Vikings Announce Nearly $1M Campaign for Social Justice Initiatives in Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings announced a series of social justice initiatives Tuesday through their social justice committee.

The team is donating nearly $1 million to be used for a number of initiatives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, focusing on voter education and registration, educational curriculum on racism and Black history, and law enforcement and criminal justice reform.

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted the team's announcement:

The committee features players, executives and team owners Zygi and Mark Wilf.

In June, the Wilf family announced their plan to donate $5 million to social justice causes that "fight hate, racism and inequality." That included the formation of the George Floyd Legacy Scholarship, and the Vikings announced the first recipient of the scholarship Tuesday.

Per ESPN's Courtney Cronin, Mark Wilf said:

"We want to have an impact and some hope that we're on the road toward a better future. What better way could you have it than giving a scholarship to someone? We need our young people. They're going to be part of developing a better future and education is always the key; to turn what happened to George Floyd and all the other tragedies towards a positive where we can support the education of young people."

In addition to voter registration, scholarships and education measures, the $1 million donation will increase the team's commitment to local nonprofit All Square, which "invests in the minds and lives of formerly incarcerated individuals."

The Vikings formed their social justice committee in 2017, providing school supplies and scholarship opportunities for students in low-income families, among other efforts.