POP CULTURE
He makes a point to visit young patients at the hospital every Tuesday.
Russell Wilson and Ciara are closing out the year in a generous way, donating millions to Mount Sinai Karvis Children’s Hospital as part of the football star’s ongoing charitable work through his Why Not You Foundation.
The donation was announced on Friday December 26 during a Good Morning America segment, where it was revealed that Wilson and the singer contributed $3 million to support the hospital’s pediatric programs. The funds will be used to enhance shared spaces where young patients can take part in therapeutic and creative activities away from medical treatment, as well as to support the hospital’s holiday shop for children.
The gift comes at a time when Wilson has been regularly visiting the children’s hospital every Tuesday on his days off from practices and games with the New York Giants. “I started going to children’s hospitals, because my dad was unfortunately always in the hospital he had diabetes and my mom was an ER nurse,” he shared during his interview with GMA.
“For me, I thought, like, ‘How can I make a difference somewhere?’” Wilson continued. “Every time I walk in a room, I’m praying for a miracle, something great to happen. And I’ve seen those miracles happen time and time again.”
The $3 million donation was made through Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation, which he launched in 2014. “My dad used to always say, ‘Son, why not you?’ It kind of became the mantra of my life,” he recalled, explaining that he and Ciara chose the name because “our parents both instilled that ‘Why not you?’ attitude in us.”
Just six weeks before the Mount Sinai announcement, Wilson shared on Instagram that the Why Not You Foundation had raised more than $21 million to support initiatives focused on education, children’s health, and combating poverty. A portion of those funds was also donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Ciara, who works closely alongside her husband through the foundation, recently attended an event at St. Peter’s Church in Atlanta where she pledged $2 million toward programs aimed at fighting food insecurity.
Speaking about what he hopes the donation will achieve, Wilson told GMA, “I want [the kids] to be inspired, and I want them to take their mind a little bit off of the pain they’re going through.”
“It’s probably been the greatest thing I’ve been able to do in my career so far,” he added when reflecting on his work with young patients. “It’s better than any touchdown or any trophy.”
Learn more about Wilson and Ciara’s donation to Mount Sinai Karvis below.
