Saints nominate Mark Ingram for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

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Ingram...will hope to become the second Saints player to win the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, which has existed since 1970. It was previously the NFL Man of the Year award, but the league added Payton’s name in 1999. Saints quarterback Drew Brees won the award in 2006.

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This year, Ingram sponsored a backpack giveaway for over 200 underserved kids, right at the start of the school year, with a fellow teammate (Terron Armstead). He will be participating in an upcoming event at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, as well as the Saints Players Annual Turkey Giveaway, other team-sponsored school visits, and will host his annual Christmas Shopping Spree once again. In June, Ingram was honored by Volunteers of America as he received their most prestigious, nationally recognized award, which is the 2018 Ballington & Maud Booth Award. The award was granted to Ingram in recognition of his work mentoring children, particularly those with an incarcerated parent. Ingram was selected to participate in the NFL’s USO Tour in the 2018 off-season visiting Italy and Germany. He has also participated in the Saints' inaugural trip in support of PLAY 60 Canada in 2017.

“There is not one type of team community activity that Mark has not been a part of... whether it’s a school literacy visit, a hospital visit, a character development visit, youth football camps, corporate partner events, or any other civic engagement, he has always been eager to participate. Through the works of his charitable foundation, the Mark Ingram Foundation, he has hosted an annual Christmas shopping spree for underserved kids, particularly those with incarcerated parents, since his rookie year. He has also hosted annual school backpack giveaways and sponsored other civic endeavors in both New Orleans and his hometown of Flint, Michigan as well. He has also taken part in the team’s annual Community Patrol summer camps where underserved youth are taught the fundamental positions of football, while also benefitting from class instruction that focuses on character development and anger management. Although every moment with Ingram can be considered as entertainment, one of his headlining moments was during a Lip Sync battle sponsored by team partner, Carnival Cruise Line. In all of his community engagements, Ingram seeks to follow the mission of his foundation, which is ‘to enrich and contribute to the well-being of at-risk youth and families affected by incarceration through social development, goal setting and strengthening of character through sports.’”

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