Leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light in Kansas City on April 27-29, the NFL will host a series of community events in Kansas City. From character-building initiatives, youth football events, food distribution and community greening projects, the NFL aims to leave a lasting, positive legacy in Kansas City and throughout the state of Missouri.
Throughout Draft Week, the collective NFL family will participate in events designed to give back with an emphasis on activations that promote youth health and wellness. To kick off Draft Week, the NFL alongside Salute to Service partner Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) and NFL partner Little Caesars will host an event to thank those who have served as well as active-duty military members and their families on Sunday. Monday, NFL Green will host an NFL Draft Community Greening project alongside Bridging the Gap, Kansas City Parks, Verizon and the Kansas City Chiefs to plant trees throughout Dunbar Park. On Tuesday, the NFL will host a Character Playbook event, which will teach middle school students at James Bridger Middle School about the connections between mental wellness and healthy relationships.
On Wednesday, NFL Draft prospects onsite will participate in a youth football clinic and various service projects alongside local youth which will improve the grounds of the middle school adjacent to Central High School in Kansas City. This represents the first time that Draft prospects will engage in this type of project as their entry point to community engagement right before they join the NFL. After partaking in the clinic and community event, prospects will be made available to the media.
Additionally on Wednesday, an NFL Community Clinics Day will take place at Draft Experience. Community groups from around Kansas City including Special Olympics and Strong Girls Group will head to the Play Football field to participate in various activities including skills and drills as well as participating in a charitable project packing a resource bag that will benefit two local Kansas City-based organizations, Operation Breakthrough and Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA).
To round out the week, the NFL and Lowe’s will support day one of Kansas City’s popular Tomato Days at Kansas City Community Gardens, which focuses on helping low-income families obtain affordable vegetable plants and create their own gardens to produce food. The NFL and Lowe’s will also team up for a refurbishment of the area utilized by youth at the site of the event. On Friday, the NFL and its partner American Heart Association (AHA) will work together on a refurbishment project that will turn a school room at Frank Rushton Elementary School into an NFL Play 60 play space.
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DRAFT WEEK EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS
SALUTE TO SERVICE COMMUNITY EVENT AND CELEBRATION: Sunday, April 23, 4 pm CT, Lot L of GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium – 1 Arrowhead Dr, Kansas City, MO 64129
To thank those that have served our country and to celebrate the 2023 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light in Kansas City, the NFL will come together with Little Caesars Love Kitchen and Salute to Service partner, the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF), to host a special Salute to Service event at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
During the event, local military families and Veterans will have a chance to tour the stadium and enjoy pizza from the Little Caesars Love Kitchen, a pizza kitchen on wheels that travels across the U.S. serving those in need. They will also meet Kansas City Chiefs legends, the KC Wolf mascot, and Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders. Attendees will also be able to participate in various activities including football skills & drills, contribute to a mural that will be donated to a local Veteran organization, and pack “move-in kits” to benefit organizations that serve veterans in the Kansas City area that are moving into temporary or permanent housing.
NFL DRAFT COMMUNITY GREENING PROJECT – TREE PLANTING AT DUNBAR PARK: Monday, April 24, 9:30 am – 12 pm, Intersection of East 36th St S and Oakley Ave, Kansas City, MO
NFL Green will work with Bridging the Gap, Kansas City Parks, Verizon, the Kansas City Chiefs and community volunteers to plant a diverse mix of 25 trees along the walking paths that run throughout the park. These trees will grow to shade the walking path, benches and an existing play structure at Dunbar Park located on Kansas City’s East Side.
CHARACTER PLAYBOOK SPEAKER SERIES: Tuesday, April 25, 9 am – 1 pm CT, James Bridger Middle School – 18200 E. M78 Highway, 18200 MO-78, Independence, MO 64057
The NFL alongside Character Playbook partner EVERFI and the Kansas City Chiefs will bring together panelists from around the League as well as 125 students at James Bridger Middle School and students from across the country who have participated in Character Playbook to discuss the connections between mental wellness and healthy relationships. The students in attendance will have the opportunity to gather for a live panel discussion and participate in activities around mental wellness. There will also be a virtual component of the panel discussion that will be hosted for schools around the country interested in participating.
NFL + AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY TOUR OF SAMUEL U. RODGERS HEALTH CENTER: Tuesday, April 25, 12 pm CT, Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center – 825 Euclid Ave, Kansas City, MO 64124
In recognition of National Minority Health Month, the American Cancer Society (ACS) will host an opportunity to see the impact of the NFL and American Cancer Society’s Crucial Catch initiative at Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. The center received an NFL-funded ACS grant in 2022 to help the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) increase access to cancer screenings. Media is invited to tour the facility and learn more about cancer screening disparities from NFL, ACS, Sam Rodgers, and Missouri Office of Minority Health representatives.
The event will include mammography screenings and autographs with players and legends. CHANGE grants are made possible through a partnership between NFL Crucial Catch and ACS, promoting health equity, risk reduction and early cancer detection to save lives.
NFL PLAY FOOTBALL TOWN HALL AT NORTH KANSAS CITY HIGH SCHOOL: Tuesday, April 25, 6 – 7:30 pm CT, 3221 Indiana Ave, Kansas City, MO 64128
The Play Football Town Hall will integrate youth and high school football stakeholders (coaches, athletes, athletic directors, etc.) along with parents of all levels of football athletes in the greater Kansas City community, and NFL Legends in an open discussion about all aspects of football.
NFL PLAY FOOTBALL PROSPECT CLINIC & COMMUNITY EVENT: Wednesday, April 26, 9:30 am – 11 am CT, Central High School – 3221 Indiana Ave, Kansas City, MO 64128
The NFL will be hosting a community service event and Play Football Clinic at Central Middle School and High School. Local youth will be invited to partake in the clinic and contribute to community projects alongside the 2023 NFL Draft prospects. Central Middle School is a City High school. City Year is one of the NFL’s Inspire Change social justice grant recipients. In addition, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Hunt Family Foundation are founding City Year Kansas City Team Sponsors and have supported eight full-time City Year AmeriCorps members at Central Middle School annually since the 2015-16 school year. City Year AmeriCorps members serve full-time in schools providing students with tutoring and in-class support, after-school programming, as well as organizing school-wide initiatives to increase academic achievement and student engagement.
The service projects will include building three vegetable garden beds and an activity where prospects will work alongside youth to help them create their own vision boards. NFL partner Lowe’s will be providing supplies to support the gardening activity. The Play Football clinic, located on the high school football field, will allow youth to learn football skills and drills while engaging with Prospects. Service projects will take place at Central Middle School (3611 E. Linwood Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64128), which is a City Year funded school, while the Play Football Clinic will take place on the football field at Central High School.
NFL Draft prospects will be made available to the media following the community event and Play Football clinic.
NFL COMMUNITY CLINICS DAY: Wednesday, April 26, 1 – 7 pm at the Play Football Field at Draft Experience
The NFL will bring together community groups from across Kansas City to celebrate the NFL Draft through a Community Clinics Day that will include youth from a variety of the key focus areas that the NFL is committed to year-round, including Special Olympics and Strong Girls Group. Participants will experience the excitement of the NFL Draft by taking part in football skills and drills led by USA Football coaches at the Play Football field at Draft Experience.
Additionally, the community groups will participate in a charitable project by packing a resource bag benefitting two local Kansas City-based organizations – Operation Breakthrough and Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA).
NFL AND LOWE’S SUPPORT TOMATO DAYS AT KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY GARDENS: Thursday, April 27, 9 am CT, Kansas City Community Gardens – 6917 Kensington Avenue, Kansas City, MO
The NFL and Lowe’s present Kansas City’s popular Tomato Days – which is the kickoff of the Kansas City gardening season and an opportunity for residents to select seeds, tomato, vegetable and herb plants from the Kansas City Community Gardens (KCCG) greenhouse. As part of Tomato Days, the NFL and Lowe’s will refurbish the Beanstalk Children’s Garden and education area, adding a new shed, new fencing and other improvements.
The first day of Tomato Days (which is a three-day event from April 27-29), focuses on helping low-income families obtain affordable vegetable plants and create their own gardens to produce food. With a personal investment of just $25, KCCG-supported gardeners can grow up to $600 worth of produce each year, significantly offsetting grocery costs and making healthy food easily accessible. Gardeners on Thursday that are in attendance will be welcomed by NFL and Lowe’s reps and will walk away with some additional Lowe’s gardening products.
USAA SALUTE TO SERVICE CHALK TALK: Thursday, April 27, from 12 – 3 pm CT, Joe’s BBQ (Olathe), 11950 S Strang Line Rd, Olathe, KS 66062
As part of the NFL and USAA’s year-round commitment to recognize and honor the military and veteran community, USAA, an Official NFL Salute to Service Partner, will be hosting Kansas City-area military service members at a Chalk Talk and meet and greet with NFL running back Isiah Pacheco and Legend Derrick Johnson. The attendees will get to hear directly from the players about their military connections and appreciation before attending the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFL PLAY 60 PLAY SPACE REFURBISHMENT PROJECT: Friday, April 28, from 9:30 – 11:30 am CT, Frank Rushton Elementary School – 2605 W 43rd Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66103
The NFL has teamed up with the American Heart Association (AHA) to revitalize a school room at Frank Rushton Elementary School into an NFL PLAY 60 Play Space. The NFL PLAY 60-themed space will provide students with physical activity equipment and resources to help them lead a healthy lifestyle. The NFL will host a school pep rally for students from Frank Rushton Elementary School to celebrate the NFL PLAY 60 Play Space’s opening and a PLAY 60 clinic for over 300 students led by USA Football coaches. The Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders and KC Wolf mascot will be in attendance for the event as well.
MILITARY APPRECIATION MOMENTS AT THE 2023 NFL DRAFT PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT:
On Night 1 of the Draft, the Military District of Washington’s Joint Armed Forces Color Guard and United States Army Field Band Drummers will present the nation’s colors for the playing of the national anthem. The U.S. Air Force’s 23d Wing from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, will provide a flyover with A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft at the conclusion of the anthem.
Between Rounds 2 & 3, the NFL will recognize two servicemembers from each branch of the Armed Forces during a moment to honor all current and former members of the U.S. Military. Additionally, the NFL will highlight prospects and current players from the nation’s military academies.
On Day 3 of the Draft, the NFL is inviting hundreds of servicemembers and military families from the Kansas City area to attend. Another highlight of Day 3 is a Joint Enlistment Ceremony on the Draft stage, where 22 recruits will swear an oath of enlistment. Lt. Gen. Milford Beagle, Jr., from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, will preside over the ceremony.
There will also be a number of military-related special picks made throughout the Draft.
2023 NFL SHRINERS HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN MEDIA CORRESPONDENT – ALEC:
Alec, the national spokesperson for Shriners Children’s and accessibility advocate for students with disabilities in colleges and universities, will serve as a media correspondent at the 2023 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light. As a journalism student at Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Alec is passionate about breaking down the barriers that students with disabilities face as they navigate college life. In addition to various Draft events, Alec will also be reporting from the Draft red carpet where he will have the opportunity to interview this year’s prospects. He aims to emphasize how football can make a positive impact beyond the field, reaching communities and inspiring change. Alec has been part of the NFL family for years, having attended Draft previously as well as NFL Kickoff and Super Bowl. During the NFL Draft, he will continue to pursue his dream of becoming a sports broadcaster while raising awareness about the global care provided by Shriners Children’s, regardless of the families ability to pay.
NFL GREEN 2023 NFL DRAFT PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT ACTIVATIONS:
Food Recovery and Donation in partnership with Harvesters and Pete’s Garden: NFL Green is working with NFL Catering, Harvesters and Pete’s Garden to donate prepared/unserved food from Draft events. Food recovery pickups will be coordinated daily.
Material Recovery and Donation in partnership with local nonprofit organizations: NFL Green will work with local nonprofit organizations to donate large quantities of materials from the NFL Draft including décor fabric, carpet, building materials, office supplies and other items. Various pick-ups of items are being coordinated with event managers and nonprofits receiving materials. Donated items will be repurposed, benefiting nonprofits and keeping event materials out of local landfills.
Swag for Seedlings: Fans caught showing their team spirit and wearing team swag at Draft Experience may have a chance to win a unique NFL Draft hat as part of the NFL Green and Verizon “Swag for Seedlings” initiative which will plant more than 5,000 trees (20 for each Draft pick) in honor of fans and their teams.
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