Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long has just announced that he will be donating the remainder of his salary to efforts to increase racial equality in education.
Long’s next 10 paychecks will be used to launch the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign, which focuses on efforts to improve education opportunities. The foundation has already selected four organizations that focus on helping students in underserved communities. All four communities are based in one of the three communities where Long has played in the NFL and also provide support for students to build their character.
“My wife and I have been passionate about education being a gateway for upward mobility and equality,” Long told the Associated Press. “I think we can all agree that equity in education can help effect change that we all want to see in this country.”
The move comes after Long had already donated his previous six paychecks to two scholarships for students in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia, which was recently catapulted into the national spotlight after violence erupted following a white supremacist rally.
“Our hometown is a wonderful place, and I feel like people got the wrong idea about what the residents of Charlottesville are all about,” he said at the time.