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!