Reigning Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee to donate $20k to non-profit organizations after each Rams home game
Sep 15, 2021
After each home game at SoFi Stadium during the 2021 NFL season, Los Angeles Rams Tackle and team captain Andrew Whitworth will make a $20,000 donation to help repair homes in his home state of Louisiana and move Angelenos facing housing insecurity into homes as part of his “Big Whit Homes for LA Families” program, it was announced today.
In Los Angeles, Whitworth will partner with St. Joseph Center, LA Family Housing and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles to help Angelenos in need move into housing. Whitworth and the non-profit organizations will utilize the funds to help individuals pay for rent and groceries, support down payments for homes, as well as furnish homes.
Due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Ida in the state of Louisiana, Whitworth also will partner with Rebuilding Together to help make essential repairs to homes damaged by the natural disaster and return them to livable conditions.
“My family and I participated in United Way’s HomeWalk in 2019 and through that experience, our kids had an opportunity to learn more about the humanitarian crisis of housing insecurity,” said Whitworth. “The following Christmas, my wife Melissa and I gave the kids a chance to help decide how we as a family could make a difference, and the kids said they wanted to help people struggling with homelessness, which was so rewarding to hear as a parent. Being able to come together as a family and bless other families was incredibly meaningful and we continued the holiday initiative last year. This year, we are excited to make it a season-long initiative and broaden our impact in both our home state of Louisiana and our new home of Los Angeles.”
Each of the four non-profits will be the charitable recipients of two games, with Rebuilding Together New Orleans receiving the funds for the September games to assist with necessary home repairs as a result of Hurricane Ida.
Since joining the Rams in 2017, Whitworth has been a leader on and off the field and active in a variety of charitable efforts. Over the past two years, the four-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee has donated $250k to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to finance 1 million meals for Angelenos battling food insecurity, $230k to social justice non-profits and $50k to help a black-owned business in Inglewood that was at risk of closure due to COVID-19. He has also funded two STEAM Labs at schools in Watts and Boyle Heights, purchased holiday wish list items for 100 families battling housing insecurity and surprised all 600 students at Grape Street Elementary in Watts with new bikes. Additionally, he has funded a “First Quarter for Literacy” initiative designed to get books to children in under-resourced communities and provided a holiday shopping spree for 77 youth from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County. In 2018, Whitworth donated a game check to assist the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill.
–LOS ANGELES RAMS—
About St. Joseph Center
St. Joseph Center’s (SJC) mission is to provide working poor families, as well as homeless men, women, and children of all ages with the inner resources and tools to become productive, stable, and self-supporting members of the community. The organization works to advance social and economic equity through their services and hiring practices. Starting as a storefront in Venice, SJC has grown into a multifaceted social service organization offering outreach and engagement, housing, mental health, as well as educational and vocational programs at multiple sites across LA County.
About LA Family Housing
LA Family Housing (LAFH) helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty through a continuum of housing enriched with supportive services. One of the largest homeless service providers and real estate developers in Los Angeles, LAFH operates 30 properties of interim, affordable, and supportive housing across the County. Each year, LAFH connects nearly 11,000 individuals and families with housing support and services.
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) LA transforms neighborhoods throughout greater LA by bringing the community together to build affordable homes, provide critical home repairs and help families rebuild after natural disasters. Habitat LA strengthens families through helping them access affordable loans, housing counseling and down payment assistance. To learn more, visitwww.habitatla.org.
About Rebuilding Together New Orleans
Rebuilding Together New Orleans (RTNO), a local affiliate of Rebuilding Together, Inc. has restored and revitalized more than 1,750 homes over the past 32 years in the New Orleans area. Utilizing volunteer labor, Rebuilding Together New Orleans allows low-income families in communities across the city to live in comfort, safety, and dignity. To learn more, visit our website at www.rtno.org or follow us on social @rebuilding_together_nola.