By Lisa Zimmerman, Player Engagement Insider
The New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers have had some epic battles on the football field over the years. The Giants lead 20-19 all-time against their West Coast rivals and the teams are tied 4-4 in the postseason.
However, there may have been none as important as the competition they took part in on July 12th at Newark Airport in New Jersey and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in California. Players from the two teams, along with employees from United Airlines in partnership with the organization Rise Against Hunger, took part in a synchronized, dual-location event to help fight hunger. Rise Against Hunger focuses on ending hunger on an international scale by providing food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable communities.
At both SFO and Newark, in an area of the busy United Airlines terminal, participants worked together in small groups assembling non-perishable meal packages, which will be shipped directly to Haiti to feed people in need. Travelers walking by were drawn into the action with some asking to take part.
The event’s goal was to pack a total of 40,000 meals with the first team to reach 20,000 being named the winner.
The Giants were ready to go, and had their game faces on. Rookie tight end Evan Engram, the Giants first-round NFL Draft pick this year, put it best, “We’re going to go as fast as we can. It’s a two-minute drill.”
Althouh the competition was scheduled with just two weeks to go before training camps open, players happily took time away from their own lives to participate in what they all agreed was a critical and worthy cause.
“It’s always important to give back in any way shape or form,” said Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie. “I feel like players in the NFL have a social obligation to give back in their local community and globally.”
Giants defensive end Kerry Wynn agreed. “It’s a great event. A lot of people in America take what they have for granted so, I was glad to be a part of this.”
And it was a high energy event with music adding to the festive spirit, and constant, real-time updates were provided of the progress being made on both coasts.
Nick DiMare, Community Engagement Coordinator with Rise Against Hunger, talked about what it meant to the organization to have members of the NFL involved.
“It’s really an awesome impact,” he said. “Having these players with us, being able to come out and share our mission and our vision to end world hunger by 2030. And United has had people walking by in the terminal asking what we’re doing. It all helps spread the word.”
In just three hours, the goal of 40,000 meals was reached with both teams each packing 20,000 meals. But, there can only be one winner and the San Francisco 49ers reached their number first. However, given the stakes, everyone involved walked away happy with the outcome.
Lisa Zimmerman is a long-time NFL writer and reporter. She was the Jets correspondent for CBSSports.com, SportsNet New York’s TheJetsBlog.com and Sirius NFL Radio. She has also written for NFL.com.