Chris Long is expanding his educational initiatives by pledging a quarter of his 2018 annual salary to start the "First Quarter for Literacy" fund to promote early literacy among underserved children.
Last season, Long donated his entire $1 million salary to educational programs in his hometown of Charlottesville, Va. He also launched the "Pledge 10 for Tomorrow" campaign, which raised more than $1.75 million for organizations focused on expanding educational opportunities in the three cities where Long has played: St. Louis, Boston and Philadelphia.
Partnering with the United Way and in support of Philadelphia's Read By Fourth campaign, Long's goal this season is to distribute more than 75,000 books to children in needy neighborhoods and to create three Chris Long Book Nook reading centers.