Donations pour in for Damar Hamlin’s holiday toy drive after he collapsed during Monday Night Football game

Damar Hamlin made a commitment to impact his community as he wrapped up his collegiate career and prepared for an NFL one in 2020. In December of that year, he held a toy drive fundraiser with a modest goal of raising $2,500.

On Monday night, shortly after Hamlin collapsed on the field, a link to his fundraiser surfaced. In just a couple hours, the total raised shot up past $1 million. By midnight Houston time, the total had climbed above $2.3 million.

Tens of thousands of people looking for a way to throw their support behind the Buffalo Bills player did it by contributing to his non-profit organization the Chasing M’s Foundation.

Shortly after the organization’s creation in 2020, Hamlin launched a toy drive fundraiser to help children impacted by the pandemic in the Pennsylvania community where he grew up.

The GoFundMe post reads:

As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me. I created The Chasing M’s Foundation as a vehicle that will allow me to deliver that impact, and the first program is the 2020 Community Toy Drive.

This campaign gives you the opportunity to contribute to our first initiative and positively impact children who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. 100% of the funds raised will go toward the purchase of toys for kids in need. The time to act is now, as we will be distributing toys on December 22nd from 3:30 to 5:30 PM from Kelly and Nina’s Daycare Center at 800 Russellwood Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136.

If you are not able to contribute monetarily, you can support this initiative in other ways. We are accepting donated toys at the Daycare Center or simply spread the word by sharing this fundraiser on your social channels.

Thank you so much for supporting me on and off the field. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with you to help make the holiday season a little brighter for the kids in our community.

Damar Hamlin

The Chasing M’s Foundation

Less than three hours after Hamlin was hurt on the field, more than 50,000 people had made donations. An hour later, that number had nearly doubled. Many football fans also wrote messages of support, including:

• Praying for you, your family, and your team.
• Wishing you a full and speedy recovery. From Patriots Nation.
• Stay Strong #3❤️
• Detroit Lions fan sending prayers your way!
• Prayers from Raider Nation
• Healing thoughts and support from Carolina!!
• Sending love from Chiefs Kingdom
• Praying for you. #billsmafia. #skol

RELATED: ‘Tonight, we are ALL Bills fans’: Social media responds after Bills Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse during game against Bengals (click2houston.com)

GoFundMe’s official twitter account shared the link to the 2020 fundraiser Monday night. It also retweeted a sports business reporter who stated that donations were being made at a rate of $5,000 per minute.

To view the current total for the fundraiser, click here.