Damar Hamlin has defied the odds his entire life.

He grew up in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. It’s one of the smallest boroughs in the state, but it has one of the highest crime rates.

Despite the challenges around him, Hamlin achieved his dreams and earned a spot in the NFL.

Many of his peers, however, didn’t fare so well.

The Buffalo Bills safety credits his parents with giving him the tools and encouragement to stay on the right path when so many around him lost their way. Even when his father was incarcerated for years, he remained a guiding force in Hamlin’s life.

Hamlin said that ongoing support made all the difference — and now he wants to make the same difference in the lives of kids across the country.

Driven by a desire to strengthen his community, Hamlin focused not only on his own success but on opening doors for others. Today, Hamlin is helping kids safely pursue their dreams through his Chasing M’s Foundation.

Now he’s highlighting Chasing M’s for the NFL’s annual My Cause My Cleats campaign, which allows players to shine the spotlight on mission-driven organizations and issues they are passionate about by wearing custom-designed cleats representing their chosen cause.

​​Hamlin’s journey reveals that true success isn’t just about achievement, but about contribution. By using his platform to uplift others, both Hamlin and the young people his foundation supports have discovered that purpose takes root in service.

“I've always been chasing making a difference,” Hamlin said. “Now, I'm in a position to transform a generation that comes after me.”

From hashtag to hope for youth across the country

“Chasing M’s” stands for “chasing millions.”

Hamlin originally started using the phrase as a hashtag on his Instagram posts — signifying the drive to succeed personally. It caught fire and eventually led to something bigger.

“Initially, I was building myself up into a person who could provide for his family,” Hamlin said. “But the ‘chasing’ part, that was my slogan. That was my motto. That was my alignment with who I wanted to become, which was someone who's showing up for the community. A lot of people migrated towards it, whether they were playing a sport or whether they were chasing dreams.”

So, he founded Chasing M’s with a mission primarily focused on youth empowerment — to help kids navigate their journey and give them an example of how to do it the right way.

Rooted in the neighborhoods it serves, Chasing M's stands out for its authentic connection to community. Lasting change often begins within communities when people take the lead in driving solutions shaped by their lived experiences.

“Making it to the NFL, I was given nothing but opportunity to transform my entire community in so many different ways,” he said.

A moment gives momentum to the movement

On January 2, 2023, Hamlin collapsed on the field after suffering a cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. His fight for life was met with an extraordinary outpouring of support — more than $9 million in donations to his foundation poured in to continue the work already underway.

Hamlin made a remarkable recovery and returned to the game he loves, his purpose renewed and his platform elevated.

That renewed purpose was about contribution. Hamlin saw that his story could inspire others to act, to give, and to find meaning by helping those around them. His recovery became a rallying point for a movement grounded in community and compassion.

“I felt like that was God's way of showing the world who I truly always was,” Hamlin said. “And I felt like he just propelled me into a space to be able to do the same work at a higher level with a different platform.”

Since then, the Chasing M’s Foundation’s mission has expanded not only to transform lives but to save them. The organization now raises awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, training youth in CPR, and distributing automated external defibrillators across the country and around the world. So far, it’s given away $900,000 worth of AEDs and trained more than 20,000 people in CPR.

“You never know when you’re going to need CPR as your super power,” Hamlin said.

The Chasing M’s Foundation’s North Star remains youth empowerment. Its goal is to build the McKees Rocks Youth Empowerment Center, which Hamlin considers the heart of their legacy.

The center isn’t about fixing problems for people — it’s also about helping them develop the skills and confidence to solve their own, offering support through financial literacy programs and trauma therapy.

“You know, all people need sometimes is just that direction and the right tools to be equipped with to be able to prosper and grow,” Hamlin said.

A call for all to get off the sidelines

Through this year’s My Cause My Cleats campaign, Hamlin has invited his fans to support and amplify the Chasing M’s Foundation’s mission and scale its impact.

“We want to create a lasting impact, and in order to do that, we understand that we have to partner with like-minded organizations that have different resources that we don't have in order to make it whole for our community,” Hamlin said. “Now, we can expand our horizons.”

There are so many communities like McKees Rocks. The Chasing M’s Foundation’s approach to empowerment that comes straight from the community creates a blueprint that other cities can replicate.

But Hamlin says it takes support from everyone to make it a reality.

“Whether you're a player or a fan, this is your movement,” Hamlin said. “It's time to get off the sidelines and get in the game. It takes all of us to make sure kids all over the country can chase their dreams.”

Fans can join Hamlin by visiting his My Cause My Cleats page to donate to the Chasing M’s Foundation, bid on his cleats, or find another cause near you.

This story is part of a special partnership between the NFL and Stand Together, focused on amplifying and growing the impact of the philanthropic work of NFL players. Together, this collaboration shows real strength comes when we unlock the strength within communities and the critical role each of us can play in contributing to solving problems around us.

The Chasing M’s Foundation is supported by Stand Together Foundation, which empowers individuals to reach their full potential through community-driven change.

Learn more about Stand Together’s top issue areas and explore ways you can partner with us.