Best photos of the Buffalo Bills in the Community 2022-23 season
Scroll to see the top photos of the Bills players and staff members impacting the WNY community throughout the 2022-23 season.
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On May 14, 2022, the City of Buffalo lost ten lives to a racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops Supermarket in the East Side neighborhood. Four days later, Bills players, coaches and staff members went to Jefferson Avenue to help serve meals and grieve with the community.
On May 15, 2022, the Bills came together for Micah Hyde's charity softball game at Sahlen Field. Hyde and his wife, Amanda, announced that part of the portions from the game at Sahlen Field would go to the families impacted by the tragedy.
On April 25, 2022, the Buffalo Bills hosted a girls flag football Season Kickoff event for high school athletes. Dion Dawkins and Siran Neal welcomed athletes from schools in the Western New York area.
On June 5, 2022, Bills, Sabres, Bandits, and PSE staff represented the "One Buffalo" organization in the Buffalo Pride Parade.
The Buffalo Bills held their annual Staff Volunteer Day of Service on June 10, 2022.
Quintin Morris and other Buffalo Bills Players visited North Park Community School for a field day on June 28, 2022, to celebrate the school's outstanding support of the Play 60 Challenge and Fitness for Kids Challenge!
Siran Neal and the Buffalo Bills Foundation joined Field & Fork Network for the launch of the Double Up Food Bucks NY program on July 22, 2022. The Bills Foundation provided Field & Fork with a $25,000 grant in support of increasing access to local fresh produce and helping families with SNAP stretch their food budgets and invest in New York farmers.
Josh Allen joined children at Training Camp August 5, 2022 to taste test the Bills Mafia Tailgate Sauce. Proceeds from the Bills Mafia Tailgate Sauce benefit the Patricia Allen Foudation, which supports Oishei's pediatric critical care team.
On August 6, 2022, Von Miller hosted his first 'Von's Vision Reveal Day' in Buffalo at Highmark Stadium where he provided fashionable prescription glasses to 200 local students, just in time to go back to school.
Reggie Gilliam greeted young athletes at the Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts preseason game on August 13, 2022. As a part of the Play Football Initiative, the Bills hosted a variety of summer events in WNY to engage local youth and celebrate their flag football participation, skill development and sportsmanship.
Damar Hamlin greeted young athletes at the Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos preseason game on August 20, 2022. As a part of the Play Football Initiative, the Bills hosted a variety of summer events in WNY to engage local youth and celebrate their flag football participation, skill development and sportsmanship.
Bills Legend, Stevie Johnson, helped kick off the 50-yard Finish, presented by Independent Health, at Highmark Stadium on September 16, 2022. Following the 5k and Kids Fun Run, participants had the opportunity to hang out on the field.
On September 19, 2022, the Bills held a pregame ceremony to honor the 10 lives lost, those injured, and those who responded to the tragic mass shooting that occurred at the Tops Supermarket in East Buffalo.
Dion Dawkins hosted a teacher appreciation night at Community School #53 on September 22, 2022.
As a part of the NFL's Crucial Catch – Cancer Awareness Initiative, the Buffalo Bills hosted breast cancer survivors and healthcare workers at Painting with a Twist on September 29, 2022. The event was sponsored by Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative.
The Buffalo Bills and M&T Bank hosted students from four local schools for a fun day at Highmark Stadium for the annual flag football clinic on October 4, 2022. The athletes were joined by Dane Jackson and other Bills players.
To kick off the 2022 Toyota Rookie Club, Kaiir Elam and the 2022 Bills Rookies hosted over 100 local youth football and flag football players from 11 local groups inside the ADPRO Sports Training Center for a football clinic on October 4, 2022.
As a part of the NFL's Crucial Catch – Cancer Awareness Initiative, the Buffalo Bills hosted a family fun night for pediatric cancer patients, their families and health care workers on October 11, 2022. Quintin Morris, Kaiir Elam and Ja'Marcus Ingram alongside other Bills players joined the guests in the Toyota Club for a fun night of photos, games, mini golf and music. The event was sponsored by Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative.
As a part of the NFL's Crucial Catch – Cancer Awareness Initiative, the Buffalo Bills honored cancer survivors and healthcare workers on field during the Bills vs. Steelers pregame ceremony on October 9, 2022. The recognition was sponsored by Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative.
The Bills recognized Carlos A. Pereira as the 2022 Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award recipient. Mr. Pereira was presented with a game day ball by Buffalo Bills EVP/COO, Ron Raccuia.
For the third annual Huddle for Hunger week, the Buffalo Bills Foundation partnered with Wegmans to raise awareness on improving access to healthy food for families in Western New York. The Bills visited Hamlin Park School #74 on October 25, 2022, where Von Miller and Dion Dawkins shared their personal experiences with eating healthy as athletes.
The Huddle for Hunger week continued with the annual Community Food Drive at Highmark Stadium to benefit FeedMore WNY on October 27, 2022.
Dion Dawkins and the Buffalo Bills announced John Lang, also known as "Bills Elvis," as the Bills nominee for 2022 NFL Fan of the Year award on November 1, 2022. Lang returned the excitement and informed Dawkins that he was the Bills' honoree for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Buffalo Bills Legends, Marlon Kerner and Christian Gaddis, joined kids from Seneca Nation and the Native American WNY group for the One Buffalo Sports Day at the Cattaraugus Community Center.
In honor of Veterans Day, Reid Ferguson, the 2022 Bills Salute to Service nominee visited the West Seneca SPCA during the Vets & Pets Program on November 8, 2022. The Bills and SPCA invited Veteran volunteers to join the players at the facility for a meet and greet and tour.
As a part of the NFL's Salute to Service – Military Appreciation initiative, the Buffalo Bills honored representatives from each military branch during a pre-game ceremony. 98-year-old WWII Veteran, Bill Gosch was honored in-game on November 13, 2022.
As part of the Toyota Rookie Club, Bills rookies participated in the annual Thanksgiving Blitz on November 15, 2022. Bills players, Legends, staff and the Women's Association volunteered to distribute Thanksgiving turkeys and meals to the community.
On November 15, 2022, Stefon Diggs hosted a turkey drive at the William-Emslie YMCA.
Jordan Poyer and the Jordan Poyer Foundation provided Thanksgiving turkeys and meals to dialysis patients and their families at ECMC on Tuesday, November 15.
In partnership with Wegmans and the Bills Foundation, Dion Dawkins distributed Thanksgiving meals to families with the Peacemakers at the Lincoln Community Center on November 21, 2022.
Through My Cause My Cleats, players have the opportunity to pick a cause that is important to them and represent their chosen organization on custom designed cleats. Josh Allen's game worn and signed custom cleats were sold on the NFL Auction for $9,200. All proceeds were donated to Oishei Children's Hospital.
As a part of the Toyota Rookie Club, the Bills hosted their Annual Holiday Party for children at the Hamburg Fairgrounds on December 6, 2022. Children and their families joined the Bills rookies to ring in the holiday season. Members of Salvation Army Buffalo, the Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo, and Oishei Children's Hospital, among many other organizations, enjoyed a night filled with holiday festivities.
On December 9, 2022, Bills Community Relations VP, Gretchen Geitter, Sabres Community Relations VP, Rich Jureller, and PSE Sr. VP of People and Business Administration Christie Joseph traveled to NYC to participate in the Eradicate Hate presentation at the United Nations. Christie Joseph and Raymond Whitfield, who lost his mother in the 5/14 mass shooting, spoke on a panel discussion, titled "The Role of Sports in Atrocity Prevention."
Each year, the American Dairy Association Northeast and Buffalo Bills partner to provide $10,000 to a local school district to help them implement physical activity, and health and wellness changes through the Fuel Up to Play 60 Hometown Grant Program. This year's Hometown Grant was awarded to the Sweet Home School District during the Bills vs. Jets pre-game ceremony on December 11, 2022.
The Buffalo Bills Foundation hosted the second annual Bills Community Honors dinner on December 12, 2022. Bills players, Dawson Knox, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Reid Ferguson and Dion Dawkins were presented awards by Buffalo Bills EVP/COO, Ron Raccuia. Community leaders, Lisa and Sam Sulkowski, The Resource Council of WNY, Pastor James Giles, Romello Early and Butch Rolle were recipients of awards as well.
The Buffalo Bills partnered with Gatorade, Special Olympics New York and the Town of Hamburg Recreation Department to host a flag football clinic for local unified athletes and their classmates on December 13, 2022. There were special appearances made by Bills alumni Jon Corto and Naaman Roosevelt, as well as Billy Buffalo! The unified athletes participated in flag football drills to help develop their fundamentals and provide them with the opportunity to be part of the game of football.
As part of the NFL's Inspire Change – Social Justice initiative, the Buffalo Bills presented Pastor James Giles, the Bills Inspire Change Changemaker nominee, with two tickets to Super Bowl LVII at the Bills vs. Dolphins game on December 17, 2022.
Thurman and Patti Thomas, alongside Michael Ball, VP of Community Affairs at Highmark BCBS, presented Jay Withey two tickets to Super Bowl LVII. Jay was instrumental in helping over 20 people find shelter amidst the Buffalo blizzard.
Romello Early, the Bills 2022 Junior Community Quarterback award recipient, was presented with two Super Bowl tickets by Dion Dawkins.
The Buffalo Bills partnered with ADPRO Sports to recognize Western New York coaches through the 2022 High School Football Coach of the Week Program. During halftime of the Bill vs. Patriots game on January 8, 2023, Steve McDuffie from Bennett and Jeff Cusmano from Attica were recognized as the Coaches of the Year for the Buffalo and Rochester regions.
In celebration of Black History Month, The Bills Foundation connected with Zeneta & Zaire's Book Club to support four children's story hours and book distributions throughout February. With support from the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, additional story hours took place at public libraries throughout the county.
The Buffalo Bills Foundation, Buffalo & Erie County Libraries, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY, Lawley Insurance and the American Heart Association partnered to place CPR training kits in all 37 public libraries beginning in mid-March.
As a part of Women's History Month, the Buffalo Sabres and Bills hosted a Women in Sports networking event for local college students on March 27, 2023, in the Lexus Club at KeyBank Arena. Women from the Bills/Sabres/PSE staff shared their insight on various opportunities that exist within the sports and entertainment industries.
Bills coaches and members of the Buffalo Bills organization volunteered at the 5th annual Buffalo Bills Coaches Serve Day at the Buffalo City Mission. The coaches spread smiles and served delicious meals, prepared by Chef Darian.
