The Eagles have a bye in the wild-card round, but they’re not taking the week off.
The team has announced that it has donated more than $410,000 to various local nonprofits, with the goal of helping end gun violence in Philadelphia.
“In Philadelphia, gun violence continues to be a major concern and has disproportionately affected underserved communities of color,” the team explained in its announcement. “In 2022, Philadelphia experienced 516 homicides, surpassing a city record for annual homicides for the second year in a row dating back to at least 1960.”
Poverty and unemployment, as explained by the team’s press release, are two key factors that contribute to gun violence. The team’s goal, then, is to help break the cycles of poverty and violence.
The Eagles’ Social Justice Fund will donate to nine local nonprofit organizations, with $300,000 going toward “violence prevention programs that give well-paying jobs to people affected by violence so they can use their lived experience to create positive change,” and $110,350 will be devoted to “programs that give children and adults the knowledge they need to increase their financial literacy and grow their personal wealth.”
It’s an important way to deal with the root causes of gun violence. Guns aren’t going anywhere. The far better approach will be to address, and limit, those situations in which guns would be used in violent interactions
“In Philadelphia, a lot of the violence that we are seeing starts with being in poverty,” Eagles running back Miles Sanders said. “We’re in a time in this country where a lot of our youth, especially, are at risk. This issue hits home for me because I came from a similar type of environment, and I know what it takes to get out of those situations. A lot of these kids look up to guys like us, and it’s our responsibility to provide a source of inspiration for them and show them there is a way out. We can do this by investing in programs and initiatives that address the root causes of poverty and provide opportunities for those who have been trapped in it for far too long.”
Amen to that, and it’s great to see the Eagles embracing the challenge. It won’t be easy, but it could make a real difference — beyond the problem of gun violence.