National Football League will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina

WASHINGTON, Sunday, September 04, 2005 — The National Football League will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region that includes Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE announced Wednesday, August 31st.

The NFL has been working with the American Red Cross to determine how best we can assist them in their efforts to respond to this terrible tragedy.

The NFL, its teams, and players are doing the following to support immediate relief efforts:

• Teams will make additional donations. For example, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair will match $1 million of fans donations towards relief efforts
• Conducting hurricane fundraising for the ARC on NFL.com and JoinTheTeam.com
• Filming a public service announcement to air in stadiums this weekend featuring Commissioner Paul Tagliabue that encourages fans to contribute to relief organizations
• NFL players are already heavily involved in contributing to relief efforts. For example, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre and his team loaded the team plane with relief supplies and have partnered with Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair who has arranged to have a truck meet the plane in Nashville. The goods will then be driving to hard hit areas in Mississippi
• Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, and Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair, all Gulf Coast natives, will film a public service announcement encouraging fans to contribute. The ads will air during upcoming NFL games
• In the coming weeks, other Gulf Coast native NFL players will visit with displaced victims, distribute product and supplies
• Teams will film local public service announcements with players for local television stations and stadium airing to raise money for relief efforts
• NFL Network is currently running ARC donation information on screen ticker
• Several teams will collect donations at this weekend’s and September 11 games
• The NFL, in conjunction with the NFL Players Association will auction off items contributed by NFL players on NFL.com/auction to benefit the ARC
• The NFL is working with our licensees and teams to contribute needed product (clothing, blankets, water bottles) through the ARC to those affected. For example, NFL licensee Reebok is shipping clothing to the region next week
• The NFL will send $10,000 of sample product to the Boys & Girls Club of Baton Rouge to hold and distribute at evacuation sites
• All NFL team equipment managers are collecting and sending supplies (clothing, socks, water bottles, etc.) to their Louisiana State University counterpart for distribution to victims
• The NFL and company sponsor Campbell’s are working with NFL teams to re-direct all product from the Tackling Hunger promotion (32,000 cans of soup) to relief areas
• During this weekend’s games, all teams will have a Moment of Silence for victims of Hurricane Katrina

Continue to visit NFL.com and JoinTheTeam.com for more details on how you can help.