NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and wife, Jane, to donate $50,000 to Bills Social Justice Fund

“Jane said to me, ‘Well, you have 32 communities,’ ” an emotional Roger Goodell told The News. “And I said, ‘This is my community. I grew up here.’ So I do consider this home. For me and Jane, we just wanted to try to give back.

“But I didn't just want to give money. I wanted to be here.”

Goodell came to Buffalo to volunteer Thursday at the Resource Council of WNY, alongside Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula and a group of former players from both franchises.

Roger and Jane Goodell are also donating $50,000 to the Bills Social Justice Fund. Bills players will determine how that money is best used to support the local community.

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“Donations are so important – a lot of people can't come,” Goodell said. “But I had the ability to come, and I wanted to be here.”

Goodell and the group started by visiting memorials outside of the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue where 10 people were killed and three were wounded while shopping Saturday. An 18-year-old white supremacist has been indicted on charges related to the shooting.

After visiting the site, the group headed to a nearby community center to give out bread, produce, paper products and other groceries to anyone in need, all under a Tops Markets tent.

“We always talk about the community and the NFL, and how important that connection is,” Goodell said. “And I think it is never more evident (then) when communities are faced with tragic circumstances and in helping them try to recover from that and letting them know they're not alone.”

One local resident who went through the donation line was Tishekia Knox.

“This is my first time coming out since the tragedy,” Knox said. “I took it hard. I had a cousin – rest in peace to 'Robin' Roberta Drury. Rest in peace, cuz.”

Roberta Drury, 32 was killed in the massacre. Her family and friends described Drury as vibrant, always willing to help out others. Her extended family was still reeling.

“My godmother told me, ‘Get up. Come on,’ ” Knox said. “I didn’t want to see the memorial. But I’m here. I’m here.”

A massive football fan, Knox excitedly high-fived Goodell and former players. She didn’t know they would be there in advance; she simply needed some groceries and to get out of the house.

“I’m just happy to see them, like they really are real people,” she said. “We appreciate all the support and the love. I just hope that it continues, and it doesn’t stop from here.”

Players from the Bills, Sabres and Bandits served food in the neighborhood Wednesday. The emphasis – from Kim Pegula to players – has been that this is just the start of ongoing efforts to support the East Side community. Goodell echoed that from the league.

“Our commitment is long term on this and all our plans on social justice, with respect to how we eradicate racism and hatred and bring more love into our communities and understanding and respect for one another,” Goodell said. “And so we'll continue to do that. …

“There are short-term needs here, but there’s going to be longer term needs. And I think that's a real important message for people to understand: Some of these issues are going to take a lot more work and a lot more effort, and the NFL is committed to being here.”

The Bills Social Justice Fund gives out grants to local organizations, and the team has been honoring and supporting local organizations with their Inspire Change Organization of the Game Award since October 2017.

Tackle Dion Dawkins, safety Micah Hyde and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds are active players who are on the team’s Player Community Leadership Committee, which has helped decide where to distribute funds in the past.

For the 2020 season, the Bills focused on helping Buffalo public school children with internet connections during the pandemic. This past January, five local organizations each received $50,000 through grants from the fund.

“This is the home base,” Dawkins said in January, “And I can speak for the other guys as well – you got to take care of home, you got to take care of home first. And when you take care of home, everything else is great.”

Goodell routed his donation through the players so that they could decide how to best serve their own local community.

“It's about supporting their efforts,” Goodell said. “Our players are such leaders in identifying the things that are so important in their communities and then important messaging against hatred and racism, and what we as the league should stand for, and how we use our platforms to help communities. We – Jane and I – want them to know we support them.”