Dan Campbell and his wife, Holly, have embraced the Detroit Lions and the city of Detroit since he became head coach in 2021. Recently, their community involvement expanded with a generous $25,000 donation to the Downtown Boxing Gym (DBG), a Detroit-based nonprofit that mentors and supports local youth through tutoring, wellness, literacy programs, and more. The donation was made in collaboration with Starbucks.

Holly Campbell first learned about DBG several months ago during a coat drive at the organization’s facility on East Vernor, after being invited by Fox 2 Detroit’s Jennifer Hammond. Impressed by what she saw, she quickly connected with DBG and its mission.

“She was amazed at how happy and engaged every young person was,” said Jessica Hauser, DBG’s Executive Director. “She could tell the adults were genuinely invested in the kids. As she learned more about our work — addressing needs and closing gaps for families — it all just made sense to her.”

DBG has partnered with the Lions’ Inspire Change initiative, part of the NFL’s social justice and philanthropy efforts, since 2019. However, Holly’s deeper involvement strengthened the relationship. She later informed Hauser that Starbucks was interested in filming an ad campaign featuring DBG, something she felt passionate about.

When Holly arrived at DBG to shoot the campaign, Hauser and DBG Founder Khali Sweeney were caught off guard. They were asked to join the shoot, thinking it was a small cameo, only to be handed Starbucks cups revealing the $25,000 donation.

“We were stunned,” Hauser said. “You can see it on our faces in the video. It was completely unexpected. It’s humbling to know how quickly she connected with our mission and brought Starbucks on board.”

Soon after the donation, Campbell and Kathy Agnew, wife of Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew, donated 12 tickets for the Lions’ divisional round playoff game against the Washington Commanders. DBG raised $15,350 by auctioning tickets, while two sets were given to DBG families free of charge.

With more than 2,000 kids on its waiting list, DBG is working to expand by opening a second location. Hauser says exposure and donations like these are critical to achieving that goal.

“It’s humbling when someone believes in your work and finds ways to support it,” Hauser said. “Holly really went to bat for us, and Starbucks followed her lead. It felt like true community — a team effort. That’s exactly what we need to succeed.”