Most people know Dan Snyder as the owner of the Washington Football Team. However, he is also a serial entrepreneur with a history of raising millions of dollars for local and regional charities. Let’s take a closer look at a man who has earned the respect of his employees, fans of the Washington Football Team and much of the Washington D.C. community.
Dan Snyder Has Repeatedly Given Back to Americans in Need
In 2005, Snyder donated money to Louisiana residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In March 2020, he opened a COVID-19 testing site in Prince George County in an effort to help slow the spread of the disease. He also donated $100,000 to an area food bank to ensure that members of the community would not go hungry.
Dan Snyder also donated $250,000 to help highlight the social and economic issues that minorities often deal with. This donation was made after the death of George Floyd in May 2020. In addition, the Washington Football Team raised $35,000 to help restore the Ashburn Colored School after it was damaged by vandals.
Snyder Has Also Helped Victims of Foreign Natural Disasters
In 2004, Daniel Snyder sent money and supplies to Indonesia and Thailand after a tsunami devastated portions of both countries. In 2016, he sent food, medicine and other supplies to residents of Haiti after Hurricane Matthew made landfall there. The supplies were delivered to those hurricane victims personally by members of the team who were of Haitian descent.
Children Have Benefited Greatly From Daniel Snyder’s Charitable Efforts
Dan Snyder created the Washington Charitable Foundation as a way to help needy children and families in the Washington D.C. area. Since its creation in 2000, the group has raised nearly $29 million that has been used to fund programs such as Loads of Love.
The Loads of Love program provides laundry facilities that children can use in a discreet manner whenever a school or nonprofit center is open. Research has shown that children tend to be more engaged at school when they have access to clean clothing. They are also more likely to take part in after-school activities such as art classes or wellness programs.
The Washington Franchise Has a Strong Connection to the Military
In 2016, the Gary Sinise Foundation partnered with the organization to help build a home for a veteran who had been paralyzed while serving in Iraq. The man had been a fan of the team for many years, and his new house was equipped with a variety of automatic features that would make it easier for him to use on his own.
Through an organization called Salute, the team also holds pregame events for members of the military and their families. These events include viewing parties, enlistment ceremonies and general events designed to show the team’s appreciation for those who served.
Where Did Daniel Snyder Get the Idea to Buy the Football Team?
According to Snyder, he became a fan of the franchise after attending games with his dad as a child. He raised the money to purchase the team by selling Snyder Communications, Inc. for $2.3 billion to Havas in 2000. During his tenure as Football Team owner, he has spent more than $100 million to improve the team’s stadium and practice facility. As of September 2020, the franchise had an estimated market value of $3.5 billion.
Daniel Snyder Continues to Build a Diversified Investment Portfolio
In addition to owning the Football Team, Dan Snyder owns a variety of other firms such as Red Zebra Broadcasting, LLC and inVentiv Health. Red Zebra is a holding company that has a controlling interest in the regional media outlets that broadcast Football Team games. He is also a key investor, manager or adviser in a variety of smaller ventures that operate primarily in the Washington D.C. area.
