Colin Kaepernick’s $50,000 to Love Army for Somalia likely helped push it over the $2.1-million mark. (kaepernick7.com).
Colin Kaepernick’s free agency hasn’t slowed down his charitable efforts as he’s continued to make huge donations to philanthropic organizations.
The NFL quarterback’s newest gifts are $50,000 donations each to Meals on Wheels, which could reportedly be threatened by Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts, and Love Army for Somalia, according to the New York Daily News. Kaepernick revealed Monday, March 20, that Love Army secured a Turkish Airlines plane to send food to the drought-stricken east African country.
“This is a victory for the people, this is a victory for the people of Somalia,” Kaepernick said Monday of the $2 million fundraiser that surpassed its goal within 4 days. “This is amazing, let’s keep building, let’s keep going.”
The news spurred tweets saying Kaepernick’s Meals on Wheels donation was made to spite Donald Trump, who proposed budget cuts to the Community Development Block Grant, a federally supported program that supplies some funding to local Meals on Wheels groups.
Colin Kaepernick responded to Trump's criticism of him by donating $50K to Meals on Wheels. Touché!
— Kenny BooYah! 🖖🏾 (@KwikWarren) March 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/844292555688828929
But others saw it as a “kind” donation.
Sure there's shade if you look, but mostly, it's just extraordinarily kind. What a heart. https://t.co/3z7kchLLbj
— Anika Noni Rose (@AnikaNoniRose) March 21, 2017
@AnikaNoniRose @ShaunKing it’s not shade it’s contrast Kap is a good man and trump isn’t. Simple as that.
— Lady Bird (@LadyBirdOsprey) March 21, 2017
Kaepernick’s gifts continue his mission to give $1 million to various organizations, which he announced at a September press conference as he continued to protest the national anthem.
“I will donate $1 million plus all the proceeds of my jersey sales from the 2016 season to organizations working in oppressed communities, $100,000 a month for 10 months,” a statement on his official website said.
Fans can keep track of his efforts by visiting kaepernick7.com, which shows Kaepernick is approaching the $500,000 mark, usually in $25,000 increments throughout the month. Organizations Kaepernick has given to include Oakland, Calif.’s Against Police Brutality, Chicago’s Black Youth Project, Brooklyn’s Black Veterans for Justice and $50,000 to UCSF for The Mni Wiconi Health Clinic Partnership at Standing Rock. Those contributions don’t include the $60,000 worth of backpacks Kaepernick gifted to Harlem and Bronx, N.Y., students in September or his two newest grants.
