49ers CEO Jed York released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
“Today, I am committing that the 49ers Foundation will contribute $1 Million to the cause of improving racial and economic inequality and fostering communication and collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve here in the Bay Area.
We are partnering with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation in this effort. We have chosen to work with these two organizations because they have proven track records of affecting change in the face of challenging problems and have the collective reach to make the greatest impact. Silicon Valley Community Foundation is the largest community foundation in the world, managing $7.3 billion in assets and more than 1,800 philanthropic funds globally. The San Francisco Foundation has served the people of the Bay Area since 1948, almost as long as the 49ers franchise. We are excited to work with these two renowned foundations over the coming months to develop a giving plan to help our community find unifying solutions to these pressing issues.”
This statement comes in the wake of Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest sparking national discussion. The 49ers initially released a statement supporting Kaepernick’s freedom to act on his own and are now involved on a deeper level with this pledge from York. Kaepernick has received plenty of criticism and support since he explained the motivations behind his protest. Earlier Thursday, Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin announced that he and his teammates are planning a ‘demonstration of unity’ before their opener.
