NFL Draft-A-Thon Raises Millions for COVID-19 Relief Fund
April 24, 2020
As part of last night's kick-off of the virtual 2020 NFL Draft, the league launched a Draft-A-Thon fundraiser to aid COVID-19 relief efforts. Millions of dollars have already been raised to benefit six U.S. national nonprofits supporting health care workers and first responders.
The digital campaign was part of the unique evening that saw general managers, coaches, owners, club personnel, league officials, prospects and analysts participating virtually from remote locations and leaning on technology to facilitate communication.
NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility, Anna Isaacson, said during a conference call that the league always tries to "unify and inspire" through different community events. The current circumstances caused by the pandemic led to a desire to best use the platform that the NFL draft provides to raise funds for relief efforts.
"When it became clear that this draft was going to take a very different look and feel, we started to think about, 'What is really the best way for the NFL in this moment to continue to bring people together and unify in such an unprecedented time?'
The six nonprofits benefitting from the Draft-a-Thon are:
- American Red Cross (working to maintain a sufficient supply of blood while continuing to deliver its lifesaving mission)
- CDC Foundation's All of Us: Combat Coronavirus Campaign (supporting vulnerable communities and bolstering laboratory capacity, clinical research, data and technology infrastructure)
- Feeding America's COVID-19 Response Fund (helping member foodbanks meet increased needs due to school closures, job disruptions and current health risks)
- Meals on Wheels America's COVID-19 Response Fund (helping local communities have what they need to feed at-risk elderly population)
- The Salvation Army (addressing needs of individuals and families living in poverty or experiencing homelessness by providing food, shelter, hygiene kits and support to first responders)
- United Way's COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund (helping those in need access food and shelter and providing childcare for first responders)
Launched earlier this month, NFL.com/relief was already receiving donations, but the NFL hopes to maximize the impact during the rounds of the three-day draft, which continues through April 25.
Isaacson said the nonprofits that were selected are "blanketing the country or hardest-hit areas, and they are each working on a slightly different part of relief."
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