Otsego Native and MSU Pitcher Joseph Dzierwa Donates Portion of His NIL Contract to Help Feed Local Kids
Dzierwa is one of over 100 Spartans who will be signing NIL contracts at a special This Is Sparta! Signing Day ceremony held on Aug. 31
OTSEGO, Ohio—(Aug. 10, 2023)—Joseph Dzierwa—an Otsego native and sophomore left-handed pitcher for Michigan State University—will be financially supporting the same organization he volunteered for in high school, thanks to his new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) contract with Charitable Gift America (CGA).
“We’re thrilled to welcome Joseph to the CGA family,” said Dr. Thomas Dieters, board president of CGA. “His choice of charity to support shows how deeply he cares about his community. With over 100 Spartans now on board with CGA’s charity-driven NIL contracts, it’s an exciting time for our nonprofit as we grow and work to change the game for athletes, charitable causes, and Michigan State athletics--all at the same time.”
Dzierwa will be donating a portion of his contract to Knights Have Your Back, which was created to provide Otsego children in need with nonperishable food to take home over the weekend. Every Friday, a food bag is placed directly in each child's backpack to ensure that no Knight ever goes hungry.
“The Knights Have Your Back program means so much to me,” Dzierwa said. “Throughout high school, I was an active volunteer in sorting and distributing the food—now I can give back another way. I’m honored to partner with Charitable Gift America to help make a positive impact in my hometown.”
Dzierwa will be one of 104 Spartan athletes honored at the This Is Sparta! Signing Day ceremony, held Aug. 31 at the new Michigan State University Federal Credit Union building in downtown East Lansing. The event will see CGA’s Spartan athletes officially sign their contracts for the upcoming season, and will feature remarks from athletes and coaches, as well as from Dieters and MSU Assistant Athletic Director Darien Harris.
“CGA and the This Is Sparta! fund have picked up unstoppable momentum, faster than I ever could have imagined,” Dieters said. “We wanted to take a step back and take a moment to celebrate our athletes and coaches and honor the successes they’ve had both on and off the field. We look forward to seeing our friends in East Lansing as students kick off the first week of classes in the new academic year.”
Charities currently benefitting from CGA’s unique approach to NIL contracts include St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Plan International, Place of Hope, and the Global Sanctuary for Elephants.
Individuals who wish to learn more about This is Sparta! or who wish to make a tax-deductible donation to the organization can contact Dr. Dieters at tdieters@cgaamerica.org and visit the website at www.cgaamerica.org.
