BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Bills fans, better known as Bills Mafia, are once again stepping up to raise money in support of a good cause.
The Bills announced cornerback Tre’Davious White tore his ACL in the game against the New Orleans Saints and as a result he will miss the rest of the season.
White, a 2017 first round pick by the Bills, is from Shreveport, Louisiana and attended Louisiana State University.
Shortly after it was announced that White would miss the remainder of the season, Twitter user Danielle Lipinski tweeted to Del Reid, Bills Mafia co-founder and head of 26 Shirts, and the charitable organization BillsMafiaBabes that Bills Mafia should donate to a charity to cheer White up.
BillsMafiaBabes responded that the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana was the charity of choice.
@FoodBankofNWLA is the charity of choice!
— BillsMafiaBabes (@BillsMafiaBabes) November 26, 2021
As a result, BillsMafiaBabes announced a $27 donation to the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana because White wears number 27.
We’re donating $27 to @FoodBankofNWLA in Tre’s honor! https://t.co/ki6JtzA9EG
— BillsMafiaBabes (@BillsMafiaBabes) November 26, 2021
Reid followed up saying "Let’s do this" and included a link to donate.
Let’s do this: https://t.co/NoSX57W5Au #BillsMafia #Go https://t.co/sDqNvnWXUu
— Del Reid 🦬 (@DelReid) November 26, 2021
The donations have been rolling in and as of midday December 1, Bills Mafia has donated $108,359 to the food bank.
Martha Marak, Executive Director of the FBNWLA, said from November 25 to midday December 1 there have been 3,685 donations made.
According to Marak, in a normal month the food bank usually sees about 250 to 350 donations. The donations have been for $27, $2.70 and even $54, Marak added.
White released a statement through his marketing agent, Clinton Reyes of King Sports Entertainment:
I am at a loss for words for what the Bills Mafia has done for me and my hometown. It truly means the world to me to have my fans support me in this way, by giving back to my community.
Marak released the following statement:
We appreciate Tre’Davious White’s generosity and all he gives back to our community. We are so honored to have the support from the Bills Mafia Babes. These donations come at a time when food insecurity for our neighbors is high and our food inventory is low. With the Food Bank’s resources, we will turn every $1 donated into $10 in food value and every $27 that is donated allows us to provide food for 100 meals. As it stands currently, the donations will provide $1,083,590 worth of food value – a number we are so grateful for. We look forward to continuing the fight to end hunger together.
FBNWLA said it will be coordinating upcoming food distribution events alongside White's mother and Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor to the Shreveport area, on his behalf.
If you would like to donate, you can donate here.
Lara McKee, VP of BillsMafiaBabes, issued a statement on why this campaign was started:
What differentiates our fanbase from all others is our connection with players. Tre’Davious White exemplifies everything it means to be a Buffalo Bill. We wanted to show our appreciation of him by giving to a cause that’s near and dear to his heart. Thousands of lives will be touched by the generosity of this fanbase. Football truly is family, especially when you are a Bills fan.
This is not the first time Bills Mafia has stepped up to donate in support of a good cause.
In October, Oishei Children's Hospital unveiled a wing honoring Patricia Allen, Bills quarterback Josh Allen's grandmother. The "Patricia Allen Pediatric Recovery Wing" was announced by Oishei in November 2020 after Bills fans donated nearly $700,000 to the hospital in honor of Patricia following her death. Due to the outpouring of donations, Oishei also announced the creation of the "Patricia Allen Fund" and just before the end of 2020 the fund surpassed $1 million in donations.
In January, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had to leave the Ravens' playoff game against the Buffalo Bills due to concussion protocol. Following Jackson's departure and the Bills win, a Bills fan on Reddit shared that he donated $25 to Jackson's favorite charity, the Louisville Chapter of Blessings in a Backpack.
The organization said more than 18,450 fans participated in the viral donation campaign and raised $553,000. In April, Blessings in a Backpack decided to pay it forward and donated 10,095 bags of food to the Western New York Boys & Girls Clubs Collaborative, five select clubs around WNY, and four local elementary schools.
