NY Giants Punter Steve Weatherford Launches Project Prom

Right before the joyous holiday season, and smack in the middle of the football season, NY Giants punter Steve Weatherford launched a brand new program, Project Prom. This initiative will present a glamorous evening for high school students who suffered hardships as a result of Hurricane Sandy last fall.

Weatherford is no stranger to philanthropic work; he is just continuing his help to kids and the community by launching this annual program. Currently, he is a Fitness Ambassador for the Boys and Girls Club of NJ, a “head coach” for Wellness in Schools, and represents Second Chance Toys, Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation, Rush the Punter, Kicks for Kids, and The Steve Weatherford Charity for Ghana as a spokesperson and role model.

To be considered for this new program, the high school seniors at the annually chosen school will put in writing the hardships they have had to overcome since the storm and submit their words in an essay contest. A panel of educators and experts will narrow the essays down to 20 finalist, and Weatherford will chose the winning 10 students. Those chosen as winners will have the pleasure of Prom Night with Weatherford himself and some of his NY Football Giants teammates!

No outfit? No car? Have no fear! All the necessities will be provided for an extra special evening to remember.

The students who were selected as finalists, but not chosen for Prom, will be recognized by having their essay published.

The program will recognize students at one school annually, the first being Southern Regional High School in Long Beach Island, New Jersey.

This past Tuesday, November 19, 2013, a commemorative lunch for first emergency responders to Super Storm Sandy took place in Long Branch. Weatherford was there to serve some lunch to the heroes.  Just after lunch he gave encouraging words to the football team at Regional High School, the first school of the Project Prom school initiative.

“One of the hardest lessons in life is how to overcome adversity,” said Weatherford. “We are happy to provide a forum where kids can express their feelings about loss – and also gain strength on how to rise above. And we are also happy to provide a great evening that otherwise might not have been affordable to them.”

Now, it’s time to take on the Dallas Cowboys in a divisional rival game this Sunday at MetLife! Back up the encouraging words with a “W”!