Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins has been named the Week 10 NFL Players Association (NFLPA) Community MVP for his efforts in supporting local students through educational field trips. Dawkins, working with his Dion’s Dreamers foundation, launched the “Shnow Day” program this season to provide all-expenses paid outings for classes in Western New York.
The initiative received over 450 applications from area classrooms, and so far more than 50 students have participated. Outings included a fourth-grade class from Hyde Park Elementary School visiting Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve, an eighth-grade group from Dunkirk Elementary School touring Highmark Stadium, and a kindergarten class from Charter School for Applied Technologies (CSAT) exploring the Aquarium of Niagara with Dawkins. A final trip is scheduled in December for a sixth-grade class from Harvey Austin Elementary School to attend Buffalo Battleground arcade park.
“Winning in the community isn’t about winning and losing; everyone who’s on this list is a winner,” Dawkins said. “Once you take a step into the community, becoming available to help and putting your energy towards making something better, the win is created.”
“We are all winners, and I’m honored to stand by my dawgs in the community to continue to make the cities surrounding our homes and our football teams better.”
During one recent outing on October 29, 18 CSAT students were transported by limousine to the aquarium. They participated in educational activities such as learning about marine life, painting sessions, and sea lion training exercises before ending their day with pizza and ice cream.
“The kids had a crazy time,” Dawkins said. “Over the years, the community of Buffalo has graduated into something way bigger than just the word ‘community.’ And in my life, they’ve graduated to real family.”
Since joining the Bills in 2017, Dawkins has supported various causes through Dion’s Dreamers nonprofit organization. The foundation offers mentorship and assistance to people facing mental health issues or financial or physical difficulties. This year alone he donated $2,500 worth of non-perishable food items to support hunger relief efforts through Buffalo Bills Huddle for Hunger drive and contributed $14,500 worth of sports equipment to Rahway High School. He also maintains ongoing engagement with at-risk youth at The Academy School (BPS #131), which he adopted last year.
Later this month Dawkins will again participate in Ms. Triggs Thanksgiving event on Buffalo’s East Side by helping serve meals to those in need—a program that fed 9,000 people last year through meal deliveries across housing complexes and community centers.
As part of being named NFLPA Community MVP for Week 10, Dawkins’ chosen nonprofit will receive a $10,000 donation from the NFL Players Association. He is now eligible along with other weekly honorees for consideration for the Alan Page Community Award—the union’s top player honor—which includes an additional $100,000 donation.
Fans can also contribute directly to each week’s selected nonprofit via GoFundMe as part of a new partnership between GoFundMe and NFLPA; donations are tax-deductible.
The NFLPA Community MVP campaign is now in its twelfth season as part of ongoing efforts by the union to highlight players’ civic engagement throughout the year. Each week’s honoree is selected by an internal committee based on nominations submitted by players or their representatives. More information about this program can be found on the official NFLPA website.
This season’s previous weekly honorees include Garett Bolles (Denver Broncos), Osa Odighizuwa (Dallas Cowboys), Jeremy Chinn (Las Vegas Raiders), Trent Sherfield (Denver Broncos), Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons), Justin Reid (New Orleans Saints), Jonnu Smith (Pittsburgh Steelers), Rashod Bateman (Baltimore Ravens), Nakobe Dean (Philadelphia Eagles), with Dawkins representing Week 10.
