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| Tillman named Bears Man of the Year |
| 12/08/2007 - Press Releases - Author: |
 December 8, 2007
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Cornerback Charles Tillman has been named the Bears’ nominee for the 2007 NFL Walter Payton “Man of the Year Award,” the only league honor that recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service support and activities as well as his playing excellence.
The award was created in 1970 and honors NFL players who demonstrate outstanding balance between their civic and professional responsibilities. In 1999, the league renamed the NFL “Man of the Year” award after Payton as a tribute to his greatness both on and off the field.
One finalist from all 32 NFL teams will receive a $1,000 contribution toward the charity of his choice, and the overall winner will receive $25,000 for his selected charity. The winner of the award will be announced by commissioner Roger Goodell prior to Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix.
Four Bears players have won the NFL Man of the Year Award: Payton in 1977, Dave Duerson in 1987, Mike Singletary in 1990 and Jim Flanigan in 2000.
Since being selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2003 draft, Tillman has been a consistent performer and leader both on and off the field. He has made a tremendous impact on the lives of deserving individuals throughout the Chicago area, and in 2006 he started Charles Tillman’s Cornerstone Foundation in an effort to make a larger impact in the community. The foundation has been designated as the charity that will receive the $1,000 donation in his name.
The mission of Charles Tillman’s Cornerstone Foundation is to provide Chicago area children and youth with educational opportunities and resources needed to excel in the classroom and life. The foundation’s interactive programs and events are designed to help build a strong foundation through education.
Since 2006, the “Pick it Up” program has provided nearly $20,000 in back-to-school items like backpacks, lunch boxes, school supplies and clothing to over 300 inner-city Chicago elementary and middle school children.
In 2007, the Cornerstone Foundation provided $25,000 in Hooked on Phonics products to more than 400 inner-city Chicago children who struggle with reading.
Also in 2007, the Cornerstone Foundation launched the “It’s Cool to be in School” program in Chicago Public Schools, which is an incentive based program that encourages more than 9,000 inner-city high school students to attend school.
As part of this program, students who achieve 95 percent or better attendance for each grade period have the opportunity to earn a visit from Tillman at their school, one-of-a-kind autographed merchandise, and a dream day with the cornerback at Soldier Field where kids will receive lunch, a Tillman jersey, and a behind-the-scenes glimpse into a Bears’ game day.
Tillman also continues to support numerous Bears community programs, with a special emphasis on serving underprivileged children and their families. Several of his recent contributions to the community include:
- Serving as spokesman for the Staples “Dream Park Challenge with the Bears,” a park improvement initiative which will give over $50,000 to 14 parks in the city of Chicago that host the Junior Bear Youth Football program.
- Purchasing and donating 12 tickets to each home game to children from LYDIA Home and Lawrence Hall Youth Services.
- Participating in a holiday shopping spree to benefit children from LYDIA Home.
- Serving as spokesman for the Chicago Bears Coat Drive the past four seasons, helping to provide thousands of coats to deserving families during the winter.
- Supporting Bears Care, the team’s charitable beneficiary, by attending the Bears Care Gala, which raises money to fund researchers who are leaders in their field in the fight against breast and ovarian cancer and to help them extend their breakthroughs to low-income women.
- Participating in the Bears “Hello to Our Heroes” program by helping students write letters to members of the military who are currently serving overseas.
- Taking part in a photo shoot to support the Bears “What Moves U” fitness initiative. Magnets were produced using his image and are handed out to children at school assemblies.
- Supporting the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Illinois by joining individuals and their families who are affected by Prader-Willi at a benefit at Halas Hall.
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