(S28) PT 5 - Helping Out

[RussDrivesTheBus]

Bass loves to give back in his community, but in order to reach a broader audience he has partnered with Mental Health America (MHA). This organization looks to promote mental health as a critic part to overall wellness. As football players, we are trained to be tough as nails and show no weakness. But as humans, it is absolutely vital to buck that trend. MHA looks to help with early identification and prevention of numerous mental health issues, and provide intervention and treatment where possible; the overall goal being recovery. Bass was happy to reach out and establish a relationship with MHA a few seasons into his career.

As part of his partnership, in the offseason, he travels to hospitals and other events to give talks about his ongoing battle with mental health issues. He believes it can be incredibly powerful for people to see celebrities and athletes address these things and normalize them. His emphasis is that anyone can suffer from these things, and that they are never truly alone. The work has been gratifying and therapeutic as well. Bass not only attends the events to speak and provide hope, but also to learn and receive some treatments with other patients. He hopes to continue the relationship well into his retirement.

[Tomen]

SHL affiliate

[The_Kidd]

Me myself, I have always been big on philanthropy. Helping out others always seems to be the one good thing I can consistently do. Assuming I had the same ability and opportunity as my player, I would not simply donate, I would open my own foundations and oversee all the plans and contributions being made. The main focus would be on restoring and building up lesser communities. Most children these days just have nowhere to go outside of school, thus they tend to get into trouble.

So part one of the plan would be to build rec centers, after school centers, public sports complexes, parks, fitness centers and anything of the like so that children(and anyone else but mainly children) can have safe, productive, positive places to hang out and diverge away from trouble. The sole purpose is to get children engaged and expand their mental and social capabilities. Asides from sports, there will be tutors, workshops, life coaches and motivational speakers, speak easies, and all types of educational events to show the youth the wide array of possibilities they have in their budding, promising future.

Part two of this plan would be to open the jobs to build, service, and maintain everything within the local neighborhoods. Giving the people a chance to have their actual hands involved with building up the community and obtaining a sense of pride in keeping a positive label attached to their neighborhoods. In addition, the money will circulate back into local communities instead of traveling way out of the developments. Hopefully that would usher other businesses to be attracted to build in these communities and not try to burn them down and rebuild for their own self-profit(and I mean legit businesses, not pawn shops, gas stations, and liquor stores).

[firstfray]

Dexter Hall's family had always struggled financially growing up and there were moments in his life where his football career was in jeopardy because his family couldn't support him. Hall would never want to wish this upon other kids - especially those with a passion for football like he does so the charity that Hall is the most involved in is one that helps football athletes with financial hardship. Hall likes to place a big emphasis on getting the players on the field without having to worry about money but he also stresses the importance of academics for these young athletes. So far, the charity has reached 4 million young athletes in the nation and Hall hopes to grow this charity to other sports athletes and even make it accessible worldwide. Hall donates a considerable amount of his paycheck (which is 4 million per year right now), about $500,000 each year to the charity. In addition, with Hall's recent selection to the awards voting committee, Hall has publicly stated that he will donate all the money he will receive by serving on the board to the charity, a lump sum of $2,000,000. Hall plans to continue to work with his charity for many years to come.

[TheRocheLimit]

Although Jack Banks plays for the New York Silverbacks he still calls his home Oakland, California. Every year Banks partners with Children's Hospital Oakland to provide fun and entertainment to the children staying there, as well as financial aid to the children's families. In the summer Banks teams up with other local celebrities, including other athletes as well as music and movie stars, to provide a weekend of live music and entertainment for the children and the hospital staff. The group takes over the parking lot to provide a fun outdoor environment for the children who are able to attend, and each and every celebrity also takes time to visit one on one with the children who are unable to leave their rooms. In the winter Jack Banks organizes a toy drive for the holidays so that every child can receive a special gift during a trying time in their lives. Banks also goes around to individual rooms and plays video games with the children, especially ISFL Football.

"These are trying times for the children and their families", Banks said during a recent interview. "If I can help even a little then I'm going to do it. I may play football in New York, but my heart will always be here in Oakland."

[xtitanxmvpx]

Working with the Crisis charity, Xavier has been working with the Portland community ever since being brought onto the team. Before that Xavier worked with local area charities in Wisconsin to provide the same help when he was in college and high school. As something his father thought very important, Xavier has continued that pay it forward mentality as he begins to garner success and recognition at the DSFL and ISFL level. When called up, Xavier will continue to work with Crisis in Philadelphia and will donate part of his earnings to families at risk or that have lost housing. Xavier wishes to create a center for people to go to learn life skills like balancing income, creating resumes, along with other important skills. Walls hopes to continue to promote successful charitable acts through promising community based organizations that focus on helping those in need. Being so important to Xavier, this will be something that will be of utmost importance when deciding on his contracts and where he goes in the future, if anywhere at all. His wish is to create equal opportunity for those who may have had a turn of bad luck or society has turned their backs on. This includes military veterans, homeless, single parents, and fostered children among others that he will push to support throughout his career.

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[MobiausGrander]

As a member of the ISFL, I know that I have certain obligations and duties to carry out. One such duty is to help out with a charity of my choosing. As it stands, the charitable organization that I've chose to work with is the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I've always wanted to help them out with their benevolent and magnanimous mission statement in any way shape and form that I can. I have decided that the way I can help is by organizing a "Pro-Bowl"-like event where every proceed from tickets sold to spectate the event will be sent to St. Jude's. Like the Pro-Bowl in the NFL, I would have members of the ISFL compete in various events that are tailor made to show off their special talent relative to their position; for example, I would have a kicking competition similar to that of discus in the Olympics and relay races between the Wide Receivers and Running Backs. This would culminate in the game where it would be light "tackling" and have crazy rules implemented to maximize the amount of fun in the specific game and to garner showmanship. I would hope that this event would raise tens of thousands of dollars to help St. Jude in their endeavours.

[JBLAZE_THE_BOSS]

Mike Boss Jr is no stranger to philanthropic organizations. He spends a lot of his free time with the MBJ MMJ Foundation, a charity founded by Boss Jr to help advocate for those who need the benefits of medical marijuana. In the offseason he travels to backwoods, rural, redneck, hick infested areas and advocates on behalf of those who need a medical card, and quite frankly, those who don’t—there is a Recreational wing of the charity as well. Boss Jr has been featured in many local newspapers across Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and the Carolinas, most prominently. He takes great pride in travelling the nation and being a voice for those who don’t have one (because they’re too busy coughing from the fat bong rip they just pulled) but also in a figurative sense as well. His agent, Sal Gatto offered this: “The amount of money we have to spend on security each off-season is something that he budgets for all year. This stuff really means a lot to him. I’m not sure if it’s because he has a love of humanity. Or, if it’s just because he wants to travel the entire country without having the cops harass him over a few dozen pre-rolled blunts while he’s driving. The jury is out on that, but the point is, he helps who he can.”

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[Tesla]

Agent Tesla: Going to go with a simple system for this one and so Magnus please tell us what charity or charities you work with most.

Magnus Rikiya: Well that depends on what you mean by that Tesla as there are quite a few organizations where my skills are of no real value, but my agent and I make sure they see solid donations from the organizations we have been tied to thus far. If there were one organization I could speak in favor of personally it would be BACA as that is where my big imposing frame can be put to some good. I am not much of a biker, but I have a modified Dodge Tomahawk with a sidecar so I can accompany the kids closely.

Agent Tesla: Would you say your history of having come back from an injury caused by saving a child plays a part in why the children trust you?

Magnus Rikiya: Well that story is not majorly publicized now on account of my preferring privacy, but I do believe the organization has trotted it out for the sake of the children more than once. I do not know for certain, however I have no problem if that is the case as I just want to make sure the kids are comfortable. Kids deserve to just be kids at the end of the day you know?

Agent Tesla: Agreed wholeheartedly on all counts. Now is there anything special that you do for BACA that you would be comfortable sharing here?

Magnus Rikiya: Personally I mostly just make sure the kids have the most intimidating monster on their side whenever they need it. If they are afraid because of what they have been through then my goal is to make sure they know they have nothing to fear because I will make sure it is more afraid of us than them. That way they can hopefully get on with their life happily and move past their need for our help.

Agent Tesla: Well said. Anything you want to add before we sign off?

Magnus Rikiya: Remember to be nice even to kids. It might seem like they have everything easy, but you never know what people are going through at home.

Agent Tesla: Agreed! I believe that covers everything and so we thank you for joining us and will see you next time!

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[PMoney]

SHl Affiliate Username: Mooney