The San Francisco 49ers have donated $1 million to a pair of Bay Area community groups that work against social inequality, the team announced Thursday.
Niners CEO Jed York made detailed the 49ers' donation in a statement:
*"Today, I am committing that the 49ers Foundation will contribute $1 million to the cause of improving racial and economic inequality and fostering communication and collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve here in the Bay Area. *
"We are partnering with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation in this effort. We have chosen to work with these two organizations because they have proven track records of affecting change in the face of challenging problems and have the collective reach to make the greatest impact. Silicon Valley Community Foundation is the largest community foundation in the world, managing $7.3 billion in assets and more than 1,800 philanthropic funds globally. The San Francisco Foundation has served the people of the Bay Area since 1948, almost as long as the 49ers franchise. We are excited to work with these two renowned foundations over the coming months to develop a giving plan to help our community find unifying solutions to these pressing issues."
Both foundations, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, do not have ties to Colin Kaepernick, who has been protesting social inequalities against African-Americans and other minorities in the United States by not standing during the national anthem.
Kaepernick wrote on Instagram on Wednesday he would donate proceeds from his jersey sales to community organizations he supports.
The 49ers weren't the only team to donate to a community organization Thursday. The Green Bay Packers and coach Mike McCarthy each made $100,000 donations to the Green Bay Police Foundation in an effort to enhance community-police relationships.
"I'm excited to support the Green Bay Police Foundation and its work to help all the Green Bay communities build those relationships," McCarthy said. "It's important so our children can grow, they can invest, and they can project a healthier and safer community. We want to shine a positive light on the enhancement of these engagement projects that are already in place."
