The Jaguars' opening home game against the Houston Texans kicked off the 2012 Honor Rows Season, with more than 500 students who earned their seat. More than 5,000 youth and their chaperones will participate in the Jaguars Foundation's nationally recognized Honor Rows this year. The Foundation partners with 40 Jacksonville-area nonprofit agencies to provide goal-setting programs for economically and socially disadvantaged youth to earn a seat to a Jaguars home game. Since the inaugural season of 1995, a total of 67,000 *Honor Rows *seats have been awarded to youth, parents, staff and volunteers.
Youth ages nine to 17 seek to improve themselves and the community by setting and achieving goals for academic and behavioral improvement, increasing physical activity and eating more nutritionally, and providing volunteer community service. Program duration is a minimum of eight weeks. The youth also take an anti-substance abuse pledge to abstain from illegal drugs, tobacco products and alcohol. The child's parents or guardians co-sign the pledge card agreeing to support the youth in their promise. Historically, with assistance from parents, mentors and agency staff, more than 90% of youth meet their goals and earn their seat.
In addition to a game day ticket, Honor Rows participants receive a complimentary meal, tee-shirt, cap, pledge card, and certificate of completion. During the game, Jaguars team owners Ann and Shad Khan, along with the entire Jaguars organization and fans acknowledge the youth and their accomplishments. Game day volunteers provided through the United Way of Northeast Florida ensure that the youth have a safe and enjoyable game day experience.
As a part of the Jaguars continuous commitment to education the team has partnered with Andrew Jackson High School, who will be participating for the first time in the Honor Rows program. Students are setting attendance goals of no unexcused absences or tardies, and reading goals. Students who successfully complete the program will earn a seat to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Chicago Bears on October 7.
Honor Rows is the largest of the Foundation's charitable seating programs, which also includes "Honoring Our Troops," in partnership with the greater Jacksonville USO, which provides home game tickets for families whose parent(s) are on or returning from deployment with the armed services; youth football associations in low-income neighborhoods; Ronald McDonald House families and others. The Foundation allocates more than 11,800 charitable grants with a value exceeding $430,000 worth of home game seats to charitable purposes annually.
Below are the 2012 Honor Rows grant recipients and their assigned home game:
9/16 HOUSTON TEXANS
Northeast Florida Community Action Agency
Community Connections of Jacksonville
The Boselli Foundation
Habitat for Humanity Jacksonville Beaches
9/30 CINCINNATI BENGALS
The Bridge of Northeast Florida
Communities in Schools of Jacksonville
daniel, Inc.
Family Support Services of North Florida
Helping Hands Neighborhood Center
Northside Community Involvement
Panama Youth Services, Inc.
River Region Human Services
10/07 CHICAGO BEARS
Andrew Jackson High School
Child Guidance Center
Duval Juvenile Residential
Hubbard House
Jewish Family & Community Services
Metro Kids Konnection
Shands Jacksonville
St. Augustine Youth Services
11/4 DETROIT LIONS
Davis Performing Arts
Empowerment Resources Inc.
Guardian Catholic Schools
HOPE* worldwide*
MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation
Nassau County 4-H
Northeast Florida Community Action Agency
Police Athletic League, Jacksonville
Sanctuary on 8th Street
*11/25 TENNESSEE TITANS *
Community Connections of Jacksonville
Community Connections of Jacksonville
YMCA Florida's First Coast
12/9 NEW YORK JETS
Best Buddies International, Jacksonville
Communities in Schools of Nassau County
Communities in Schools of St. Johns County
Duval County 4-H Foundation, Inc.
Girls Inc. of Jacksonville
MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation
12/23 NEW ENGLAND PARTIOTS
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church
The Bridge of Northeast Florida
Heart to Heart Christian Academy
The Potter's House Christian Academy YMCA of Baker County
