The Seahawks are not just a rallying point for our region because of their play on the field. These players don’t just give it their all on the field every week, they give back to the community as well.
Through several foundations, events, visits and individual player grants, the Seattle Seahawks make a real difference in Renton and the greater Puget Sound region every day.
In Renton, for example, wide receiver Doug Baldwin and his charitable foundation recently announced plans to partner with the city and the Renton School District to build the “Family First Center,” a community center in the Cascade/Benson area.
The team is proposing to build the center on the 17,000 square feet of land next to Cascade Elementary School. According to the 2015 demographics, 12.8 percent of the population within the half mile radius of Cascade Elementary School is below the poverty line and earns less than $24,000 per household. Nearly 19 percent of the population is 14 years or younger and 65.5 percent of students from that area are eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches.
The proposed space will include a basketball court, fitness gym, exercise floors, classroom space and storage space.
But that’s only one specific example of the team’s outreach.
One of the primary focuses of the Seahawks community involvement is encourgaing kids to engage in active and healthy lifestyles. The team participates in the Play 60 Challenge, which urges kids to get at least 60 minutes of activity every day. In addition, the team participates in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, an in-school health and wellness program sponsored by the Washington State Dairy Council. The program encourages healthy eating and students can win prizes for participation.
Throughout the regular season, players, Sea Gals and mascot Blitz visit elementary schools around the region as part of “Play 60 Tuesdays.” In 2015, the team visited eight different schools.
In addition, McKnight Middle School in Renton recently received a $10,000 grant to support their Fuel Up to Play 60 program.
The team also sponsors the annual Seahawks 12K, hosted each year at The Landing. This year’s event, the seventh, took place April 17 and more than 10,000 fans participated in either the 12k run, a 5K run/walk of the half-mile kids run. The event raised $20,000 for A Better Seattle, an initiative that works to reduce and prevent youth violence that was founded by head coach Pete Carroll.
As of 2015, ABS has raised funding to hire 12 street outreach workers, made 3,012 visits with youth at home or school and successfully connected 70 percent of those served with services and resources they needed.
The Seahawks also honor and support the military though multiple programs, such as the Heroes of 12 Seat program, which designated six seats at every home game for local military members, as well as military day at Training Camp. Last year’s event brought more than 100 U.S. military members to the camp on Aug. 11 to watch practice and interact with the coaches and players.
The team at their minicamp this year also welcomed the “Sunshine Kids,” a group of young cancer survivors who had a chance to meet players and collect autographs after practice.
