Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin was honored for his role in several different local and national community endeavors.
Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin was one of nine people who received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service award from King County on Monday.
The award is given annually to individuals recognized by King County as having “gone above and beyond in their efforts to make a difference in communities across King County in answer to Dr. King’s question: ‘What are you doing for others?”’
Baldwin was recognized for his work in South King County and specifically Renton and the Family First Community Center project.
This center will provide a variety of programs including youth sports, art and music classes, group exercise, English as a second language classes, and much more. Healthpoint, a non-profit health center, will also provide services in the facility. Construction is expected to begin by the end of this year.
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Baldwin partnered with the City of Renton and the Renton School District to design and build the center in the Cascade/Benson Hill area, which is home to nearly a quarter of Renton’s population. Twelve percent of the population in the Cascade/Benson Hill area live below the poverty line, and more than 20 percent is aged 14 years or younger.
“Dr. King understood the importance of the opportunities athletes had to use their platforms for positive social change,” Councilmember Dave Upthegrove said in presenting the medal to Baldwin. “Doug’s commitment to service in Renton and all of the communities in King County embodies that vision – and we are better for it.”
Baldwin, who has been with the Seahawks since 2011, was also honored for helping create the Seahawks Players Equality and Justice for All Action Fund, which was established last fall and has raised almost $1 million to help support various causes selected by the team’s players. The Seahawks Players Equality and Justice for All Action Fund has also played a key role in the national “Build a Bridge” task force, focused on gaining knowledge about issues facing law enforcement and communities they serve and pushing for positive social change.