Falcons' Matt Ryan Raises $1M Through Fundraiser for Atlanta's Black Community

A fundraiser set up by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has raised more than $1 million to support the city's black community. 

Ryan announced on Twitter that more than 1,700 people have contributed to the fundraiser he initially set up June 5:

When Ryan first established the fundraiser, he wrote on Instagram he was pledging an initial contribution of $500,000 and committed to listening to members of Atlanta's black community how best to use the money to uplift businesses and organizations in the city:

"Last week I made a commitment to listening and learning, and one of the messages that hit home for me was the difference between reacting to a situation and responding to a situation. For far too long I have reacted to social injustice with empathy and silent support but failed to follow through with active support. I feel the time has come to RESPOND. For ALL of us to respond.

"Over the next few weeks/months I’ll be really listening to the needs of the community and working with black business leaders, sports figures, activists and local grassroots organizations to get guidance on how these donations can be most impactful."

In addition to Ryan's contribution, the Falcons announced general manager Thomas Dimitroff, head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and CEO Rich McKay also made donations ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.