Colin Kaepernick receives NFLPA’s first Community MVP award of the season

Colin Kaepernick isn’t on an NFL roster right now, but he apparently has been keeping up with his dues for the league’s players association.

The NFLPA announced Friday that Kaepernick has been named its Week 1 Community MVP. Eligible players must be dues-paying members of the players association and either be on a roster or actively seeking employment in the league as free agents.

Kaepernick falls into the latter category. The one-time Super Bowl quarterback hasn’t landed a job since opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March. Many feel he is being blackballed by the league for refusing to stand for the national anthem before games last season.

The Community MVP award recognizes players who have made a positive impact in their local communities. Kaepernick definitely falls into that category as well. Last season, he pledged to donate $1 million of his salary to organizations working to help oppressed communities.

So far, he has donated $900,000 toward that total. He made his latest contributions on Sept. 7, the first day of the NFL season, splitting $100,000 among four charities. Two days later, he distributed new backpacks filled with books and other items at the Lower Eastside Girls Club of New York.

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii