Browns staff and alumni, as well as students from Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), took part in the Browns' eighth annual Summer Blitz event, in partnership with NEOMED, spending time working on projects under the far-reaching umbrella of Browns Give Back.

Volunteers completed a variety of projects representing the three core areas of Browns Give Back: education, youth football and creating equitable opportunities for advancement in Ohio.

"Annually we look forward to the Summer Blitz as an opportunity to advance the Browns Give Back platform through volunteerism," Haslam Sports Group Vice President of Community Relations Jenner Tekancic said. "We are proud to have NEOMED join us as part of our First and Ten volunteer effort to have meaningful impact in our community. Their commitment to this project showcases the power of teamwork, and our collective vision to positively inspire others."

Over the course of the day, volunteers worked on 10 total projects. One of those projects consisted of assembling field benches, which will be used at the new field at Collinwood Athletic Complex, the Browns’ 16^th Field Project installation since the team's initiative launched in May 2016.

As part of the Browns' Youth Football "Rookie Tackle" program, volunteers also put together toolkits to be distributed to all current Rookie Tackle leagues in preparation for the 2025 season.

"Growing up, I knew that Cleveland is a Browns town, and it feels really good to be working with them," Nanak Dhillon, a third-year medical student at NEOMED, said. "With our partnership, NEOMED is all about putting out physician leaders, and the Browns have a similar mission that they are leaders of the community as well. So, it feels really good to come out here and do some service for our community and give back to the place that has given so much to me."

In conjunction with the Cleveland Browns Foundation and the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network – which is a statewide movement dedicated to dramatically improving student attendance – volunteers assembled bicycles and scooters to help support transportation to and from school each day. Browns staff and NEOMED students compiled student kits, which included school supplies or hygiene items. They also assembled sensory kits for classrooms, which included sensory bags of dyed rice, trinkets and larger fidget items. All will be distributed to local school districts with the goal of ensuring every student has what they need to attend school consistently and succeed in the classroom.

For other initiatives associated with Browns Give Back, volunteers made fleece tie knot blankets to be distributed during other community activations, as well as inflated footballs used for donations to community and local organizations during the 2025-26 season.

Staff members from the Browns, as well as NEOMED staff and students also enjoyed music over the course of the day as well as lunch catered by EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute as an extension of the Browns' continued efforts in supporting the creation of equitable opportunities. EDWINS gives formerly incarcerated adults a foundation in the culinary and hospitality industry while providing a support network for necessary long-term success. The Browns have partnered with EDWINS since 2017 and have provided over $595,000 in grants that have reached over 100,000 individuals.

As Summer Blitz wrapped up with bikes, benches and scooters built, hand-made blankets folded and toolkits packaged, 103 staff members from the Browns, alumni and 25 NEOMED students and staff volunteered for the event.

"NEOMED students embrace community service, promoting education and improved health," NEOMED President Dr. John Langell said. "We are excited to partner with the Browns for the 'Summer Blitz,' which is an excellent enrichment opportunity to support area K-12 schools and strengthen the life mission of our students as future healthcare leaders."

For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback, and follow @BrownsGiveBack for news and updates.