Cliff Avril Family Foundation donating to students, community during outbreak
Mar 25, 2020, 4:55 PM
Former Seahawks star Cliff Avril is donating to local organizations that help kids get nutritious meals while schools are closed during the coronavirus outbreak. (Photo by Paul Conrad/Getty Images for American Express)
(Photo by Paul Conrad/Getty Images for American Express)
Former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril and the Cliff Avril Family Foundation are donating over $50,000 to four community-based organizations that are helping people impacted by the coronavirus.
“I think it’s only right,” Avril told KIRO Radio’s Gee and Ursula Show. “You live in this community, you have got to find ways to give back if you are fortunate enough to be able to give back.”
The former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion has focused his efforts on giving back to the area youth who might be in need.
“Times like this, a lot of people aren’t working,” he said. “There’s no school and a lot of these kids, man, in the inner city they depend on not just the education pieces of going to school, but more so than anything, the breakfast and lunch. Because that’s how they get their meals for the day. Not having school right now obviously adds stress to the family but more so than anything these kids aren’t getting the meals they usually would get.”
To help alleviate the stress, Avril is teaming up with four local organizations: The Odessa Brown Clinic, Communities in Schools, HealthPoint, and Boys and Girls Club of King County, where donations will go toward providing breakfast and lunch for the 150-160 kids still coming to the community center.
“I’m just trying to do my part, man. Just trying to do my part and support the community that supported me,” Avril said.
As for how he and his family are dealing with the current stay at home order, Avril is adjusting just fine.
“I’m naturally just a homebody so this doesn’t bother me one bit,” he said. “Now the other three people in my family, I think they are starting to get cabin fever a little bit. They’re wanting to go on walks and do a lot of things we don’t normally do, which is great. I think this is the ultimate time to slow things down and just get back to the things that matter. Being able to spend time with your family, be more involved with the kids education-wise, being able to pour more into your kids, more into your relationship, and not have too many distractions. So we are using it as a positive to build our foundation and continue to grow.”
More information about the organizations above can be found on the Cliff Avril Family Foundation website here.
Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.
