NFL Man of the Year Nominees 2020 | Eagles

2020 has been a year full of challenges that no one could have predicted, with COVID-19 disrupting communities across the globe, especially those in under-resourced areas. Rodney saw the effects of the pandemic on vulnerable communities in the Philadelphia region and across the nation, and in response, founded the Change Our Future Foundation with his wife, Erika. The Foundation was designed to empower people through education, advocacy, and awareness in the areas of youth development, healthy lifestyles, and community enrichment. Through Change Our Future, Rodney is dedicated to collaboratively eliminating barriers seen in healthcare, education, and civic engagement by advancing programs, opportunities and resources that give youth, families, and communities a path toward a healthy and hopeful future. Through the Change Our Future Foundation, he has already established many signature campaigns and programs. Highlights include: • Making its first donation – $25,000 – to Philabundance, a Philadelphia-area food bank, to help those in need during the coronavirus pandemic in early April. • The Rise Up for Research campaign is a fundraising initiative to help defeat cancer. Change Our Future donates $1,000 toward cancer research for every interception, forced fumble, sack, or tackle for a loss that McLeod makes during the NFL season. • The My Voice My Vote campaign was designed to encourage eligible voters to get registered and make their voices heard in the 2020 presidential election. • In partnership with WHYY, the Foundation established the Game Changers campaign to build a brighter future and better tomorrow by supporting the education, empowerment and development of today’s youth leaders. Over the next two years, the Game Changers campaign will provide 8,000-10,000 children and youth in the Philadelphia region with educational programs that focus on social justice, Black history curriculum for students and schools, and expanding internships in media pathway programs for high school students. • While COVID-19 disrupted many opportunities for youth engagement and participation in team sports and activities, Rodney partnered with the NFL, Boys and Girls Club of America, and WHYY to host Change Our Future’s first ever virtual football camp in June 2020. The mission of the annual youth football camp is to teach student-athletes proper technique, while imparting important values such as character, accountability, and leadership so that youth reach their full potential. The Elevate Black History program is designed to enhance the Black history curriculum in classrooms across the region, and eventually across the nation, through innovative opportunities and viable experiences that bring exposure, and give youth an advantage both inside and outside of the classroom. Rodney’s efforts have not gone unnoticed and have garnered media attention both regionally and nationally. In the words of the McLeods’ themselves: “Making plays throughout the community gives us a tremendous sense of joy and gratitude. Impacting the lives of others is one of the highest honors we can all strive to achieve.” He was one of the first Philadelphia athletes to step up and support healthcare workers on the front-line battling COVID-19. In April, he and his wife delivered pizzas and salads to workers at the COVID-19 testing site at the University of Pennsylvania. They also spent time on a Zoom call to recognize the workers for their bravery and sent autographed mini helmets as a ‘thank you’ for all they have done.