Bengals nominate Giovani Bernard for Walter Payton Man of the Year award

Every year, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is award to an active player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.

This year, veteran running back Giovani Bernard has been named the Bengals’ nominee for the award.

Now in his seventh season, Bernard has made a major impact in the community through The Bernard Family Foundation, which gives underprivileged children a platform for success by providing opportunities for education, athletics and lessons in core values that will help support them throughout their lives.

In addition, the foundation supports the Jardin Vert de Josette School in Haiti, which is named after Bernard’s mother.

“It’s something I hold dear to my heart,” Bernard said in of Jardin Vert de Josette.

Bernard has made several trips to Haiti to visit the children at the school and make enhancements, including adding solar panels for electricity and ensuring the school has clean running water. His goal is to make this school a community focal point and a safe haven for the kids.

“Being nominated gives me an opportunity to show people what I’m passionate about off the field,” said Bernard. “My mom and my dad are from Haiti and I want to be able to give back to where my parents came from. It fills me with joy to know that the school is named after my mom and to be able to do something like that in my mom’s honor.”

As a nominee, Bernard will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

The 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be announced during the NFL Honors awards special on Feb. 1, the eve of Super Bowl LIV.

In addition, all 32 nominees will receive a donation of up to $50,000 in their name to their charity of choice. The winner of the award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice.

Fans can actually help make an impact through the Charity Challenge by voting on Twitter using #WPMOYChallenge, followed by their favorite nominee’s last name. The player whose unique hashtag is used the most between Dec. 12 and Jan. 12 will receive a $25,000 contribution to their charity of choice, while the second and third-place finishers will receive $10,000 and $5,000 donations, all courtesy of Nationwide.

More information and official rules can be found at nfl.com/manoftheyear.