Roc Nation and NFL Donate $400,000 to Chicago Charities

As part of their new partnership, Roc Nation and the NFL will donate $400,000 to two Chicago charities.

According to TMZ, the donations are part of the newly-launched Inspire Change program and will benefit the Better Boys Foundation Family (BBF) Services organization and the Crusher’s Club, which give at-risk youth alternatives to gang violence and criminal activity.

Founded in the 1960s, the BBF provides education, employment and youth services, as well as family health programs to more than 400 families, while the Crusher’s Club’s mission is to help Chicago kids “restore their lives and improve their neighborhoods.”

The groups were reportedly hand-selected and vetted by Roc Nation. Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor, and Rapsody, who were named the NFL’s first Inspire Change advocates, will visit both programs this week.

On Thursday (Sept. 5), all three artists will perform a free concert at Chicago’s Grant Park during the “NFL Kickoff Experience.” It is the first in the “Songs of the Season” concert series that will showcase superstars and emerging artists and integrate their songs in NFL promotions.

And Chicago is just the start. Under the Inspire Change program, Roc Nation, the NFL, and the Players Coalition reportedly plan to make donations to two groups in every NFL city.

Last month, JAY-Z and the NFL announced their music and social justice partnership, which has received some criticism following the NFL’s treatment of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.