COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 7, 2025) – Atlanta Falcons President Greg Beadles, Head Coach Raheem Morris, along with punter Bradley Pinion and six other players, plus staff, spouses and partners, traveled to the Dominican Republic with Compassion International to learn more about the organization’s ongoing efforts to lift children out of poverty.
We’ve never done anything like this before and I’m so grateful we had this opportunity,” says Beadles. “We are a values-driven organization both on and off the field, and we’ve always wanted to be a positive, impactful force for good in communities.”
“The Atlanta Falcons are the first professional sports organization to travel internationally with Compassion and experience firsthand our frontline work of serving the poor,” adds Compassion International President and CEO, Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado. “We all know that a united team is incredibly powerful, and this team is coming together to make an impact in transforming the lives of children living in poverty. The Falcons are dedicated to excellence and sportsmanship on the field. Witnessing their commitment to take that off the field, to uplift others, is not only inspiring but lifesaving as well.”
Pinion’s passion for the work—he spearheaded the Punts for Purpose campaign to support Compassion—has been contagious. He first shared Compassion’s work with Morris and Beadles, who supported his invitation to fellow Falcons players and staff to witness the organization’s work first-hand during the team’s off-season. Team members, staff, their partners and spouses responded in force, and once again displayed their desire to give back to communities in need.
“It’s what we are passionate about,” Pinion shares. “We just want to bring other people along because we see the impact Compassion’s having. We want other people to see it, support it and give that same fire that we have.”
49% of households in the Dominican Republic live on less than $3.40 a day—that's roughly equivalent to the cost of a pack of chewing gum in the United States. Children in these impoverished communities are exposed to serious consequences of poverty, including crime and gang violence, drug activity, human trafficking, and other forms of exploitation.
Through its partnership with 234 frontline church partners in the Dominican Republic, Compassion serves over 62,000 children and is working to protect them from these and other threats. Alongside its holistic child development program, it also provides age-appropriate child protection training to every child in its program, and a safe environment where children and youth can enjoy sports and other activities instead of turning to crime.
As part of their visit, Falcons players and staff played a baseball game against children enrolled in Compassion’s holistic child development program—with the children securing a win (6-5).
“During the game with the Falcons, I felt very happy and excited, just like my teammates,” says 12-year-old Yan Carlos. “They were a really good team, and even though they usually play football instead of baseball, they put up a great fight and did an amazing job. We would love to play with them again because they are such a great team and deserve a rematch. We pray that God blesses them, and we are grateful for this fun time we shared together.”
“It was a tough game, but ultimately this loss is a big win for lifting children out of poverty,” says Pinion.
“We often say that poverty steals dreams and hope, but that day, as they interacted with the players, the children understood that with determination, their dreams would have no limits,” shares Tony Beltran, national director for Compassion Dominican Republic.
When Compassion surveyed program graduates in the Dominican Republic, 97% said they were released from poverty because of the organization’s work, and 93% said their local Compassion center changed their lives.
Watch the highlight video here.