‘This Is A Stadium that Cannot Remain Empty,’ Says Devin McCourty
December 6, 2021
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— NFL star athletes Devin and Jason McCourty made headlines when the twins both joined the New England Patriots in 2018. While their status as twins on the same team rocked stadiums around the country, the brothers are currently hoping to fill a very different type of stadium.
The McCourty brothers are partnering with Compassion International and its Fill the Stadium (FtS, fillthestadium.com) initiative, a global campaign dedicated to assist in providing essential food, medical care and support to impoverished children and their families due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The McCourty brothers have joined the Fill the Stadium team —along with fellow professional athletes and national leaders—to help children living in extreme poverty around the globe.
Compassion CEO Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado commented, “At Compassion, we believe the empty stadiums at NFL games last season were a sobering reminder of those who still need essential food, health care, and support as this crisis continues. We are committed to caring for 70,000 children who were not sponsored due to the pandemic, which is enough children to fill an average NFL football stadium.”
“Our families are all helping,” said Devin McCourty. “We are all donating to Fill the Stadium. This is a stadium that cannot remain empty.”
“Compassion International is working tirelessly to try to fulfill the poverty needs all around the world for young kids,” said Jason McCourty. “They are helping these kids reach their full potential. Every empty seat in a stadium represents a child in need.”
Fill the Stadium has a clear goal: to provide food and life-saving aid to 70,000 children who missed out on relief this year due to gaps of support created by the Covid-19 crisis. The target of 70,000 is the average capacity of pro-football stadiums in America. So far, the team has raised over $33 million and filled nearly 67,000 seats—but there are still children who desperately need help.
The Fill the Stadium team notes that $500—approximately the same amount most Americans would spend for four tickets to attend a pro-football game—will help provide 12 months of food, nutritional supplements, hygiene essentials, and COVID-19 medical screenings for children and families in crisis. So far, the group has “filled” over 16,000 seats—well on their way to the goal of helping 70,000 children.
In addition to the McCourty twins, those holding co-leadership roles in this charitable team effort are Alyssa Naeher, a member of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team (which won a Bronze Medal in Tokyo); Nick Foles, professional football MVP quarterback; Adam Engel of the Chicago White Sox; Sam Burns, PGA TOUR golfer; Nick Ahmed of the Arizona Diamondbacks; Jordy Nelson, former professional wide receiver; Devin and Jason McCourty, NFL defensive backs; Nate Solder of the New York Giants; Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes; Brock Huard, FOX sports broadcaster and former professional quarterback; and many others. Steve Stenstrom, president of Pro Athletes Outreach, is also playing a lead role in the effort.
To learn more about this effort, visit the Fill the Stadium website, as well as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Founded in 1952,Compassion International is a Christian child development organization that works to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Compassion revolutionized the fight against global poverty by working exclusively with the Church to lift children out of spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty. Compassion partners with more than 8,000 churches in 25 countries to deliver its holistic child development program to over 2 million babies, children, and young adults. Its child sponsorship program has been validated through independent, empirical research.
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To interview Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado, president and CEO of Compassion International, or another Fill the Stadium spokesperson, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
