The National Football League and the NFL Players Association pledged $2.5 million to aid in relief and recovery efforts in Haiti to assist victims of the earthquake, it was announced Friday.

The NFL and NFLPA will contribute $1 million through their Disaster Relief Fund to the American Red Cross and Partners In Health ($500,000 each). In addition, the NFL and its network partners will run pregame and in-game messages during this weekend’s games valued at $1.5 million to promote donations.  In addition, NFL owners and players are making their own personal donations.

The NFL is working with its teams, players and media partners to raise money and promote awareness of the recovery efforts.  A national PSA will air during each playoff game this weekend driving viewers to www.redcross.org, where they can support the recovery efforts. The PSA will feature New Orleans Saints linebacker JONATHAN VILMA and San Diego Chargers defensive end JACQUES CESAIRE, two players with Haitian-born parents.

There will be pregame and in-game messages on both CBS and FOX promoting the Red Cross’ text-to-give line (text "HAITI" to "90999"). NFL Network programming, ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, and NFL radio broadcasts also will promote the text-to-give line. NFL.com will have banner ads driving to the Red Cross to donate funds.

There will be in-stadium video board and PA messages in all four stadiums hosting games this weekend promoting the Red Cross' text-to-give program. The Vikings will have a collection drive at their stadium gates for this weekend's game and they will be running an in-game PSA featuring running back ADRIAN PETERSON.

Other NFL players with Haitian ties include STANLEY ARNOUX (New Orleans), CLIFF AVRIL (Detroit), GOSDER CHERILUS (Detroit), ANTONIO CROMARTIE (San Diego), LOUIS DELMAS (Detroit), ELVIS DUMERVIL (Denver), PIERRE GARCON (Indianapolis), RASHAD JEANTY (Cincinnati), RICKY JEAN-FRANCOIS (San Francisco), MAX JEAN-GILLES (Philadelphia), DAVIN JOSEPH (Tampa Bay), WILLIAM JOSEPH (Oakland), STEVE OCTAVIEN (Dallas), DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE (Arizona) and former players D’ANTHONY BATISTE, VERNAND MORENCY and JONAL SAINT-DIC.

Created in 2001 to assist organizations directly and indirectly affected by the events of September 11, the NFL-NFLPA Disaster Relief Fund is a collaborative endeavor of the National Football League and the NFL Players Association.  Its goal is to improve the quality of life and help rebuild communities affected by large-scale tragedies. Since its inception, the NFL-NFLPA Disaster Relief Fund has provided aid to those affected by the events of September 11, 2001, the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, Hurricane Katrina and the 2007 San Diego Wildfires.

Source: National Football League

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