San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin is one of three finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
The San Francisco 49ers will be well represented at the inaugural Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards, presented by ESPN and PlayStation.
Wide receiver Anquan Boldin is one of four finalists for the "Sports Humanitarian of the Year" award, and the 49ers organization as a whole is one of four finalists for "Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year."
The awards were created to celebrate and honor athletes, teams, nonprofits and members of the sports industry for using sport to serve communities and make a positive impact on society, it was announced by John Skipper, President, ESPN. The event, which will take place Tuesday, July 14 at the Conga Room at L.A. Live, will be the first of its kind, bringing together the leagues and sporting community to pay tribute to the collective good of sports.
Boldin receives the honor after his tireless work to help underprivileged youth, working to help them to overcome their limitations by expanding educational and life opportunities.
Through his "Q81" foundation, Boldin provides a network of support with mentoring and after-school programs, scholarships, and annual summer enrichment programs — all of which are creating tangible impacts in the lives of children in Baltimore, South Florida and San Francisco.
The San Francisco 49ers are one of four finalists for their philanthropic efforts centered around education.
Becoming an Oxfam Ambassador on his own accord, Boldin also has testified before Congress to strengthen human rights protections for communities impacted by the oil and mining industries in Africa. In 2014, Boldin and his wife, Dionne, made a $1 million pledge to help youth in need by providing 4-year college scholarships to four deserving high school graduates annually.
The other three finalists are Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers, Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever and WWE Superstar John Cena.
The 49ers organization is being honored for their philanthropic efforts centered around education.
The San Francisco 49ers Academy, a middle school for low-income students, continues to thrive in the highly challenged city of East Palo Alto. The team has supported the Academy from top to bottom with grants; player, alumni, ownership and staff involvement; mentorships; and facility enhancement. Inclusive of the contributions to the 49ers Academy, since 1992, the Foundation has donated $30.6 million to support nonprofits, contributing $4.6 million in 2014, including a $1 million grant to launch the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute to enable motivated and talented young scholars to reach their full potential.
Three other organizations up for the award are the Chicago Bulls, Portland Timbers and WWE Community Relations.
