FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              Contacts in New Orleans:    
                                                                        Brian McCarthy, NFL, 504-636-5435
                                                                        Meghan Powers, NFL, 504-636-5435
                                                                        Cell Phone:
                                                                        powersm@nfl.com

 

 

MARYLAND WOMAN NAMED
NFL COMMUNITY QUARTERBACK AWARD NATIONAL WINNER

New York, N.Y., January 28, 2002-- The National Football League announced today the national winner of the NFL Community Quarterback Award, a volunteer recognition program that will donate nearly $1 million to community organizations served by outstanding volunteers.

C. Anne Fisher, a native of Bel Air, Maryland, was nominated for her work as a foster parent to over 70 infants, many of whom were born with drug dependencies. NFL Charities will make a $25,000 donation to Adoptions Together (AT), the non-profit child placement agency through which Fisher volunteers as a foster parent.

Fisher was selected by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by the NFL that included Brian Gallagher, President and CEO, United Way of America; Peter Gallagher, President and CEO, America’s Promise; Robert K. Goodwin, President and CEO, Points of Light Foundation; Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner, National Football League; and Leslie Lenkowsky, CEO, Corporation for National Service. 

Fisher and her husband, Ray, have five children of their own.  For the past eight years, Fisher has parented more than 70 infants waiting to be placed with permanent families.  Many of these babies, some only days old, have come to the Fisher home with drug dependencies, as she has spent countless sleepless nights feeding and caring for these newborns. 

Before each child is placed with permanent family, Fisher makes a memory book to document the early weeks of the infant’s life, a time that is often lost for an adopted child. Filled with pictures of the baby’s first hat, the first day home from the hospital, the first smile, and the first kiss, she meticulously documents these important events with the precision and love of a first-time mother, preparing the book with the hope that it will help the child to better understand this stage in their life.  Fisher makes by hand each baby’s going-home outfit, including a matching comforter and hat and presents each baby to his or her new family in full ensemble complete with a satin bow. 

Fisher also provides for these children without any compensation, donating each child’s food and clothing stipend back to Adoptions Together so that more children can be served.

"Volunteers are what makes communities work," said NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE. "Volunteers are a force that causes good things to happen every day in our communities. The impact that one person can have on society is contagious, and when joined with the actions of others, it can make history."

Earlier this year, the NFL teams ran local Community Quarterback Award competitions. In each market, a committee made up of team representatives, media and community leaders named ten team finalists. From that group, each team named two runners-up and one team Community Quarterback Award winner who were eligible for the national title. The team Community Quarterback Award winner in each market was awarded $10,000. The runners up received $2,500 and each of the ten finalists was awarded $1,000. All donations were made in the name of the winners to the non-profits where they serve.

Funded by NFL Charities, the NFL Community Quarterback Award recognizes community and youth volunteers who demonstrate leadership, dedication and a commitment to bettering their communities. The nomination process is fulfilled by charitable organizations that nominate their notable volunteers. NFL Charities will donate grants to the non-profit establishments served by the award winners.

NFL Charities, created in 1973, is a non-profit organization created by the member clubs of the National Football League to enable the clubs to collectively make grants to charitable and worthwhile causes on the national level. Since its inception, NFL Charities has made more than $41 million in grant commitments to more than 250 different organizations.

 

Complete list of winners follows:

  

Community Quarterback Award Winners:

 

Team	Winner	Hometown
Arizona Cardinals	Toby Citron	Phoenix, AZ
Atlanta Falcons	Betty Singleton	Roswell, GA
Baltimore Ravens	Andrew Smith	Baltimore, MD
Buffalo Bills	Carmen Della Bella	Buffalo, NY
Carolina Panthers	Bernard Steadman	Mauldin, SC
Chicago Bears	Willie Jiggetts	Markham, IL
Cincinnati Bengals	Janice Forte	Cincinnati, OH
Cleveland Browns	Richard Miller	Cleveland Heights, OH
Dallas Cowboys	Dudie Weber	Dallas, TX
Denver Broncos	John Laur	Denver, CO
Detroit Lions	Jocelyn Hubbard	Pontiac, MI
Green Bay Packers	Chia Ly	Green Bay, WI
Indianapolis Colts	Ruth W. Woods	Indianapolis, IN
Jacksonville Jaguars	Lillian Jordan	Jacksonville, FL
Kansas City Chiefs	Ann Stern	Leawood, KS
Miami Dolphins	Ian Blake Amber	Miami, FL
Minnesota Vikings	Margo Wilde	Minneapolis, MN
New England Patriots	Elizabeth Kirsten	Massachusetts
New Orleans Saints	Larissa Rachel	New Orleans, LA
New York Giants	Madeline Kerek	Bayonne, NJ
New York Jets	Robert Kammerer	Long Island, NY
Oakland Raiders	Cal Stanley	Oakland, CA
Philadelphia Eagles	Agnes Butler	Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh Steelers	Tim Hamburger	Mars, PA
San Diego Chargers	Gerald “Jerry” S. Davee	San Diego, CA
St. Louis Rams	Richard “RJ” Krause	East St. Louis, MO
San Francisco 49ers	Santosh Phillip	Berkley, CA
Seattle Seahawks	Willi Briscoeray	Seattle, WA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Bill Strickland	Tampa, FL
Tennessee Titans	Anna Sternheimer	Nashville, TN
Washington Redskins	C. Anne Fisher	Bel Air, MD

 

Winner’s Bio:

For the past eight years, C. Anne Fisher and her husband, Ray, have opened their home and hearts to more than 70 infants while their futures were being decided.  As foster parents for Adoptions Together, they have physically and emotionally cared for children born to parents unable to care for them.  Many of these were born to women who have used drugs during their pregnancy.  They have spent countless nights soothing the babies as the drugs affected their little bodies.  They have nursed these children back to health, loved each one unconditionally, and sent them on their way with a good foundation to their permanent family. 

Adoptions Together (AT) is a non-profit child placement agency licensed by the States of Maryland and Washington, DC.  AT is committed to building healthy, secure, loving families by providing quality child placement services and lifelong guidance to all individuals touched by adoption regardless of race, religion, or disability.

C. Anne is a warm, loving, and generous soul who makes everyone in her presence feel valued and appreciated.  As a foster parent, C. Anne is more like an angel; she has cared for healthy and medically fragile babies alike, as if each was her own.  She has joyfully adapted her life, and that of her family, to new routines, feeding schedules, doctor visits and medical protocols for each baby, responding to their every need every minute.  She and her family have provided loving, round-the-clock care for 70 babies, some of who are with her for a few short days and others who stay with her for several months.  C. Anne sets herself apart from everyone else with her unfailing dedication to each baby and her commitment to ensuring that every baby receives not only the best nutritional and medical care, but a mother’s love in the very first days of life.  

Another unique aspect of C. Anne’s care is that she records in words and pictures each baby’s first weeks, memorializing that which is often lost for an adopted child.  She presents every adoptive family with an invaluable gift.  She makes a memory book filled with pictures of the baby’s first hat, the first day home from the hospital, the first smile, and the first kiss.  C. Anne has meticulously documented these important events with the precision and love of a first-time mother.  She prepares the book with the hope that it will help the child to better understand this stage in their life.  In addition, C. Anne makes each baby’s going home outfit by hand, including a matching comforter and hat and presents each baby to his or her new family in full ensemble complete with a satin bow.  C. Anne has provided care for these 70 children without any compensation.  While most foster parents get a stipend for food and clothing for the children, the Fischers have donated their stipend back to the agency so that more children can be served.

C. Anne and Ray have five children of their own.  With all the responsibilities that go along with taking care of her family, she still opens her house to vulnerable infants who need interim care while their futures are being settled.  Seventy babies in less than eight years, for many of us, would be a burden.  Every child is treated, honored, and loved as a special guest for C. Anne.

 

#          #            #