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NFL Players Donate Time, Money To Help Immigrants, Haitian Children

Ryan Mayer

Lost in the rhetoric and conversation surrounding the NFL's stance on player's protests is the great work that many players do within their communities and for those less fortunate than them. Recently, a couple of players provided a reminder and example of those good works.

First, there was Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman who, according to the Washington Post, made a 3 a.m. Walmart run while in San Antonio to buy toys for immigrant children who had been separated from their families at the border.

Norman, along with New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis, then put together care packages for the kids and in conjunction with Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), took the care packages and 20 boxes of pizza to the children that had been separated from their families.

Davis and Norman aren't the only two NFL players in the news for their charitable efforts off the field this week. Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Marcell Dareus donated $125,000 to help build classrooms in Haiti. According to Jacksonville.com, Dareus attended the groundbreaking ceremony of a three classroom building on the small Caribbean island this week.

The island is still struggling to recover from the damage created by an earthquake in 2010 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Dareus' late father was Haitian-born and the defensive end donated $25,000 to Hope for Haiti during his visit to the island last year.

"I promised my mom that I would support Haiti in any way I could and now I am using my platform to keep my promise,″ Dareus said. ″It's a beautiful country with incredible people and children who need help. I want to make sure I do everything I can to lift them up. This is just the beginning of what we're looking to accomplish here. I plan to come back after next season to see the new school and decide what else I can do to continue to build a legacy of hope for Haiti."

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