Russell Wilson and Ciara charity (Getty Images)
The story starts with Russell Wilson’s father, Harrison Wilson III, who died in 2010. He launched it in 2014, the same year he won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks. In 2020 he won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, the league’s top honor for off-field service.
Wilson has said many times that his dad pushed him with a simple question: why not you? That question became the foundation’s name. There is a practical side too. A single fundraiser can bring in a big one-night sum, but steady giving depends on trust, and trust grows slowly. Longevity is the real story here. Athlete charities often fade once a player changes teams or retires. Wilson has played for Seattle, Denver and Pittsburgh, and the foundation kept working through each move. That kind of steadiness is rare, and it is easier to praise than to maintain. The NFL noticed too.
Russell Wilson and Ciara have built a charity foundation reported to be worth $13 million, and its focus is on children and local communities. The Why Not You Foundation began in 2014, when Wilson was a young quarterback in Seattle. Ciara has since become a central partner in the work. Together they raise money for kids facing illness, poverty and limited opportunity. The money comes from galas, sponsors and everyday donors, not just one athlete’s salary. For a player still active in the NFL, the foundation has grown into a second career with real weight of its own.