Dowd Family Launches ‘Dowd’s Crowd’ Fundraiser, Continuing Work To Help Capitals Fans With Sensory Needs

On the ice, Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd is a reliable center who can kill penalties, win draws and generate pressure. Off the ice, he and his wife, Paige, strive to help children with sensory needs enjoy hockey.

The Dowds launched a “Dowd’s Crowd” fundraiser and an auction on Tuesday to support future “Dowd’s Crowd” programming. Multiple items are up for bidding, including a 2021-22 Capitals team-signed home jersey, a 2021-22 Capitals team-signed blue third jersey, an autographed game-used stick from Dowd, signed player photos and more. A 30-minute virtual meet and greet with the family and two lower-bowl tickets to the future Capitals game are also up for auction.

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Fans can find the auction here. It is open now and closes on Friday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. ET.

Inspired by Paige’s education in Speech Pathology in college, the Dowds started “Dowd’s Crowd” in 2018 with the mission of helping children with sensory needs attend and enjoy Capitals games without triggers. Through the program, fans get tickets and a “Dowd’s Crowd” sensory kit. The kit includes noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, a foam puck and a conversation card.

“We started the foundation because we felt autism didn’t have much of a platform in the NHL,” Dowd told the NHLPA back in 2020. “My wife started discussing the idea in Vancouver. We obviously didn’t re-sign there. And then we came to Washington and started talking about it again. The organization had already started talking about it as well, so it was a good fit.”