Here at OOFOS, our core mission is to “make yOO feel better”, and we love acknowledging others who are doing their part to make people feel better themselves. In honor of Black History Month, we want to honor those members of our community, both past and present, who have done their part to make others feel better. One particularly great example of somebody who truly embodies our "OOSoul" in making others feel better, is Walter Payton.
Did you know?
Every year, the National Football League honors a player’s excellence on and off the field with the Walter Payton NFL Man of The Year Award. Winners are honored for their outstanding contributions and helping those in need feel better, which is something OOFOS strives for everyday as part of our OOSoul.
Walter Payton was an African American whose legacy transcends time, race, and culture. Many modern NFL running backs have cited Payton as a source of inspiration. He truly embodied the “Make yOO Feel Better” attitude that we encourage and support at OOFOS. He is widely known for his volunteerism, and his charitable legacy endures today through the work of the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation. The organization is dedicated to the emotional needs of underprivileged, abused and neglected children by providing them with tools and opportunities to build self-esteem.
Prior to 1999, it was called NFL Man of the Year Award, but shortly after Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton passed away (having been the 1977 recipient himself), the award was renamed to honor him and the legacy he left behind.
Each year, 32 nominees are chosen from the 32 different teams in the NFL, and a panel of judges selects one winner to receive a $50,000 donation in his name to the charity of his choice. The other 31 finalists also receive donations in their name of $5,000 each to charities of their choice.
Walter Payton is a great example of an individual who worked to make others feel better and his legacy continues to live on today, though there are also countless others who also embody this “Make yOO Feel Better” attitude that we encourage and celebrate.
Though we should acknowledge meaningful contributions in humanitarianism and making people feel better year-round, Black History Month is an important reminder to all of us to reflect on the achievements of our African American community members in making people feel better, both past and present. We can all take a little bit of inspiration from their examples.
Do you have any inspirational African Americans in mind who you think have made a difference in making people feel better? Leave a comment and let us know about them!
