Larry Fitzgerald
Philanthropy
Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund
Fitzgerald established the “Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund” to help kids and their families by funding positive activities for kids during the summer and throughout the year, supporting kids and families in crisis and supporting health-related organizations that work with families.
The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation has two priorities: Promoting reading proficiency and technology access for K-12 youth as cornerstones to success at school and in life, and Supporting efforts to prevent and cure breast cancer and support breast cancer survivors.
During the 2011, 2012, and 2014 offseasons, Fitzgerald joined other NFL players partaking in mission trips to Africa, India, Thailand and the Philippines to support economic development projects. He has worked with Starkey Hearing Foundation to provide hearing aids for children and adults in need in eight countries. Fitzgerald has also made five USO tours to visit soldiers overseas and has raised financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. military.
Fitzgerald also established the “Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund” in honor of his mother who died of breast cancer in 2003. The organization offers support to causes that Fitzgerald's mother held dear, including educating urban youth about HIV/AIDS and breast cancer issues. He has served as an NFL spokesman for the league-wide breast cancer awareness initiative “A Crucial Catch” for three years and every October makes donations to breast cancer organizations based on his touchdowns and receptions during the month.
All net proceeds from these bracelets, which are made from abandoned fishing nets, help clean up our oceans, and support coral reef restoration efforts and Super Coral research through MSC Foundation and its partners, including the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University.
During the 2013 season, Fitzgerald was honored with the NFL Players Association Georgetown Lombardi Award. The award was established to honor a leader in the sports industry whose life and family have been touched by cancer, and who encourages cancer research, prevention and treatment through awareness and philanthropy. In August 2012, he was honored with the 14th annual Pro Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award for his community and charitable contributions.
In 2014, Fitzgerald was selected as the 2014 Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Male Recipient, which was created in 1994 by the Rotary Club of Tulsa to recognize an influential male and female premiere athlete for their success in their sport and for being a positive role model who gives back to their communities.
In May 2014, Fitzgerald and Lenovo provided five schools in Minneapolis and four schools in Phoenix Lenovo tablets and equipment to enable the children to gain access to technology.