Ventrell Miller using platform to raise money for Hurricane Ian relief
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Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller launched his foundation this week, Millerville Foundation Inc., and his first program is raising money for Hurricane Ian relief.
Miller started a GoFundMe account on Wednesday with a goal of raising $200,000. He received more than $3,000 in donations within the first 12 hours.
Miller will be donating some of his money earned through name, image and likeness. He said his brother has been encouraging to start a foundation and use his NIL platform. The devastation in Southwest Florida from Hurricane Ian was a call to action for Miller.
“Just seeing it, those people got impacted hard. Flooded, houses lost, all different kinds of things those people are going through. I felt some type of way for them. I felt like it was my job to try to come do something to help,” Miller said after Wednesday’s practice. “For my foundation, we’re just promoting it to the down south, people who got hit the most. That’s who we are donating all the funds to, those people.”
Millerville Foundation Inc. will have a tent set up near Gator Walk on Saturday for fans who would like to donate in person. Florida coach Billy Napier is proud of Miller for taking the initiative to give back with his NIL funds.
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“It doesn’t surprise me. Ventrell is as good a human being as I’ve been around. What makes him special to me is he actually has a significant care of other people,” Napier said. “He’s walking around living life, and he’s got enough wisdom and perspective to realize that there’s other people out there, and he’s not consumed with himself. He’s actually thinking about the people around him. He’s doing good things for other people now. He’s making a difference now. He’ll do that the rest of his life. That’s who he is.”
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