Austin-based Booster Club for Seattle Seahawks’ NFL Team Lifts Up Local Kids
For the past nine years, the official Austin chapter of the Seattle Sea Hawkers Booster Club has raised over $100,000 and dedicated over 6,300 hours to make Austin a better place for children in the spirit of the “12th man.”
Since 2014, the Austin Sea Hawkers Booster Club has raised approximately $108,000 for local kids in need. and donated 6,300 volunteer hours with a focus of giving back to kids in their community. The majority of their philanthropic support is dedicated to Partnerships for Children and making sure foster children have presents for the holidays, making their annual Christmas Shopping Event their biggest give-back event. As individuals, members of the Austin Sea Hawkers “adopt” 12 specific foster kids in honor of the Seahawks NFL team’s “12th man,” a popular term in football referring to the intangible energy and spirit generated by fans in the stands or at home. Those individuals then purchase specific wishlist items for their specific kid.
Over the years, their group has also supported Austin Pets Alive, The Austin Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Make-a-Wish Central & South Texas, and Special Olympics Texas. They also assisted hurricane recovery efforts in the Houston area and they regularly take suggestions from booster club members for other one-off donations to nonprofits that are special to members.
The Austin Sea Hawkers raise most of their funds during the football season when they host halftime drawings and take donations for tickets to win donated Seahawks swag. Sometimes they hold diaper and toiletry drives to provide tangible items to Partnerships for Children. The members have also submitted grant requests to their employers asking that Partnerships for Children be the recipient of employer grants.
The Austin Sea Hawkers Booster Club is an official chapter of the Seattle Sea Hawkers Booster Club, which has approximately 40 chapters around the world. The Austin Club is one of the biggest chapters and typically ranks in the top for their fundraising efforts. The Seattle Seahawks honor their loud and relentlessly supportive fan base by referring to them as the “12s.”
RecognizeGood joined dozens of club members during a watch party against the Arizona Cardinals in October, presenting $1,000 to Partnerships for Children in the club’s name along with a certificate of appreciation, free seats to the 2024 Ethics in Business Awards luncheon, and plenty of “GO ‘HAWKS!” cheers.
