Colin Kaepernick might be out of a job right now, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not still making a positive impact in his community and trying to help out where he can. You might remember Kaepernick from the way he divided the country last year after he began to take a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality against black people. He’s no longer a quarterback for the 49ers and is now spending his days in New York City, where he recently made a significant donation to a local non-profit.
The organization is called 100 Suits for 100 Men and it’s based in NYC; the non-profit collects business attire for both men and women that are former prisoners in order to help them with their job search as a way of reducing recidivism rates. The current recidivism rate, which is the rate in which former prisoners end up returning to prison for a new felony or a violation in parole, in New York is about 40 percent.
“By being able to wear appropriate suits to their interviews, these men and women are better equipped to achieve gainful employment, which will ultimately help them to transition into mainstream society and live more productive lives,” the website touts.
Kaepernick visited the organization last week and brought two huge boxes filled with suits that he was donating alongside Hot 97 host Nessa. The organization, who was extremely grateful, posted photos on social media and even mentioned that Kaepernick had visited a parole office in Queens with the founder to make the donation. Parolees are often the target group for the non-profit, making it a regular place that they visit to approach potential people that could benefit from the program.
“We are very honored to have his items donated,” said Kevin Livingston, the president of 100 Suits for 100 Men. “He is very humble and he genuinely cares about the community.”
This is certainly true of the former professional NFL player, whose charitable donations within the last year will soon total $1 million, per his pledge. He announced in late 2016 that he intended to donate $1 million in the following 10 months to organizations that help the youth and disenfranchised in oppressed communities. Since NYC is a such a hotspot for crime and but also a place with tons of entry-level job positions, it’s the perfect place for him to have donated suits to.
Founded in 2011, 100 Suits doesn’t just help former prisoners; they also provide business attire for homeless people, former gang members, and survivors of domestic abuse. The program also offers free hair cuts for men and wig referrals for women, as needed. You can visit their website here and find out about donating to the organization or setting up your own suit drive.
