Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney proclaimed Aug. 1 "Morgan Moses Foundation Day," celebrating the Redskins right tackle's charitable impact in his hometown.
For most players, training camp is a time away – from family, from distractions, from everything but football. For Redskins right tackle Morgan Moses, however, training camp is home.
The Richmond, Va., native has had the comfort of returning to his hometown each summer for a few weeks during a stretch that can be mentally and physically rigorous. But a healthy support system and a commitment to improving the city in which he was raised has made this annual visit much more meaningful than solely feeling prepared for the season.
That was primarily the case this past Tuesday, when Moses received a $50,000 donation on behalf of his eponymous foundation from Todd Hitt, Kiddar Capital CEO, which will support a tutoring program called "Homework Help!" Hitt was joined by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who officially proclaimed August 1 "Morgan Moses Foundation Day," addressing more than 30 students, teachers and coaches from three area high schools.
"Anytime you can come back home and be able to give back to the community is always a great thing," Moses said.
Throughout the event, which included lunch, students could sign up on site for the tutoring program, which will begin Sept. 1 for the entire school year, at no cost to qualified students who need a boost in Chesterfield, Richmond, Fairfax, and Loudoun County Public Schools. Partnering with The Princeton Review, the program hopes to maximize students' academic potential.
"It feels great man. It's a lot of things that you know the school system needs," Moses said. "So being able to be one of those voices to help expand for our future students and our future children is a great honor."
In Richmond, more than 80 percent of high school students graduate, but only 21 percent are prepared for, or able to attend, college. Moses knows about struggling to get on the right academic track. His 1.6-grade average kept him from being NCAA-eligible and so he transferred to Fork Union Military Academy for a year to raise his grades, eventually becoming good enough to play football at the University of Virginia.
It's why the tutoring program is such a personal pursuit for him.
The Washington Redskins offense conducted their seventh day of training camp practice Thursday, August 3, 2017 at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center in Richmond, Va
"That's something I didn't grow up with and now you know a lot of people in Richmond don't have the extra money on tutoring and things like that," Moses said. "So being able to provide that for them, it takes a lot of stress off of a lot of people."
Moses's foundation began in 2015 with the purpose of motivating students through educational activities. Spreading his campaign into his hometown, in front of friends and family members, makes it even more impactful.
"It's a great deal," Moses said. "You know, being here and just being able to give back and just being able to come out here every day and have a support system -- seeing people like this every day and just being able to get around and have the support when we come out here and practice makes it a lot easier. Doesn't really make it like training camp, you know?"
That can be attributed to teachers and high school coaches, who have come to training camp to watch their former student play, as well as his extended family – cousins and uncles – giving him motivation and support every practice.
Before the team packs up and heads back to Ashburn, Moses will also make sure to get a home-cooked meal from his mother, sending him off in proper fashion.
"You know," Moses said, "I got to put my order in before we get out of here."
