DonorsChoose.org supporters come in all stripes — and sometimes jerseys! Check out the stats on three of our favorite athletes who, no matter the sport, are firmly on Team Teacher.
Benjamin Watson
Hometown: Rockhill, South Carolina
Sport: Football
Team: New Orleans
Position: Tight end
Why he gives: Benjamin Watson has supported students in his hometown of Rockhill, SC and Baltimore MD during his stint playing with the Ravens. When asked why he gives so generously to so many causes, Benjamin always mentions that he wants to give hope to those in a community who need it most. Benjamin was one of three finalists for the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award for his philanthropic contributions. He's dedicated to spreading the word about DonorsChoose.org, giving DonorsChoose.org gift cards to his teammates so they can learn how to support teachers. In 2017, Benjamin Watson joined our National Advisory Counsel.
Dwight Howard
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Sport: Basketball
Team: Charlotte
Position: Center
Why he gives: Dwight Howard is passionate about supporting both his hometown of Atlanta and the town of his current team, Charlotte, NC. Through the D12 Foundation, Dwight supports early childhood education and literacy, facilitating the education of girls in East Africa, and empowering youth and developing leadership. By supporting early education literacy projects on DonorsChoose.org, Dwight has helped to make sure that every child has access to books, regardless of their socioeconomic position. Dwight has been celebrated in the basketball community for his philanthropy, and was awarded the 2017 Player's Choice award from the National Basketball Players Association for his giving.
Nick Sundberg
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Sport: Football
Team: Washington
Position: Long snapper
Why he gives: Nick Sundberg is one of our most recent athlete supporters! Even though Nick's position doesn't often find itself in the spotlight, Nick has already proven himself to be incredibly generous both on DonorsChoose.org and with his team. Nick was Washington's nomination for the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award for his philanthropic contributions. His team says he's always the most eager to volunteer for charity events, and he's raised awareness about DonorsChoose.org by giving his teammates gift cards to support teachers. If you've watched him on the field, you may have even seen him hanging out with kiddos on the sidelines!
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