About the United Way & NFL Partnership

Since 1999, NFL teams have participated in a variety of hands-on community service projects, known collectively as Hometown Huddle. The Hometown Huddle events take place in the NFL markets on the same day in October and represent a snapshot of some of the volunteer activities in which NFL teams participate year-round with local United Ways and their agencies.

During this national day of community service, NFL players from each of the 32 NFL teams put down their shoulder pads and pick up a paintbrush, box of canned goods or a spatula to lend aid and assistance to members of their communities. On average, more than 300 players, team representatives and their families interact with approximately 3,000 United Way agency recipients during Hometown Huddle events held coast to coast.

In 2007, the NFL launched a national youth health and fitness campaign designed to tackle childhood obesity. NFL Play 60 focuses on the health and wellness of young fans by encouraging them to be active for at least 60 minutes a day. To launch NFL Play 60, many of the NFL teams and United Ways used their Hometown Huddles to focus on youth fitness.

For example:

• The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation partnered with United Way of America to create an iGym at the YMCA in Alexandria, Virginia. The iGym is an interactive fitness zone that combines video gaming with age- and interest-appropriate workout equipment designed to make exercise feel like playtime. Redskins players led approximately 100 kids from Alexandria YMCA’s after-school and Physically Healthy Driven (PHD) programs in a fitness fair where the children learned about the benefits of good nutrition and health.
• The New Orleans Saints helped United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area renovate Lakeview Playground and install a Youth Fitness Zone. The Fitness Cluster, designed for kids ages 5 to 12, is a fun way for them to improve their balance, strength, and agility during outdoor play. After speaking to the children from Dibert Elementary School about being active and maintaining a healthy diet, Drew Brees led them in a series of exercises including jumping jacks and running around the track.
• United Way for Southeastern Michigan joined forces with the Detroit Lions and the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan to help build a fitness trail. Players, volunteers and area youth met at the Dick and Sandy Dauch Campus, home of the new NFL/Youth Education Town - Boys & Girls Club. Players worked together to help defray the expenses of the $65,000 fitness trail project. They spent the day hauling mulch and spreading soil to build the trail and then watched as the kids played on the new equipment at the trail stations. The stations include a leg-stretch, chin-up, step-up, balance beam, knee-raise, sit-up, high jump, spring-up, push-up and hand walk.