Welcome to the new year! It has been successful thus far – as I have managed to remember to type 2023 – truth be told I was just getting accustomed to 2022. Part of my rationale for this column is to display how nonprofits are an integral part of all our lives. They move and motivate us, support us in crisis and at times they showcase our humanity and can bring us closer together.
Last Night on Monday Night Football
Whether you are a football fan or not, I expect that you have heard of the tragedy that occurred last night at Paycor Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals. Just a quick recap for those who may avoid sports; about nine minutes into the game, Buffalo Bills safety Demar Hamlin tackled Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins after a 13-yard catch. Higgins rammed into Hamlin at full speed, hitting him in the head and chest area.
Hamlin quickly stood up, took two steps, and collapsed backward, and his body went limp. Medical personnel were immediately on the field to assess Hamlin’s condition and what quickly became apparent to everyone at the game, the broadcasters Joe Buck and Troy Aikman as well as everyone watching at home was that this was not a normal football injury. Hamlin’s Buffalo teammates as well as their Bengals opponents, formed a physical wall around the medical staff to shield the public from seeing the medical procedures they were conducting.
We later learned that for nine minutes they performed CPR on Hamlin and eventually were able to stabilize him enough to place him in the waiting ambulance and rush him to UC Medical Center where he remains in critical but stable condition. If you do not watch football, you may think that this is a normal occurrence, but I assure you it is not. I know of only one similar instance and that was in 1971 and at the end of the game so most fans never saw the player collapse on the sidelines.
— NFL (@NFL) January 3, 2023
What This Means to Nonprofits
What does this have to do with nonprofits? First, at a time when it seems that everyone is divided into their separate camps, it is reassuring to see the two teams come together in unison to respect and honor a fallen player as well as to unite to tell the league to postpone the game (this was a critical game for both teams as well as other NFL teams).
Chasing M’s Foundation
Second, while Hamlin was on the ground for 30 minutes before he was rushed to the hospital, the rest of us watched for another hour waiting, hoping, for good news on Hamlin’s prognosis. As the broadcasters searched for something positive to talk about, they mentioned that Hamlin had created a nonprofit, the Chasing M’s Foundation, to raise funds to purchase toys for children in his hometown, McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania (a superb of Pittsburgh). According to NPR, “a cached version of the GoFundMe page shows that before Hamlin's collapse, the foundation had raised a little over $2,900, just eclipsing its goal of $2,500.
As of early afternoon on today, the fundraiser topped over $5 million in donations thanks to more than 178,000 individual gifts. Thousands of fans across NFL teams shared words of support on the page, which GoFundMe verified on Twitter.” When people witness a tragedy, and they really cannot do anything, but they want to do something, it has become common for people to donate to a nonprofit that is somehow associated. Football fans, especially in Buffalo, have even been known to do this to show their appreciation when another team’s player does something that inadvertently helps their team, even when they are not on the field (see https://www.today.com/news/bills-fans-donate-250k-bengals-qb-andy-dalton-s-charity-t120776)
What Can You Do?
I realize not everyone is a fan of sports and may not care about this player and this situation. However, I encourage you to consider harnessing the power you do have and contribute to a nonprofit, preferably a local one, next time you see something on the news that makes you feel powerless.
When you feel like there is nothing that you can do, there is always something you can do.
MLK Day Volunteer Opportunities
Next week, I will spend more time on this but if you are looking for a way to make 2023 count, consider taking action and committing to serve on MLK Day, Monday, January 16. Visit https://www.americorps.gov/newsroom/events/mlk-day for more details.
Soliciting your ideas
If you know of a nonprofit that is doing something great, celebrating a success, needs some outstanding volunteers, or hosting an event, let me know! This column (aside from a little education) celebrates nonprofits!
Mary Beth Harrington, CVA (Certified Volunteer Administrator) lives in Tumwater. She travels the country speaking at conferences and to individual organizations articulating issues facing nonprofits. Send your ideas to her at MaryBeth@theJOLTnews.com
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