Browns Give Back hosts annual 10 Days of Giving (12.6.21)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 6, 2021

BEREA, Ohio – As the Browns continue to celebrate their 75th anniversary season, the team will once again host its annual “10 Days of Giving” initiative as it strives to lift spirits of those in need throughout Northeast Ohio during the holiday season. Throughout “10 Days of Giving,” spanning Dec. 7-16, Browns players, coaches and staff will participate in special community events and make meaningful contributions to deserving organizations or individuals as part of the team’s yearlong commitment to promoting education and youth football, as well as inspiring others through its signature First and Ten volunteering movement.

The community engagement program, initially inspired by the Browns’ signature #give10 First and Ten volunteer movement, fully encompasses the team’s dedication to education and combatting chronic absenteeism in Ohio through the Stay in the Game! Keep Learning, Every Day Network, its focus on enhancing youth and high school football throughout the state and its commitment to addressing social justice issues.

Preliminary information on the Browns’ community involvement throughout “10 Days of Giving” is included below. Detailed media advisories will also be sent throughout the initiative to provide media members the opportunity to attend select events with Browns personnel.

10 Days of Giving:

Day 1 (Tues., Dec. 7)

Stay in the Game! Network visit to Maple Heights City School District’s John F. Kennedy Elementary School, in partnership with the Arby’s Foundation
Through the Stay in the Game! Network, the Cleveland Browns Foundation and Arby’s Foundation will celebrate Maple Heights City School District and John F. Kennedy Elementary School’s faculty, teachers and students for their commitment to improving attendance and student engagement.
During the event, the Arby’s Foundation will present the Stay in the Game! Network with a $100,000 grant to support attendance interventions at multiple partner school districts, including Maple Heights City school district, that keep students in school and learning.
A media advisory outlining the time, Browns players expected onsite and other details will be shared prior to the event for media interested in attending.
The Cleveland Browns are dedicated to improving the quality of education for students in Ohio by making investments that keep kids in school every day so they can succeed, highlighted by the Stay in the Game! Keep Learning, Every Day Network. The Stay in the Game! Network is a statewide initiative designed to promote the importance of school attendance and put an end to chronic absenteeism.
Browns Walter Payton Man of the Year honoree
Cleveland will share the honoree for this year’s Browns Walter Payton Walter Payton Man of the Year, presented by Nationwide.
The award recognizes the NFL’s best players for their performance on the field and their dedication to the community.

Deck the House 2021
Providence House, Ohio’s first crisis nursery, will hold its 26th Annual “Deck the House” event in a virtual format.
During the fundraising event, typically hosted at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns and Providence House will recognize the team’s 2021 Ed Block Courage Award winner. The accolade is presented to one player from all 32 NFL franchises each year who best exemplifies the qualities of Ed Block – the former head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts – based on courage, compassion, commitment and community, as selected by their teammates.
For more information, visit https://www.provhouse.org/events/2021/12/07/deck-the-house-2021.

Day 2 (Wed., Dec. 8)

As part of the NFL’s annual My Cause My Cleats campaign, the team will highlight nonprofits and community initiatives that are meaningful to Browns players through its digital and social channels.
This year, more than 30 Browns players will participate in the initiative, which allows NFL players to raise awareness and funds for important causes by wearing custom-designed cleats during pregame and/or in-game during Weeks 13-14.

Day 3 (Thurs., Dec. 9)

The Cleveland Browns Foundation will celebrate and share highlights from Monday’s visit to Maple Heights City School District’s John F. Kennedy Elementary School, along with the Arby’s Foundation’s $100,000 grant presentation to the Stay in the Game! Keep Learning, Every Day Network.

Day 4 (Fri., Dec. 10)

As part of the First and Ten movement, the team will highlight staff’s efforts to support the annual “Giving Tree.” Each year, Browns employees have the opportunity to shop for gifts to provide to local kids who otherwise may not receive any during the holiday season. This year’s beneficiaries were selected through a partnership with Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services and Boys Hope Girls Hope Northeast Ohio.
Additionally, the team will share Browns coaches and players and Stripes United – comprised of Browns members’ significant others – efforts with the “Adopt-A-Family” program. In 2021, the annual initiative helped purchase holiday gifts for local families through The Littlest Heroes and Boys Hope Girls Hope Northeast Ohio.

Day 5 (Sat., Dec. 11)

Prior to announcing the winner of the 2021 Cleveland Browns High School Coach of the Year during the Browns-Ravens game, the Browns will profile all of this year’s nominees on the team’s social and digital platforms.
The Cleveland Browns High School Game of the Week – presented by Ohio CAT and in association with Medliminal – returned this fall for its 12th consecutive year. The winning coach from each matchup is eligible to become Coach of the Year, based on the coach’s overall body of work during the regular season and postseason, as well as character and community involvement. The finalists receive a $3,000 grant to benefit their high school football programs, and the 2021 High School Coach of the Year is given an additional $6,000, courtesy of the Browns and their High School Game of the Week partners.

Day 6 (Sun., Dec. 12)

Browns-Ravens, 1 p.m., FirstEnergy Stadium
On-field moment recognizing the 2021 Browns Walter Payton Man of the Year, presented by Nationwide.
Annual Browns Give Back First and Ten Toy Drive, presented by Electronic Merchant Systems.
2021 Cleveland Browns High School Coach of the Year announcement.
Browns players participating in the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats initiative.

Day 7 (Mon., Dec. 13)

Passing Along the Joy
QB Baker Mayfield and his wife, Emily, will shop at Meijer prior to delivering gifts to kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio.
The event is closed to media, but photos and b-roll will be made available upon request later in the week.
DE Jadeveon Clowney will host a shopping event at Meijer (Seven Hills), where kids from Passages will have the opportunity to purchase holiday gifts for themselves, family members and friends.
A media advisory outlining details will be shared prior to the event for media interested in attending.

Day 8 (Tues., Dec. 14)

Bump Taylor Field event
The Browns and FirstEnergy will host representatives of Cleveland Metropolitan School District, including individuals from John Jay High School and Glennville High School, for a ceremony and special surprise announcement at Bump Taylor Field.
Bump Taylor Field was one of the first recipients of a new high-quality synthetic turf field through the Browns’ and Haslam and Johnson families’ field project, which now encompasses 11 completed renovations since its launch in 2016.
A media advisory outlining details will be shared prior to the event for media interested in attending.

Day 9 (Wed., Dec. 15)

In partnership with Medliminal, the Browns will announce the winners of this year’s Browns Give Back First and Ten grants.
The Stay in the Game! Network, in partnership with the Cleveland Ballet, will reward Cleveland Metropolitan School District students with a special mini-performance of the Nutcracker at a school as a reward for the students’ hard work and commitment to attendance.

Day 10 (Thurs., Dec. 16)

Announcement of fan engagement opportunity through Browns Give Back’s First and Ten movement.

For more information, contact Rob McBurnett (RMcBurnett@ClevelandBrowns.com, 440-824-6175).

About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:

The Browns Give Back to Northeast Ohio with a commitment to education and youth football while engaging the community through the team’s signature First and Ten volunteer movement. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback.

Education – The Cleveland Browns are dedicated to improving the quality of education for students in Ohio by making investments that keep kids in school every day so they can succeed, highlighted by the Stay in the Game! Keep Learning, Every Day Network. The Stay in the Game! Network is a statewide initiative designed to promote the importance of school attendance and put an end to chronic absenteeism. The team engages local school districts and promotes quality education by using attendance data and feedback from families to build a school-going culture, uncover and reduce common barriers to attendance and support engagement opportunities for students to thrive. In the 2021-22 school year, the Stay in the Game! Network will partner with 16 school districts, benefitting more than 110,000 students in Ohio. An adaptation of the Get 2 School, Stay In The Game! Network, the name change reflects the current environment where schools may not necessarily be able to host in-school learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter the circumstances, the Stay in the Game! Network will continue to encourage and support students to maintain a strong educational-going mindset to keep learning, every day, aligned with its overall goal to help end chronic absenteeism and provide all students equal opportunities to be successful. To learn more visit, visit SITGNetwork.org.

Youth Football – The Cleveland Browns are committed to assisting the development, safety and growth of youth and high school football throughout Northeast Ohio with year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents. Through camps, clinics and other initiatives, the Browns’ goal is to promote healthy, social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of youth by enhancing opportunities for youth football participation and education.

First and Ten – Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team’s community program, established to inspire fans to #give10 and help their communities by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual’s city across the globe, as well as the franchise’s local community. To date, more than 2.75 million hours of volunteering have been pledged through First and Ten. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team’s website and by sharing their stories with #give10.

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