Washington Commanders players visit Alexandria school, distribute $5,000 in food, supplies
The energy was electric at Mount Vernon Community School as students kicked things off with a pep rally–style assembly before teaming up with Washington Commanders players and staff to pack 500 bags of weekend food. Running back Christopher Rodriguez Jr., wide receivers Chris Moore and Jaylin Lane, and everyone’s favorite mascot Major Tuddy joined in the fun—all to help provide hunger-free weekends for kids in the community.
Mount Vernon Community School students in Alexandria got a visit on Tuesday from Washington Commanders players, who gave away $5,000 worth of food, plush footballs, hats, and notebooks.
Commanders running back Christopher Rodriguez, Jr., wide receivers Jaylin Lane and Chris Moore, and mascot Major Tuddy visited the school in collaboration with the nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack. In addition to receiving signed team merchandise, students also got bags with yogurt, pretzels, fruit cups, cereal, soup, macaroni and cheese, and tuna.
Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt thanked the Commanders for their visit. Current and former members of the team visited the school twice last school year. The event was also held in recognition of September as Hispanic Heritage Month.
“They’ve been great partners with us throughout the last couple of years,” Kay-Wyatt said. “The relationship that you have with our students and schools is important.”
Moore said that his teammates also visited to help usher in Hispanic Heritage Month.
“Growing up, I know I didn’t get to see a lot of faces of NFL players,” Moore said. “We’re really here to start kicking off celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month… We had a dance party. It was fun.”
Fourth-grader Robert Chang-Dwyer said that the players are bigger than he expected.
“It was exciting, really exciting to actually see people from the Commanders,” Chang-Dwyer said. “And yes, they are taller than they look on the football field.”