From a $1.75 million school gift to a $3 million hospital donation: How Russell Wilson and Ciara built a foundation around helping children
Through the Why Not You Foundation, which they started in 2014, the couple has supported education, children’s health and efforts to fight hunger. The foundation said in 2023 that its partnerships had helped raise more than $13 million for these causes. In 2020, the Why Not You Foundation committed about $1.75 million to help rebrand and support Cascade Midway Academy, a charter school south of Seattle. In 2023, through a partnership with CommonSpirit Health, the foundation helped provide $1 million in grants to 10 organizations in Colorado and Utah. Each group received $100,000 for work involving areas such as education, health equity, food security and support for children and young people. In November 2025, the Why Not You Foundation announced a $3 million gift to Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York. Just a month later, the foundation announced another $500,000 donation to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and ATL Cares. In February 2026, the foundation announced a $2 million donation to the Los Cabos Children’s Foundation in Mexico.
For Russell Wilson and Ciara, the words “Why not you?” have become closely tied to the work they do for children and families. The money was expected to help provide more than one million meals to families dealing with food insecurity, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The idea behind the foundation came from a message Wilson learned from his father, Harrison Wilson III, who encouraged him to believe that he could achieve his goals even when others doubted him. Wilson later carried that message into his charity work, with the foundation focusing on giving young people better access to education, health care and basic support. His visits became a regular part of his life, and his connection with young patients later became an important part of the foundation’s work. The foundation has also supported pediatric cancer research and programs aimed at helping families facing food insecurity. Education has been another major part of their work. The school later became Why Not You Academy and opened to high school students, with a focus on personalized learning, mentorship and work-based opportunities. The couple has also taken their work into communities where they have lived and worked. The foundation’s more recent donations show that its work has expanded beyond education. The money is supporting two therapeutic spaces, including a Child Life Zone Theater and a play space for children receiving cancer and blood disease care. The gift is being used to expand health and rehabilitation services for children and families in Baja California Sur. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
Since then, its work has continued with several large donations and community programs. Wilson had already been spending time with children at Seattle Children’s Hospital before the foundation was created.
In 2025, the Youth Athlete of the Year competition raised $21.66 million, with the money set to support both the Why Not You Foundation and the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Centers are open in Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Pasadena, with more locations planned for 2026, according to the foundation. Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news , check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule .
Their fundraising efforts have also reached large numbers. The foundation now also runs Why Not You Centers, which are designed to give young people access to mentorship, academic support, creative programs and other resources. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.