NFL Player Care Foundation Supports Rebuilding Together's Fifty for Five

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Aug 25, 2010, 03:00 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The NFL PLAYER CARE FOUNDATION (PCF), an independent organization dedicated to helping retired football players further improve their quality of life, is supporting the Rebuilding Together Fifty for Five initiative and will re-build a home in the Gentilly neighborhood. Former NFL players, including Saints legends BOBBY HEBERT and RICKEY JACKSON, will help rebuild a house August 27-28.

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Through the cooperative efforts of the NFL, NFL Alumni Association, NFL Players Association, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, PCF provides programs and assistance for all aspects of life including, medical, emotional, financial, social, and community.

"The NFL has strong ties to New Orleans and we are proud to participate in Fifty for Five to help rebuild a community where so many of our Alumni live," said George Martin, President and Executive Director of the NFL Alumni Association. "The mission of the PCF and the NFL Alumni Association – helping those in need -- dovetails with Rebuilding Together's initiative and we see our participation as a natural fit to help the Gentilly community."

Hall of Fame players and NFL Alumni participating in the rebuilding team, include:

Chuck Commiskey – 4 seasons, 1981 and 1986-1988, Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints
Ron George – NFL Alumni Association Managing Director and Former Player - 8 seasons, 1993-2000, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs
Bill Gramatica – 3 seasons, 2001-2003, Arizona Cardinals
Martin Gramatica – 9 seasons, 1999-2004 and 2006-2008, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints
Bobby Hebert – 11 seasons, 1985-1988 and 1990-1996, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons
Tyrone Hughes – 6 seasons, 1993-1998, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys
Rickey Jackson – Recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; 15 seasons, 1981-1995, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers
Tyrone Legette – 7 seasons, 1992-1998, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers
Kerry Parker – 2 seasons, 1984 and 1987, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills
Mike McKenzie – 11 seasons, 1999-2009, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints
Bernard Robertson – 2 seasons, 2001-2002, Chicago Bears
Clarence Verdin – 9 seasons, 1986-1994, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons

Rebuilding Together, the nation's leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership, today announces its week-long event, Fifty for Five, taking place Aug. 24 – 28 in New Orleans. Rebuilding Together's Fifty for Five is a large-scale example of the organization's ongoing commitment to the renewal of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. The event also seeks to spark national attention for the needs of the region's low-income homeowners.

Fifty for Five occurs the week of the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and marks a significant step forward to the investment Rebuilding Together has already made in the region. At the conclusion of the Fifty for Five week, Rebuilding Together will have rebuilt more than 800 homes in the region since Hurricanes Rita and Katrina struck five years earlier.

Fifty for Five has recruited affiliates from around the Rebuilding Together national network, local volunteers, major corporate sponsors, including presenting sponsor Sears Holdings, celebrities, and community leaders to assist in the renovation of 50 homes in the Gentilly neighborhood. More than 1,000 volunteers will be on site throughout the week for the rebuild.

About the NFL Player Care Foundation

The NFL PCF is an independent 501 (c) (3) charity that has representation from many sectors of the NFL, including the NFL Alumni Association, NFL Players Association, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Through charitable grants that support research and offer relief to disadvantaged and distressed retired players, the PCF has enacted a number of programs to improve the quality of life for former players including: NFL Joint Replacement Program, which provides medical and financial resources to retired players who are uninsured or lack the financing to have joint replacement surgery; cardiovascular and prostate screenings at no cost to educate, identify and inform former players of potential health risks. The Foundation has in a short time distributed over $3.5 million dollars in research and grants.

About Rebuilding Together:

Rebuilding Together is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing extensive rehabilitation and modification services to those in need at no cost to those served. With the help of everyday citizen volunteers, skilled trades people, the support of local business and major corporate partners, Rebuilding Together affiliates in America's largest cities and smallest towns make life considerably better for thousands of low-income homeowners and the communities in which they live by completing 10,000 projects per year. Rebuilding Together has programs dedicated to, energy efficiency, veteran's housing, aging in place, and gulf coast reconstruction.

For more information, visit www.RebuildingTogether.org. You can also follow Rebuilding Together on Twitter @rebldgtogthr or become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/RebuildingTogether. For additional media information, visit http://t.co/mZKvvy8

Rebuilding Together New Orleans:

Rebuilding Together New Orleans, a local affiliate of Rebuilding Together, inc. has restored and revitalized more than 1,200 homes over the past 22 years in the New Orleans area. Utilizing volunteer labor, Rebuilding Together New Orleans allows low-income families in communities across the city to live in comfort, safety, and dignity. Rebuilding Together New Orleans is a program of the Preservation Resource Center, an organization devoted to promoting the preservation, restoration, and revitalization of New Orleans' historic architecture and neighborhoods. For more information, visit www.RTNO.org.

SOURCE Rebuilding Together