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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