Wilson, Ciara foundation announces major gifts for children

The brief

Context

The Why Not You Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle set up in 2014 by NFL quarterback Russell Wilson and singer Ciara, named after a message Wilson says he learned from his father, Harrison Wilson III. It works on children's education, children's health and hunger relief, and said in 2023 that its partnerships had helped raise more than $13 million. Since then it has made a series of large gifts — to a charter school near Seattle, a New York children's hospital, food banks and a children's foundation in Mexico — and has begun running "Why Not You Centers" for young people.

Key facts

• The Why Not You Foundation was started by Russell Wilson and Ciara in 2014, focusing on education, children's health and hunger.
• The foundation said in 2023 that its partnerships had helped raise more than $13 million for these causes.
• In 2020 it committed about $1.75 million to rebrand and support Cascade Midway Academy, a charter school south of Seattle, later renamed Why Not You Academy.
• In 2023, through a partnership with CommonSpirit Health, it provided $1 million in grants to 10 organisations in Colorado and Utah — $100,000 each.
• In November 2025 it announced a $3 million gift to Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, New York, for two therapeutic spaces including a Child Life Zone Theater.
• A month later it announced $500,000 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and ATL Cares, expected to help provide more than one million meals.
• In February 2026 it announced a $2 million donation to the Los Cabos Children's Foundation in Mexico, for health and rehabilitation services in Baja California Sur.
• The 2025 Youth Athlete of the Year competition raised $21.66 million for the Why Not You Foundation and the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Timeline

1. 2014Russell Wilson and Ciara start the Why Not You Foundation.
2. 2020Foundation commits about $1.75 million to Cascade Midway Academy, a charter school south of Seattle, later renamed Why Not You Academy.
3. 2023Foundation says partnerships have helped raise more than $13 million; with CommonSpirit Health it gives $1 million in grants to 10 groups in Colorado and Utah.
4. 2025Youth Athlete of the Year competition raises $21.66 million for the Why Not You Foundation and the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
5. November 2025$3 million gift announced to Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, New York.
6. December 2025 (a month later)$500,000 donation announced to Atlanta Community Food Bank and ATL Cares.
7. February 2026$2 million donation announced to the Los Cabos Children's Foundation in Mexico.
8. 2026More Why Not You Centers planned, beyond Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Pasadena.

Who has a stake

• Russell Wilson and Ciara — Founders of the Why Not You Foundation; their public profile and resources drive its fundraising and giving.
• Why Not You Academy (formerly Cascade Midway Academy) — Charter school south of Seattle rebranded with about $1.75 million; offers personalised learning, mentorship and work-based opportunities to high school students.
• Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, New York — Recipient of a $3 million gift funding a Child Life Zone Theater and a play space for children in cancer and blood disease care.
• Atlanta Community Food Bank and ATL Cares — Received $500,000 expected to help provide more than one million meals to food-insecure families.
• Los Cabos Children's Foundation, Mexico — Received $2 million to expand health and rehabilitation services for children and families in Baja California Sur.
• CommonSpirit Health — Partner that helped channel $1 million in grants to 10 organisations in Colorado and Utah in 2023.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research — Co-beneficiary of the 2025 Youth Athlete of the Year competition, which raised $21.66 million.
• Children in hospitals and food-insecure families — Direct beneficiaries of therapeutic spaces, meals, paediatric cancer research and mentorship programmes.

Why it matters

The story shows how athlete-led philanthropy can scale from hospital visits into institutional funding for schools, paediatric hospitals and food banks across countries. It also illustrates a shift in sports celebrity giving — from one-off cheques to named institutions such as Why Not You Academy and Why Not You Centers with education, health and mentorship mandates. For readers, it raises the wider question of how private philanthropy complements public provision in child health, nutrition and schooling.