Ravens' Bradley Bozeman, Wife Nikki's Foundation Feeding Hundreds For Thanksgiving, But They Still Need Help
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- One in four families in Baltimore are food insecure, a crisis that becomes even more pronounced as a holiday all about food -- Thanksgiving -- approaches.
Baltimore Ravens starting left guard Bradley Bozeman and his wife Nikki want to make sure hundreds of families have a turkey dinner. The Bozemans, along with the offensive and defensive lines hope others will join in to feed even more people.
The couple is asking people to pitch in so they can provide 500 families with a Thanksgiving feast this year. Their foundation, the Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation, has been giving out food every other week since August to anyone who lines up at the Mount Pleasant Ministries.
"We had cars there three hours early and so we're like, 'Alright, this is such a need,'" Nikki Bozeman recalled.
They've been finding ways to serve since they came to town.
In February, the couple kicked off their anti-bullying cross-country tour at Pikesville Middle School. They got as far as Frisco, Colorado, on March 16 when they got a phone call that COVID-19 had closed the school.
"They called us at 7:30 a.m. and told us our school is shutting down and we were supposed to speak at 8 a.m.," Bozeman said. They ended up picking up their dogs from his parents' house, and the pandemic worsened.
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The Bozemans have been together for eight years. The Alabama superstar capped off his college career with a win for his future when Nikki agreed to marry him.
They tied the knot in March 2019, and the COVID-19 pandemic has provided for a lot of time together.
"It's really grown our marriage early which has been great, it's been amazing," Bozeman said.
Ravens fans know number 77 gives his all on the field for the team. Through their foundation, the Bozemans hope to do the same for their community.
With family in Atlanta and Alabama, the pandemic is also impacting their holiday plans.
"We're really close to both of our families, and having to say, 'You know, but it's just not the safest thing for all of us right now is super hard," Bozeman said.
Instead, they're putting their effort into Monday's turkey giveaway, which will happen between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium's Lot H. Safeway is providing the turkeys and the foundation is asking for donations to pay for the trimmings.
To learn more or to donate, click here.