The NFL Draft-A-Thon Brings Us Football and the Chance to Give

Football fans across the country will tune in April 23–25 to see the 2020 NFL draft, which will be a virtual event this year. There is another reason to tune in as the NFL will host Draft-A-Thon, which is an opportunity for everyone to make an impact in the fight against COVID-19.  

The NFL Draft-A-Thon presents an important opportunity to continue raising awareness about as well as donations for COVID-19 relief efforts for six national nonprofit organizations working to provide support in countless areas. We are pleased to announce the CDC Foundation is among those organizations that will be highlighted. Other organizations that will benefit from the NFL Draft-A-Thon include the American Red Cross, Feeding America, Meals on Wheels America, Salvation Army and the United Way. The NFL will also take this opportunity to pay tribute to healthcare workers, first responders and others on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The Draft-A-Thon will feature a variety of athletes, celebrities and personalities, including actor and comedian Kevin Hart, music artists Quavo and Kane Brown, and NFL stars Tyrann Mathieu, Devin McCourty, Torrey Smith, Rod Woodson and many others. The event will be hosted by the NFL Network's Rich Eisen and Deion Sanders. 

Our team at the CDC Foundation also thanks the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers for naming our foundation as one of the organizations their club’s specific donations will support. 

The fundraiser will be live streamed on NFL social and digital platforms and featured in live draft coverage on ABC, ESPN, NFL Network and ESPN Deportes. Donations can be made at NFL.com/RELIEF, and there will also be a text-to-donate option. In addition, fans can bid on autographed NFL items and exclusive packages to support COVID-19 relief at NFL.com/auction.

While tuning in to see who your favorite team picks up in the draft, I hope you will also take advantage of this great opportunity to join with organizations combatting coronavirus. Special thanks to the NFL Foundation for providing this opportunity for everyone to make a difference. 



Caitlin Smyke-Epstein
Caitlin Smyke Esptein, MPA, is a senior advancement officer for the CDC Foundation.