Armstead Family Foundation
Empowering Communities Through Education, Opportunity, and Service
Our Mission
The Armstead Family Foundation serves as the philanthropic home for NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Arik Armstead and his wife, Dr. Melinda Armstead. Built on the belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to thrive regardless of their circumstances, our foundation creates lasting positive change through strategic investments in education, youth development, and community empowerment.
We believe that success should be measured not by what we acquire, but by how many lives we positively impact. Through our comprehensive approach to philanthropy, we're working to break down barriers and build bridges to opportunity for underserved communities across the nation.
Our Story
What began as a personal commitment to give back has evolved into a multi-faceted philanthropic enterprise touching thousands of lives. When Arik Armstead entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick in 2015, he and Melinda made a promise: to use their platform and resources to create meaningful change in the communities that shaped them and those they would come to call home.
In 2019, they established the Armstead Academic Project, which has since raised and personally contributed more than $2 million to support youth in Sacramento, the Bay Area, and Jacksonville. This commitment to service culminated in Arik being named the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, the league's most prestigious honor recognizing excellence both on the field and in community service.
Today, the Armstead Family Foundation stands as an umbrella organization coordinating and amplifying our philanthropic efforts across multiple initiatives, partnerships, and communities.
Follow our journey on Cauze.
The Armstead Family Foundation is a component fund of Cauze Charitable Fund, a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN: 45-4602256). Cauze Charitable Fund retains exclusive legal control and discretion over all contributions.