By Casey Malone |
Special to the Metro Monthly

Nick Eason wants to make a difference in his adopted hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. 

After Eason’s three seasons with the Cleveland Browns and currently in his second year as defensive end with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he chose Youngstown as the place to start his foundation. Eason is familiar with the Mahoning Valley and wants to help area families through the Nick Eason Foundation.

The Nick Eason Foundation is holding a Fund Raising Event on July 17, 2008 at The Core in downtown Youngstown from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for a Martini Party. Eason will have many NFL players on hand, along with other celebrities to benefit the foundation. The cost is $100 per ticket and can be purchased by calling Karen Perry at 440-623-0712.

The mission statement of the foundation is “To provide assistance to families dealing with the hardships of terminal illness. Families face a wide range of issues when in crisis; the Nick Eason Foundation is there to lend a helping hand.   ”When a family has a terminally ill member, basic needs are often compromised because of financial and physical limitations.  Eason wants to provide a safety net for families in that situation. 

 “Gas prices are high, if you are driving to an out of town medical facility a few times a week, it adds up,” said Eason.   “Utility bills and other financial obligations are often put to the side when you have someone in expensive ongoing treatment”.   “There are so many scenarios that can arise; my foundation can offer assistance and give relief to families. I just want to let families know that there is a place to turn to when things get out of control.”

Eason has a close circle of friends and family in the Mahoning and Trumbull county areas to assist him in this endeavor. His friends Jimmy and Rukeyah Pugh of Warren inspire him. (They run Project Gridiron that mentors and tutors at risk students.) The Moore Family of Lowellville also will help Eason in his charitable endeavors.

Eason cites his grandmother, Mrs. Betty Holland of Lyons, Georgia (Eason’s birthplace), as his role model for charitable service.   “She was always helping others, and giving whatever possible to those in need.”  As a student athlete at Clemson University, Eason was a leader among his teammates in terms of community service. He was also the first athlete at Clemson to graduate in three years, earning a degree in human resource development.