About 27 Reasons Foundation
It is the mission of the 27 Reasons Foundation to provide activities for young people to develop social , educational skills to overcome life challenges and to become productive citizens. The programs of the foundation focus on twenty seven principles of leadership which enhance positive choices in life situations. The 27 principles will be the stepping stones to success in the classroom and the community., regardless of life circumstances. The 27 Reasons Foundation hosts a Youth Football Camp for boys and girls from 6 to 18 years old. At the camp, workshops on “Strategies of College Entrance Exams”, “NCAA Regulations”, and “Importance of Making Good Grades” are given to the participants by professional athletes, counselors, coaches and teachers. In teaching the fundamentals of football at the camp, a strong emphasis on individual play and team play are encouraged. It is the desire of the Foundation to serve youth in a collaborative effort to support the needs of children who may need that extra encouragement to make his or her world brighter.
In efforts to continue the great work of the foundation, financial support from companies, sponsors and personal donations are needed to support its programs. The 27 Reasons Foundation was founded by David Macklin, a National Football League cornerback, because of his commitment to community service and to children. Mr. Macklin joined the league in 2000 and has played for the Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins, Saint Louis Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs.
27 Reasons Foundation's 27 Principles
DREAMS: “If you're going to be thinking, you may as well think big.” -Donald Trump
VISION: “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you
forget this errand.” -Woodrow Wilson
GOALS: “You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals.”
-Booker T. Washington
COURAGE: “All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney
MOTIVATION: “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” -Jim Ryun
CONFIDENCE: “You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”
-Rosalynn Smith Carter
UNDERSTANDING: "Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding."
-Bible, Proverbs, 4:7
FAITH: “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
EDUCATION: “The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.” -Robert M.
Hutchins
FOCUS: “Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and
what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.” -Oprah Winfrey
PATIENCE: “He that can have patience can have what he will.” -Benjamin Franklin
TIME: “Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it.” -Leonardo Da Vinci
DISCIPLINE: “By constant self-discipline and self-control you can develop greatness of character.”
-Grenville Kleiser
DEDICATION: “Dedicate some of your life to others. Your dedication will not be a sacrifice. It will be an exhilarating
experience because it is an intense effort applied toward a meaningful end.” -Dr. Thomas Dooley
INSPIRATION: “Greatness is more than potential. It is the execution of that potential. Beyond the raw talent. You need
the appropriate training. You need the discipline. You need the inspiration. You need the drive.”
-Eric A. Burns
ACTION: “Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.” -Harold S. Geneen
EXCELLENCE: “The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to
enjoy it.” -Pearl Buck
LEADERSHIP: “Leadership is communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in
themselves.” -Stephen Covey
RESPECT: “Self-respect is the cornerstone of all virtue.”-John Herschel
EQUALITY: “I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and
prosperity for all people.” -Rosa Parks
TRUST: “The only way to make a man trustworthy is to trust him.” -Henry Stimson
LOVE: “Love God and trust your feelings. Be loyal to them. Don't betray them.”-Robert C. Pollock
HAPPINESS: “The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”-Marcus A. Antoninus
LIFE: “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”-Thomas Carlyle
GENEROSITY: “… true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.” -Simone de Beauvoir
GROWTH: “Create the kind of climate in your organization where personal growth is expected, recognized and
rewarded.” -Author Unknown
SUCCESS: “That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.”
-Abraham Lincoln
About David Macklin
David Macklin was born July 14, 1978 in Newport News, VA. Attending Menchville High School as a three-sport star provided him with exceptional, early exposure as he faced off with the likes of Plaxico Burress, Mike Vick, and Allen Iverson, to name a few. Macklin feels both proud and honored to come from the highly talented Peninsula District, and it has been instrumental in cultivating his passion to reach out to help youths everywhere.
David Macklin was a very active youth. From his involvement in sports to his zealous participation in the church choir, he was always eager to be where the action was, and often being the instigator of positive activity wherever it was needed.
David graduated high school in 1996, where he had become an All American football player, and quickly was off to Penn State University to prepare for the kickoff classic against USC. With his tenacity intact, he again earned the All American honor as a Nittany Lion. David was an enthusiastic member of the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) through college and held true to his dedication as he took his place in the NFL.
Macklin’s Inspiration
Macklin embraces his Christian upbringing and remains loyal to the principals he was taught while growing up; believing his faith is responsible for making him who he is today.
David is also generous in giving credit to role models that touched his life as a child and contributed to forming the man he is now. His father, Paul Macklin, was a teacher, and coached various high school football teams. Paul’s voluntary dedication to youths, mentoring and protecting them wherever he could, did not go unnoticed in the community or in the eyes of his son, because David feels his father’s example is a major reason that he has a burning passion to elevate the quality of life for all youngsters.
David’s mother, Magaline Macklin, was also a remarkable role model, graduating as her class Salutatorian from Virginia State University and spending 30 years teaching math to children. Together, with her husband, they passed on David’s favorite lesson. David remembers, “My Parents instilled in me to love my neighbor as I love myself and always to keep God first in everything I do. This serves as a foundation to everything I am.”
David Macklin expresses appreciation for other teachers and coaches as well; Greg Henderson, for instance, of Dozier Middle School was his junior high Physical Education teacher and basketball coach at Menchville High School. Henderson’s no-nonsense approach to life, most obviously regarding studies and sports, greatly affected Macklin and caused further appreciation for the value of high standards.
David will never forget the words he was privileged to hear right from the mouth of football’s most “Winningest Coach” Joe Paterno, "You're never as good as you think you are, and you’re not as bad as you think you are." David comments, “This motivated me to continue working harder in everything I do, never becoming defined by the things that we may think in any certain moment, whether good or negative.”
A New Foundation For David Macklin
David acknowledges that athletics is a large part of who he is, but he also knows that, bigger than him or sports, there is a world of children out there whose lives he is excited to touch and improve. Macklin’s foundation – his upbringing, his education, his phenomenal parents and mentors – has left him humbled, and with a heart overflowing with desire to reach out to help the youths of today. His yearning to make a real difference drives David in the same way he is accustomed to: through dedication, hard work, grit and perseverance.
The same moral fiber that is at the foundation of David Macklin now brings him full circle, as he reaches out to today’s youth to level the playing field, hoping to close any possible gaps present in their lives. He is the founder of 27 Reasons Foundation, an organization designed to help ensure that youngsters acquire the beneficial tools that will serve as a life-long encouragement.
Once David started seeing the manifestation of 27 Reasons his heart became even more affected, as it opened his eyes to how much needs to be done, as the commitment to children entails constantly evolving facets that require adjustments in goals. By seeing actual events in action Macklin realized that more children need to be reached, event planning needs to be constant, there is equipment to purchase, and programs to be designed that give the children the gift of character-building and self-esteem enhancing experiences. It has caused David’s commitment to children to deepen.
David Macklin’s vision is to empower today’s youth through athletics; showing them what they are capable of achieving in all aspects of their lives and through any support necessary for their success. Macklin currently gives life to programs with a special focus on academics, physical fitness, and enhancing self-esteem through participation in sports. David is also dedicated to take on any new challenges that come to 27 Reason Foundation's attention.
