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Honoring and recognizing Chris Long for his incredible charitable work, and congratulating him for winning the NFL’s 2018 “Walter Payton Man of the Year” Award.
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WHEREAS, Chris Long, star defensive end of the Philadelphia Eagles, is a source of great pride to the City of Philadelphia. Football is in his DNA. His father, Howie, is in the NFL Hall of Fame and his brother, Kyle, is a star offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears; and
WHEREAS, Chris Long’s story begins with football, with an impressive NFL career. An All-American defensive lineman out of the University of Virginia, Chris Long was the second overall pick of the St. Louis Rams in the 2008 NFL Draft. He went on to terrorize quarterbacks as a member of the New England Patriots and our beloved Philadelphia Eagles, winning back-to-back Super Bowl rings in 2017 and 2018 with each organization.
WHEREAS, The reason for Chris Long being named the NFL’s “Walter Payton Man of the Year” stems from his phenomenal charity work, which began in 2015. His first charitable move was the formation of the “Waterboys Initiative”; and
WHEREAS, Waterboy Initiative raises funds and awareness for clean water in communities in East Africa. Uniting NFL players, fans, corporate sponsors and other charities. The Waterboy Initiative works to fund the building of sustainable clean water wells through WorldServe International, the initiative’s beneficiary. In total, 55 wells have been funded since 2015; and
WHEREAS, Chris Long also partners with former Seattle Seahawk and former active-duty Green Beret Nate Boyer to develop the Conquering Kili program as part of the Waterboy Initiative. Combat veterans enlist to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds needed to build fresh, safe water wells in East Africa. To date, this program has raised more than $525,000 to build water wells in Tanzania; and
WHEREAS, After the formation of the “Waterboys Initiative”, Chris Long created the “Chris Long Foundation” in order to create and enduring outlet for his charitable work outside and inside of the United States; and
WHERAS, Chris Long's charitable endeavors through the Chris Long Foundation are multitude. He tackles deeply entrenched societal problems with the same ferocity with which he tackles opposing players on the NFL gridiron; and
WHEREAS, For starters, Chris Long has donated his entire salary for the previous two seasons to support public education in the three cities that benefitted from his presence on and off the field over his long and distinguished NFL career - St. Louis, Boston, and Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The Chris Long Foundation has four primary causes that it fights for. Clean Water, Homelessness, our Military Veterans, and the youth in need. These four societal issues are often complicated and underfunded, and adding his voice to the chorus is something valuable; and
WHEREAS, Through the “Waterboys Initiative”, the Chris Long Foundation is committed to building clean water wells in Tanzania. These wells will provide life-saving and life-giving water that will transform entire communities for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, In order to fight homelessness, the Chris Long Foundation support rapid rehousing, fundraising, supporting non-profits around the country, and supporting people across the homeless spectrum: people who are currently homeless, people who are at risk, and people who are transitioning back into stable housing; and
WHEREAS, In order to help the youth in need, the Chris Long Foundation brings educational and recreational opportunities to kids from diverse, disadvantaged backgrounds who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access them; and
WHEREAS, Lastly supporting our Veterans is the final component of the foundations charitable work. The Chris Long Foundation supports programs that help veterans find a new sense of purpose and helps active military members remain connected to home; and
WHEREAS, In accepting the 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, Chris Long gave credit to NFL fans for making his success popular, thanking the fans in St. Louis Rams, Boston and Philadelphia, adding about his current city, "my home"; and
WHEREAS, Chris Long is and always be one of our own, a Super Bowl winning superstar and a humanitarian who has honored our City merely by his presence, on and off the football field; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Honors and recognizes Chris Long for winning the NFL’s 2018 “Walter Payton Man of the Year” award, along with celebrating the incredible charity work that he does.
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