I am about to embark on a new journey; I was one of 32 college students, selected nationwide for the United Way Team NFL Player Partnership. The United Way Worldwide has partnered with the NFL for over 35 years. United Way believes there are "three key building blocks of a good life: Education + Income + Health." However, the only way to achieve success is through education.
As a member of the NFL & Strategic Partnerships, Brand Leadership team, I get paired with an NFL player (a United Way Team Ambassador) from one of the 32 NFL teams. My partner is Chris Canty, Superbowl XLVI winner, and New York Giants' Defensive Tackle (#99); it gives me great pride — both as a college student, and as a New York Giants fan — to spread the word about what Canty and the other players in the NFL are accomplishing to make a difference in their communities.
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Chris Canty attends benefit for United Way of New York |
Together, Chris Canty and I are working to recruit 1,000 volunteer readers, tutors and mentors, in an attempt to help United Way Worldwide achieve their goal of reducing the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018. In addition, Chris Canty has his own foundation. His organization uses sports to make a positive impact on children through mentoring, educational programming and engaging physical activities, while promoting health and well-being.
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Help Chris Canty HERE |
I invite you, to join me, my partner Chris Canty, United Way and the NFL, to cut the dropout rate in half by becoming a volunteer reader, tutor or mentor:
PLEDGE HERE: http://www.unitedway.org/team-nfl/players/chris-canty/
*Did you know that 60% of all 4th graders in the U.S. cannot read proficiently? Did you also know that 25% of students fail to graduate on time?
Something must be done. How will WE do this? — with YOUR help. Please sign this pledge to help cut the high school drop out rate in half. Something needs to be done, and YOU can do it. Chris Canty and I CAN'T do this without you. The difference between a graduate and a dropout could be you.
PLEDGE HERE: http://www.unitedway.org/team-nfl/players/chris-canty/
*Did you know that 60% of all 4th graders in the U.S. cannot read proficiently? Did you also know that 25% of students fail to graduate on time?
Something must be done. How will WE do this? — with YOUR help. Please sign this pledge to help cut the high school drop out rate in half. Something needs to be done, and YOU can do it. Chris Canty and I CAN'T do this without you. The difference between a graduate and a dropout could be you.
It's really great how athletes can take something as simple as a game they just happen to be gifted at and make a living doing so and turn it into helping others. I think there is a reason many players work with organizations or even have their own and that is because they know that they can make a difference. Being a professional athlete, you might think of many things you can do like throw a touchdown or win a game but professional athletes can use their position off the field too. Being a professional athlete has a lot of power and the fact that many of them use it for something positive like the United Way is great. We always seem to focus on what someone can do on the field but what they do off the field can be just as important-maybe even more. Sometimes, it's more than just a game-it can be so much more.
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