In the News

As we enter the MLB All-Star break we highlight some of our top campaigns from the first half of the season. Whether it’s been Stealing Bases to Stop Cancer, or Pitching in for Rescue Animals, players across the league have raised nearly a million dollars in charitable donations toward 17 different causes. Here are a few of our top Major League Baseball Stars— on and off the field!

The team here at Pledge It is guided by the company’s founding principle: Empowering athletes to achieve social good. That can come in many forms and functions— from advocating for social justice and equality, to fighting global hunger, to funding medical treatment or equipment, to protesting a war. For as long as athletes have grabbed headlines, they have used their platforms to impact the issues that are most important to them. In turn, the stands taken by these men and women have enabled them to transcend sports, and cross from the record books to the history books. When you see many of the photos below, you will often think not of athletic achievements, but of achievements in social good.

In honor of #GivingTuesday the team at Pledge It put together a top ten list of some of its best campaigns from 2018.

At the beginning of the season New York Yankees' super fans Steve Melia and Marybeth Longona embarked on an epic journey—attending all 167 Yankees games, including the playoffs. But that's just where the story started. By partnering with Pledge It, the couple raised over $28,000, split amongst four non-profit organizations.

For the second year in a row, Pledge It was an official partner of the Michigan Sports Business Conference. The student-led event was held at the University of Michigan and the Ross School of Business on October 18th & 19th. The conference brought together top industry professionals and students looking to gain insight and entry to the ever-growing sports business world. This year, our partnership took on a new dimension with Pledge It presenting MSBC’s first ever charitable campaign— First Downs for First Step—which can be found at pledgeit.org/msbc.

As the MLB season winds down, we pause to recognize some of our top campaigners from the 2018 season. We present the First Annual Pledge It MLB Campaign Awards.

The NFL Network has featured the amazing story of Tom Pettry and the work of high school football teams across the country in Touchdowns Against Cancer, the nation's largest high school football charity program. Each September, communities unite in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month through this initiative created by Pledge It & MaxPreps, a CBS Sports Digital property.

Pledge It is Introducing a 0% Platform Fee

In only its second year, of the Professional Basketball Combine (PBC) has decided that it's time to give back and create change in the community. The PBC has partnered with Pledge It to launch the inaugural Professional Basketball Combine: Rising to the Challenge fundraising campaign to benefit PeacePlayers.

Since 1980, over 1,000 special operations warriors have given their lives so that we might be free to pursue passions such as the sport of baseball. When these heroes died, whether in training or on the battlefield, many left behind loved ones, including over 1,100 children. In an effort to honor their sacrifice, high school baseball teams across the country have joined together to participate in STRIKE FORCE: Runs for Warriors.

Former Penn State defensive standout and future NFL draft pick, Garrett Sickels is raising awareness and funds for the rare disease community at the 2017 NFL Combine by allowing fans and supporters to pledge for every bench press rep he performs.

PLEDGE IT salutes all of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominees, and is proud to have partnered with four of them to help raise awareness and money for the important causes that they have dedicated themselves to supporting.

BethAnn Telford, an endurance athlete with brain cancer, will compete in the 2017 World Marathon Challenge on seven continents in seven consecutive days. Telford is the only cancer survivor and only American woman in the race. She will run to raise global awareness about brain cancer and raise $1 million for research supported by ABC2 (Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure).

From November 17th and 20th, two LPGA superstars will compete at the CME Group Tour Championship with one mission – changing lives. Sandra Gal and Brittany Lincicome are joining forces to participate in the LPGA Birdie Challenge to raise awareness and donations for LPGA*USGA Girls Golf (Girls Golf), which is a program powered by the LPGA Foundation and the USGA. Girls Golf empowers girls through the game of golf and inspires them to dream big!

The Penn State Chapter of Uplifting Athletes is holding its 2016 Touchdown Pledge Drive to support the rare disease community Saturday when the Nittany Lions hit the road to face Rutgers. Led by Garrett Sickels, Tom Devenney, and Trace McSorley, the Penn State Chapter leaders are challenging fans to join together and pledge any amount to help them reach their goal of $1,000 per touchdown.

Whether the topic is business, athletics, schooling or any other category of one’s life development, a level playing field and proper guidance would undoubtedly mix the company of the haves and have nots.

The Whittier Christian football team is participating in the Touchdowns Against Cancer campaign, and leads all Southern California schools in the fundraiser. Quarterback Quinn Commans, right, contributed three touchdowns in a win over Duarte last week. Funds, which go to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, are pledged based on how many touchdowns a team scores.

After sharing the Ivy League championship with Harvard and Dartmouth last season, the Penn Quakers have every reason to believe an outright Ivy League title is there for the taking in 2016. Penn welcomes back 12 starters, including seven on offense, and have more veteran offensive firepower back in the fold than any team in the Ivy League.

This Friday, DeSoto High School Head Coach Todd Peterman and his Eagles will find touchdowns will have an impact on more than just the game at hand. Football coaches don’t typically need much motivation to put more points on the board, but this Friday will be different. The Eagles will participate in the first ever Touchdowns Against Cancer campaign, which is sponsored by MaxPreps and PLEDGE IT.

When Legacy Christian Academy takes the field Friday night every touchdown scored will result in donations for pediatric cancer research.

Colgate claimed the Patriot League title a year ago and won a pair of FCS college football playoff games in a banner year for the Raiders’ program. But that was last year and time marches on like smoke through a keyhole. The Raiders still have enough pieces back to have a legitimate shot at repeating behind quarterback Jake Melville and a defense that will once again be strong against the run.

The football team helps to prevent childhood cancer from Thursday, Sept. 15 to Saturday, Oct. 1 through the Touchdowns Against Cancer fundraiser. All money raised during the fundraiser will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Jaguar fans can pledge to donate for every touchdown that is scored.

For the next two weeks, the Red Springs and Fairmont football teams will be scoring touchdowns in an effort to beat something other than their opponents: childhood cancer.