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.