Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd and his wife Paige, through MSE Foundation, have launched a Dowd’s Crowd holiday fundraiser benefitting families of DC Public Schools (DCPS) students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The auction is currently open at washcaps.com/dowdscrowd and concludes Friday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. Proceeds will be used to purchase gift cards and spread holiday cheer to the families.
Select items available at auction in the fundraiser include a 15-minute holiday-themed Zoom call with Nic Dowd and teammate Garnet Hathaway intended for up to five children accompanied by five adults, a stick signed by Dowd, a Capitals jersey signed by T.J. Oshie, and autographed photos by select Capitals players.
“Engaging with the autism community is incredibly important to Paige and me, and we are grateful for any support toward our program,” said Nic Dowd. “Paige and I founded Dowd’s Crowd to provide children with autism the opportunity to comfortably attend Capitals games, and we are excited to continue to expand our efforts this holiday season through the fundraiser.”
In addition, fans can donate pre-determined amounts to the fundraiser, starting at $10. Fans can also purchase an autographed Dowd photo for $100. There is also a virtual meet and greet for up to eight guests with Nic and Paige Dowd available for $1,000. In addition, there is an experience that includes two of the Dowd’s personal lower-bowl tickets to a future Capitals home game and post-game meet and greet with Dowd for $1,500.
The Dowds created Dowd’s Crowd in 2018 to provide the opportunity for children with sensory issues to be able to attend and enjoy a Caps game. The Dowds believe that all Caps fans should feel comfortable in the stands and they wanted to help make that happen through the program. Tickets and a Dowd’s Crowd branded sensory kit are provided to recipients and the Dowds meet the families postgame. The Dowds were inspired to launch the program due to Paige’s education in Speech Pathology in college.
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