one of the most admirable athletes in the world. She says on her own website that she is honored to use her power globally to assist others monetarily or by lending a voice. She knows how to step aside from being the best tennis player in the world to change a life of someone in need. I am interested to see the impact she will make when she is done playing tennis and has more time to focus on different charities.

Chris Paul

Chris Paul is an NBA player for the Los Angeles Clippers, and is also well known for his commercials with State Farm. He is one of the top point guards in the league, and just like Damian Lillard, he is great at assisting more than just his teammates. Paul has his own charity called the Chris Paul Family Foundation, which partners with different organizations such as Make-A-Wish, Salvation Army B&G Clubs, LA’s Best Afterschool programs, Leapz & Bounds, and many others. Paul's organization helps out communities nationally and globally. Below is an example of Chris Paul's work with Make-A-Wish.

In 2014, Chris Paul was named an ambassador for Laureus Sport For Good, which is a leading non-profit organization which uses the power of athletes to assist with social and community problems. The Laureus organization helps to give support to communities to promote education, physical activity, and access to quality coaches. Paul knows the importance of growing up with support of his family and school, which allowed him to be as successful as he is now. He wants to make sure that as many children as possible have the access to opportunities like after-school programs in order to shape their growth.


Chris Paul is also a contributor to other charities such as After-School All-Stars and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The focus of these two charities, like some of the others that Paul supports, is to help out with youth in communities. He also donates to charities involved with disaster relief, such as Make It Right and Aid Still Required. Paul was a member of the New Orleans Hornets when Hurricane Katrina hit, so he saw first-hand how devastating it was. He cares not only about the places he lives, but many other communities that are in need of support.

Paul is the type of person who feels the need to make an impact. There are many athletes who do nothing with their money or power to make the world a better place. He finds causes that he is passionate about and does what he can to improve the situations of others. According to a Whittier Daily News report, Paul believes that getting to the NBA was a blessing because it granted him the opportunity to give back to others, and he has done just that.

Cristiano Ronaldo

There are some people who choose to deny that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best soccer players in the world. There are also claims that he is cocky and arrogant, but after taking a closer look at Ronaldo, there is no denying that he is a very generous person. According to multiple sources including an article by Bleacher Report, a respected sports news site, he is the most charitable athlete in the world. He raises money for numerous causes including abuse, adoption, fostering, orphans, AIDS & HIV, cancer, children, disaster relief, education, health, human rights, poverty, and slavery and human trafficking. The fact that he donates and cares about so many different causes speaks for the kind of person that he is.

There are many stories that show Ronaldo's kindness, but one that sticks out is from 2014 when he paid for the brain surgery of a 10 month old child. He didn't hesitate to pay the $83,000 for the surgery. He not only paid for the operation, but he also donated clothing and shoes to help raise money for the family. Ronaldo has also donated a large sum of money to many cancer causes, including a $165,000 donation to fund a Portuguese cancer center. Another story of Ronaldo's generosity comes from 2012 when he paid for the cancer treatment of a 9 year-old boy he met after a game. Doctors told the boy that there was nothing else they could do for him, so Ronaldo offered to get the child the best help possible.

It would be hard to explain all the charity efforts that Ronaldo is involved in, but there are a few big foundations that he helps often. He supports Aid Still Required, Cahonas Scotland, Save the Children, UNICEF, and World Vision. He is the type of person to try to connect with the people who reach out to him, especially if they are in need of help. Ronaldo's acts of kindness are not limited to big donations, as he has also set up personal meetings to show his appreciation for fans. He received a call explaining the situation of a boy who was in a coma for 3 months after a car crash. The boy was a big fan of Ronaldo and his team, Real Madrid, and woke up on a day when Ronaldo scored a goal for Portugal in a World Cup qualifying match. Ronaldo heard this story and immediately invited the boy and his family to a game with all costs covered. Cristiano Ronaldo continues to help others and change the lives of many people because of his power as an athlete.

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is not only one of the all time greats to play the sport of baseball, but he is also one of the most charitable players that the MLB has ever seen. Before he even made it to the major leagues, he told his father that he planned to set up a foundation that would have a positive impact on kids. In 1996, when Jeter was 22 years old, he launched the Turn 2 Foundation. The goal of this organization according to their website is to "motivate young people to turn away from drugs and alcohol and "TURN 2" healthy lifestyles." This foundation sets out to create the leaders of the future by encouraging academics and positive behavior. Jeter knew that kids would look up to him because of his talent in baseball, but he also showed that he is a true role model.


The Turn 2 Foundation has many programs which include: Jeter’'s Leaders, Turn 2 Us Healthy Lifestyles, Turn 2 After School, Turn 2 Baseball Clinics, Proud To Be Me, Turn 2 Smart Moves, Holiday Express and the Turn 2 Endowed Scholarships. He gives so much money and time to these programs because he genuinely wants to see as many kids as possible grow up to be successful in life. Jeter knows that he can use his influence as a successful, superstar athlete to convince children to make the correct choices in their daily lives. Now that Jeter has retired, he stated that he will commit more time to his foundation.



Aside from his own charity, Jeter supports other organizations such as Stand Up To Cancer, the Entertainment Industry Foundation, and Soles4Souls. He also hosts a celebrity golf outing where some of the biggest stars of multiple industries donate to his causes. He will continue to donate significant amounts of money to support a vast amount of charities and organizations. He is someone who truly believes in doing what's right, and this shows due to the fact that he wants to put more time and effort into his organization.

Peyton Manning

Most people know Peyton Manning because he is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football, and he recently added to his accomplishments after winning his second Super Bowl last weekend. He is also known for his various skits on Saturday Night Live along with T.V. commercials with Nationwide and Papa Johns. What everyone doesn't know is that Manning does much more for the community than what is advertised. He doesn't want the publicity or the attention for his charitable acts, he genuinely likes to help people.

His biggest contributions come from the Peyback Foundation, which has done so much for St. Vincents Children's Hospital that it is named after Manning. The hospital, which is located in Indianapolis (where Peyton started his NFL career), was renamed in 2007. The exact donation amount from Manning is unknown, but it was estimated to be $50 million in 2007, so it is sure to be well over that mark now. When he left the Indianapolis Colts and joined the Denver Broncos, his contributions to the hospital didn't stop. He still makes phone calls to patients when he is unable to physically be there. The foundation also provides meals to low-income families on Thanksgiving, which most recently fed over 20,000 people. The examples I mentioned are just a few ways that the Peyback Foundation helps countless people.

Aside from the well-known Peyback Foundation, Manning tries to keep his charitable efforts private. Recently, one of his close friends and teammates, Jacob Tamme, was questioned about Peyton's community work. Tamme refused to tell the media anything because he knows that Manning would not want that, and media attention isn't his reason for doing things for the community. When the Aurora movie shooting occurred, Manning called the vice president of  Community Development for the Broncos and asked what he could do to help. He wound up calling and talking to the victims in the hospital because he genuinely wanted to help.



One of my favorite Peyton Manning stories is his encounter with U.S. Army Sgt. Ryan Patterson. Kristen Patterson, the wife of Ryan, wrote Manning a letter in 2014 explaining how big of a fan her husband was and that he would set alarms while serving in Afghanistan in order to listen to the games. Kristen did not leave any contact information, so Peyton went out of his way to find her with the help of the Bronco's public relations team. When he was finally able to reach Kristen on the phone, Manning invited the Pattersons to the hotel where the team would be staying in Cincinnati. He privately met with the Pattersons to talk and give them tickets to the game. He even apologized for not responding soon enough because he was behind on his letters, showing that he tries to respond to as many fans as possible.


Peyton Manning is one of the most caring athletes I have ever read about, and I know he will continue his community work. The stories are endless, and it is sad that we may never be able to hear some of them.

Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard is an NBA point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers. He has many accomplishments on the basketball court including the Rookie of the Year award and two All-Star appearances in his first three seasons, but those awards aren't the most important part of  Lillard's career. What makes him special is his journey to the NBA and what he has done since making it there. Coming out of high school, Lillard was only a 2 star recruit and nobody thought he had a chance to make it to the league. His abilities were criticized when he was drafted, but he has done nothing but prove people wrong. His perseverance is something that anyone can appreciate, and he has inspired many young athletes to believe in themselves.


In his first year in the NBA, Lillard won a "Community Assist Award" for his charity work. He was the key contributor to the Trail Blazers' "Respect, Pass It On" campaign that encouraged people to take a stand against bullying. In an interview, Lillard was quoted as saying, "Now that I’ve learned how many people look up to us as NBA players, I want to make the most of it by getting behind positive initiatives like anti-bullying" (Freeman, 2013). Lillard is also a Special Olympics Ambassador and has played in multiple charity games with Special Olympics players. He is part of their campaign "Spread the Word to End the Word." He understands the impact that he can make on the community and takes advantage of it.


Lillard has raised money for numerous charities and takes the time to give children and others memorable experiences while doing so. Last year he participated in an event at Lower Columbia College called Threes 4 Threes, where he donated money to three different charities. He also played basketball with some of the students there and gave them an experience that they will never forget. Another way Lillard gives back to fans is by using his own Instagram page to start a trend called #4BarFriday where he reposts his favorite freestyles from followers. His interaction with people shows how much he actually appreciates his fans and gives back to them.

Charles Tillman

One athlete that stands out to Chicago natives for his charitable work is Charles Tillman, former Chicago Bear and current member of the Carolina Panthers. Since 2005, Tillman has been running a very successful charity called the Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation. The focus of this organization is to raise money to provide opportunities and resources to families that are less fortunate than others, and to also help children who have serious diseases. The Cornerstone Foundation has a a number of different programs that help families in different ways. One program is called "Charles' Locker," which consists of giving sick children and their families tablets, computers, video games and other items to pass the time during treatments. This program positively effects the lives of over 100,000 children every year. Another part of the Cornerstone Foundation is something called the "Field of Dreams," which involves Tillman helping children to fulfill a sports-related desire. Tillman has given out many tickets to Bears games and now Panthers games, which helps to give memorable experiences to deserving kids. Tillman also runs a program during the holidays where he goes to hospitals to pass out gifts to children. During his hospital visits he takes the time to play games with the patients.

Charles Tillman genuinely cares about helping those in need, and he tries to bring joy into the lives of children who need it most. He isn't even close to being the most wealthy person in the NFL, yet he still uses his resources more than most to give back to others. He was awarded the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2013, which is an award given to one player in the NFL every year to recognize charity and volunteer efforts. Charles Tillman is a great role model and family man whom I personally enjoyed following throughout his career. He is a prime example of an athlete who uses his power to improve the lives of others.

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