Today, professional sports teams are increasingly functioning as civic entities in their communities. Fans turn to them in moments of celebration, but also in times of crisis and hardship. We were reminded of that recently when the New Orleans Saints marked the 20th anniversary of their return to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, a game that came to symbolize resilience and recovery for the city. That is the unique power of sports: bringing together people with vastly different backgrounds and beliefs around a common cause and, sometimes, a shared sense of hope.
If a team has the privilege of bringing a community of fans together on Sunday, it should ask what that connection can accomplish the other six days of the week and beyond the season. The Baltimore Ravens feel honored to be in this position, but we also understand the responsibility that comes with it.
And the opportunity for professional sports teams is bigger than writing a check. We are uniquely positioned to inspire action amongst our fans, players, alumni, employees, corporate partners and nonprofits.
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Sixteen million minutes of service. That’s what Ravens fans, players, staff, partners and communities accomplished through this year’s Caw to Action on October 6, our annual day of service that inspires the Ravens Flock to volunteer while shining a light on nonprofits doing critical work. In partnership with United Way, this year’s effort engaged 170 schools and 85,000 students, with projects expected to benefit approximately 275,000 individuals.
Those numbers are incredible, but what matters more is what they represent. They demonstrate what can happen when a team uses its platform to bring people together around something bigger than the game. When we created Caw to Action, the idea was to get up, get out and give back. We knew our players and staff could make a difference, but we also knew our greatest impact could come from inspiring others to join us.
What began as part of the National Football League’s 100th season volunteer initiative in 2019 has evolved into something that our entire Flock now anticipates and participates in. In 2025, more than 60,000 volunteers donated 11.5 million minutes of service, extending nationally and internationally. Just one year later, that impact grew to 16 million minutes of service across 13 states and nine countries.
That growth does not come from our team’s efforts alone. It arises from calling on our fan base and partners and using the loyalty surrounding the Ravens to drive greater impact inside and outside of our home city and state.
Using that platform effectively starts with listening.
My encouragement to my colleagues throughout the league is simple: Don’t start with what you want to give. Start with finding out what your community actually needs.
In my role with the Ravens, I spend time having conversations with nonprofits and community leaders to understand their needs, while also considering the interests of our players, ownership, partners and the NFL. No organization can be everything to everyone. But the goal is to understand where our resources, relationships and name can come together to make a real impact.
One example: We partnered with the Maryland Book Bank and quickly discovered that it had plenty of books but needed a better way to get them into children's hands. Together we turned that need into the Ravens Bookmobile, essentially a library on wheels, that has brought more than 1.3 million books to kids across Maryland.
Working in this industry for more than 15 years, I have watched philanthropy evolve. Writing checks, providing grants and showing up to volunteer still matter, and they always will. But I also believe teams should be asking how they can take their support to the next level.
For professional sports teams like ours, that has meant turning more attention toward longer-term legacy projects and investing strategically in initiatives that span multiple pillars and touch community members at different stages of their lives. We’re trying to look holistically at what support can entail as children grow up, from early education to athletics, college access and career opportunities.
That approach can be seen in our multimillion-dollar investments in long-term initiatives, including the Baltimore Ravens Boys & Girls Club at Hilton Recreation Center, college access and career readiness programs through CollegeBound Foundation, Bridges Baltimore and College Track, and scholarship support through the Ravens Foundation and Ozzie Newsome Scholarship programs.
Giving back and getting out into the community is woven into the DNA of professional sports teams like us, and it is driven by ownership. Sports franchises with the strongest community engagement have owners who are deeply invested in the places their teams call home. For the Ravens, owner Steve Bisciotti believes deeply in this commitment and has reinforced its importance at every level of our organization. This work cannot be the responsibility of just one department. Leadership has to set the tone, and players, staff, partners and fans have to see themselves as part of it.
My personal “caw to action” for all sports teams and organizations with influence is to recognize the power you already possess and take the steps to unlock its full potential. Listen to your community. Bring your fans and partners along. And look for opportunities to make long-term investments that leave lasting change. I also extend that challenge to fans. Show up, use your passion for good and do what you can to support your team, on and off the field.
Every team’s approach should look different because every community is different. The goal should not be to replicate what we have done here at the Ravens. It should be to understand what your community needs from you, then use your platform to help make it happen.
Heather Darney is vice president of community relations for the Baltimore Ravens and executive director of the Ravens Foundation. She has helped lead the organization’s community impact efforts for 15 years. In 2026, the Ravens were named ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.