(East Los Angeles, CA) July 28, 2022 [From The Editor’s Desk]: As the new season gets underway directly on the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice field in Costa Mesa and in front of their longtime loyal fans and those who have recently become fans, their veteran and finely tuned community relations staff, are busy informing us of how their players still manage to take the special time to lead the way and collaborate on charitable events. We speak of those types of events that all of Southern California benefits from because the cause is primarily focused on our youth. The heroes and role models who step up to answer these calls are NFL stars like #30/Austin Ekeler, the L.A. Chargers versatile, and veteran Running Back.

Thus, we encourage you to take a look and a good read at what their star running back, Austin Ekeler, recently accomplished through his Foundation’s donation in one of his most recent charitable projects.

AUSTIN EKELER FOUNDATION TEAMS WITH USA FOOTBALL & NFL WAY TO PLAY TO SUPPORT KIDS IN LOCAL YOUTH LEAGUE

On July 26, 2022, Los Angeles Chargers running back AUSTIN EKELER’s foundation matched a $2,500 equipment grant from the NFL Way To Play program, fulfilled by USA Football, to support Crossroads Tigers Youth Athletics (CTYA) in San Fernando. With Ekeler’s personal support, the youth program will receive $5,000 in new football equipment for the 2022 season.

CTYA is a non-profit, athletic-based organization that focuses on the fun of sport participation and the inherent discipline and other fitness, social and emotional benefits that come from playing youth football and other sports for whole-child development.

 The Crossroads Tigers football program will receive its equipment through Riddell, a partner of USA Football that helps fulfill its grants. Ekeler and the Chargers will present the new equipment to the program’s children on a to-be-determined date.

The Austin Ekeler Foundation’s mission is to help create opportunities for people to fulfill their passions and ultimately their lives. Ekeler launched his foundation’s first major project in June 2021, funding a new weight room for Santa Barbara High School in Santa Barbara, Calif. Since then, the foundation has provided essential items to women experiencing homelessness through the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, donated five washer and dryer sets to schools across the city of Watts, and fulfilled the Amazon Wish Lists of multiple SoCal elementary school teachers.

NFL Way To Play and USA Football reward dozens of deserving youth football programs throughout the year. USA Football, the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, will award up to $2 million in equipment and resources to youth leagues this year with support from the NFL Foundation.

“When I heard that the Crossroad Tigers are ran and coached by LAPD officers as a way to build relationships between kids and police in the community, I knew I wanted to get involved,” Ekeler said. “I’m fortunate to be able to team up with great partners to provide new equipment to help keep these kids motivated on the field and in turn on their off the field endeavors.”

“USA Football is proud to join hands with the NFL Way to Play Program and the Austin Ekeler Foundation to provide Crossroads Tigers Youth Athletics with new equipment for the upcoming season,” said USA Football CEO & Executive Director SCOTT HALLENBECK. “Putting children first is central to everyone involved here – it’s exciting for us to be help make this happen.”