FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Atlanta Falcons punter Bradley Pinion recently led a group of Falcons players and associates to the Dominican Republic with Compassion International, a child development organization that partners with local churches to release children from poverty. Falcons President Greg Beadles, Head Coach Raheem Morris, seven players, plus staff and spouses, had the chance to learn more about the Compassion's ongoing efforts to lift children out of poverty. The trip marked the first that a professional sports organization has traveled as a group to take part in Compassion International's work.

"We've never done anything like this before and I'm so grateful we had this opportunity," said 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 group spent four days in the country learning about Compassion International's child development initiatives. They visited front-line church partners, engaged with children through planned group activities, including a baseball game and football drills, and visited the homes of the mothers and children in need.

Through his established involvement with Compassion International, Pinion felt moved to invite his teammates and other Falcons associates to experience the work being done by Compassion, specifically in the Dominican Republic. In 2023, he and his wife, Kaeleigh, traveled to Tanzania to visit survival centers they helped fund, which provide critical prenatal care, access to food, clean water and medicine to mothers and babies in need. This experience led to his “Punts for Purpose” campaign launch in the fall of 2023, where he partnered with other punters around the league to donate $1,000 to Compassion International for every punt that landed inside of the 20-yard-line, in support of the organization's "The Fight to First" initiative.

"It's what we are passionate about," Pinion added. "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."

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 threats such as crime and gang violence, drug activity, trafficking and exploitation. Alongside its holistic child development program, Compassion also provides age-appropriate child protection training to every child and a safe environment where children and youth can enjoy sports and other activities.