Ertz Family Foundation

Our Story

Since they first began dating in college, Julie and Zach Ertz dreamed of one day creating an organization that could help people in need. In 2018, driven by their faith and a desire to use their success as athletes to better the world, they launched the Ertz Family Foundation.

 

“Everything with our careers and outside them, we’ve done together,” said Julie. “This is something that we’ve talked about for years now, and it’s exciting to be making it happen.”

As world champions—Julie as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, Zach as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles—both members of the Ertz family have seen the way that sports can bring people together. They also recognize that with their respective platforms, they can do even more.

“As athletes, we have the platform to help people we’re involved with, whether that’s in the United States or around the world,” Zach explained. “We want to maximize that platform to do the most good and help the most people we can. And ultimately, we want to show people the love we have for God and for them, too.”

HOW IT STARTED

A trip Zach took to Haiti with some of his Eagles teammates in spring 2018 opened his eyes to the plight of the less fortunate, and catalyzed Julie and Zach’s decision to launch the foundation.

For Zach, the gratitude of the local community—even for things as simple as painting houses—was overwhelming. The experiences he had during the faith-based mission moved him in ways he had never anticipated.

“People down there have nothing compared to us when it comes to material items,” he said. “But they found so much joy in their community. It was powerful to me. I fell in love with the types of people I found there, and their perspective on life.”

When Zach returned to America, he shared his experiences with Julie. She saw the way that Zach’s trip to Haiti had impacted him, and knew that the time to launch the foundation had come.

“He saw that there were so many lives that you could touch and help,” Julie explained. “We really want to give back, especially because we’ve had so many people who have been good to us.

YOUTH SPORTS
Creating sports opportunities for those who lack them.

EDUCATION
Providing educational opportunities for youth of all ages.

FAMILY
Restoring hope and building communities for families that need it most.

ABOUT ZACH + JULIE ERTZ

Zach Ertz, a Pro Bowl tight end for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, scored the winning touchdown in the 2017-18 Super Bowl. Julie Ertz, a highly decorated defender for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, was a member of the 2015 World Cup championship team, and the 2017 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year.

The couple met in college when Julie was at Santa Clara University, and Zach was at nearby Stanford. Married in 2017, they share a devotion to their religious faith, a love for athletics and competition, and a desire to help improve the lives of people around the world.

LET’S STAY IN TOUCH