The Second Annual Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards Presented by ESPN were held in Los Angeles Tuesday night, and for the second year, the San Francisco 49ers were finalists for Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year. Although they did not win – the fellow Bay Area San Francisco Giants did – the 49ers should be proud of all the organization has done to get to this point.
“It’s awesome to be nominated two years in a row, on ESPN and on that scale says something about our organization,” said 49ers’ Team President Al Guido. “More importantly, it says something about our players and our executives, that they’re about more than football.”
The commitment to philanthropy is something that dates back a long way in Ninerville, and it’s something that starts at the very top of the organization. Guido said it began with Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. and it carries on today.
Garret Celek painting a mural with a Cabrillo Middle School student on an exterior wall of the Chevron STEMZONE.
“Denise DeBartolo York is truly one of my heroes in life,” said Joanne Pasternack, Vice President & Executive Director, Community Relations & 49ers Foundation. “She comes from a long line of philanthropists. Her husband John York oversees our 49ers Foundation. The two of them have definitely imparted that to their children who show up week after week at our events…They follow the lead that was set by generations before them and have made a strong commitment to being philanthropic change-makers in our community.”
Pasternack and Guido were joined at the event by 49ers’ defensive tackle Quinton Dial. Dial was proud to represent the team and knows how important his work in the community is.
“…[K]nowing my background, and where I come from, and what these guys do for the community, it just means a lot, said Dial. “…Guys like myself, and other guys as well, come from humble beginnings, and just to help people get to where they want to go and reach their goals in life, it just means a lot.”
On Monday, July 18, everything over at 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way will shut down as the 49ers’ front office prepares to host over 300 children.
“We’re hosting a carnival for three hundred and fifty children who are in transitional housing or in unstable living situations,” said Pasternack. “Our staff is literally going to be serving up hot dogs, running a dunk tank, doing carnival-style of games…Our groundskeepers are making sure that everything is in perfect shape for these kids. They aren’t just showing up. They’re rolling their sleeves and then getting to work. To be here tonight is to represent all that, what they’re doing.”
It may not be standard to have an organization’s GM participating in these events around the league, but it is the absolute norm for the Niners.
“Within the 49ers’ organization, not only is our ownership tremendously committed, but our General Manager Trent Baalke and our Head Coach, Chip Kelly are enthusiastic participants in our philanthropic fundraisers and are there every step of the way, supporting our initiatives…We’re excited about all the impact we can have.”
Chip is not just football and smoothies my friends. The Niners’ new coach brings a sense of philanthropic duty with him to Santa Clara.
“Chip doesn’t get enough credit, but a lot of it is because he probably doesn’t want to be recognized,” said Guido. “Chip Kelly is a big supporter of Navy Seal Foundation…
Chip’s done trips to Afghanistan; he’s done trips to Iraq where no one really has picked it up until after the fact…He really does a great job in the community. He is passionate about it.”
To many fans, Santa Clara is the city where our beloved Niners play. To those in the organization, Santa Clara is home.
“We’re a larger part of the community,” said Guido. “We live there; we shop there; we raise our children there. These guys are more than just what they do on Sundays. They’re passionate about causes; they really impact kids and the community here and we feel like it’s our obligation to give back and to show people the right way.”
Throughout the season, the 49ers do community-related events and the Niners get 100% participation from the players.
“Probably my favorite event is building the bikes every year for the kids around Thanksgiving.” said Dial. “That’s probably one of my favorite events to do.”
Pasternack raved about the work that so many of the players do with the 49ers and beyond.
“Before every home game, we host Make-A-Wish at our facility and they come out to a practice day or two before the game. Every single one of our players will stop and just take a moment and give a kid a hug, play catch…[T]here are guys who maybe have the less visible position. I’m thinking specifically about Punter Bradley Pinion. Bradley was one of our community relations service award winners last year and he quietly showed up at literally every single event we hosted last year.”
Whether it be NaVorro Bowman’s Youth Football ProCamp, Colin Kaepernick with Camp Taylor, the Eric Reid Invitational, benefitting the Baton Rouge Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, or the many other players who go above and beyond to help those in need, there is a lot of good on this team.
So the 49ers didn’t win the award; that doesn’t take away from the humanitarian spirit and action that is in this organization. They’ll get ‘em next year, and in this case, they really might. Go Niners!
Other 49ers Community Related articles:
- 49ers Deliver Football and Education to Happy Campers
- 49ers Annual Winter Fest: A Success for All
- Under the Helmet: Meet Joanne Pasternack, V.P. & E.D. Community Relations & 49ers Foundation
- 49ers Work to Build Equality for Women in Sports