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NFL Report:
The Commissioner’s View -- Fall, 2001 The opening of the
NFL season also marks the annual return of the award-winning NFL-United Way
television campaign, which begins its twenty-eighth season.
These well-known television messages took on a fresh look last year with NFL
players showing how leadership in the community can be fun as well as
rewarding. The messages are delivered through the NFL’s donation of
promotional time in game telecasts to promote the United Way’s cause.
The NFL first teamed with the United Way in 1974 as a way to make the
strongest possible impact on the communities that support the NFL and its
teams. The NFL is about community in so many ways—from the team representing
its community in the race to the Super Bowl, to the unifying impact of the
team on a community, to the way teams and communities join together on
important issues.
For three decades, the United Way partnership has served as a foundation of
the NFL’s overall community service tradition. Why the United Way? United
Ways across America continue to play critical community-building roles and
have reinvented themselves to meet twenty-first century needs. In support of
these programs, the national United Way of America is intensively evaluating
initiatives to strengthen the United Way system for all stakeholders,
including individual donors, corporate and foundation supporters, labor
unions collaborating with United Ways, human services providers, and others.
The United Way, founded in 1887, is the nation’s largest provider of health
and human services, second only to the federal government. In its 1999-2000
campaign, local United Ways collectively raised $3.77 billion toward helping
Americans live healthier lives, the fourth consecutive year that campaign
growth outpaced inflation.
United Way provides funding and services in five key areas—making
neighborhoods safer, strengthening and supporting families, improving
people’s health, promoting self-sufficiency, and helping kids succeed.
The United Way movement has become an integral part of our nation’s human
services system, bringing together businesses, agencies, organized labor,
and government in a unique blend of public and private service delivery.
Some of the key nonprofit organizations receiving funding from The United
Way include Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, American Cancer Society,
National Urban League, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts and
Girl Scouts, and the Visiting Nurses Association of America.
How does the United Way impact real people? One example speaks volumes. Dave
and Carole Hamersly are parents of twin sons who were born 13 weeks early.
Joey suffered from pneumonia and lung problems; Billy was diagnosed with
cerebral palsy. Fortunately, United Way was there to help.
A
United Way-funded physical therapist works with Billy, and both boys attend
a United Way-supported program that helps strengthen their learning skills.
Carole and Dave Hamersly are United Way believers, and so is the NFL.
Together, we are investing to build stronger communities. To learn more
about United Way, log onto www.unitedway.org or call 1-800-411UWAY to
volunteer in your community.
Paul Tagliabue |