49ers Follow In Kaepernick's Lead, Donate $1 Million
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pledged $1 million to improving racial and economic inequality and building a stronger relationship between law enforcement authorities and the communities they serve.
York announced the donation Thursday, following quarterback Colin Kaepernick's pledge to give $1 million to help underserved communities. Kaepernick announced his pledge last week after he refused to stand for the national anthem in protest of racial oppression and police brutality in the United States.
York said the Niners will partner with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation in this effort. He says both organizations have "proven track records" of affecting change.
Read the full statement from York below:
"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."
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.