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Category: Philanthropy

Carole Beckford Q&A: Sports Ambassador for Jamaica and Publicist for Usain Bolt

by Matthew Allinson 08-04-2012 01:38 AM Interview with a Sports Professional | Philanthropy | Public Relations

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Carole Beckford is the CEO for Carole Beckford & Associates, a new company which specializes in image management, marketing, and media planning. She is an author, expert presenter on sport and sport tourism, and the founder of The Business of Sport, a concept and formula for building and enhancing the sports industry in Jamaica and the Caribbean. She has been a journalist for over 24 years working in the press and electronic media.

Most notably, Beckford is the publicist for Usain Bolt, the defending three-time Olympic champion sprinter and world record holder from Jamaica. As the fastest man in the world gears up for the highly anticipated Men's 100m event this weekend in London for the 2012 Summer Olympics – where he will face stiff competition from his teammate and training partner, Yohan Blake – we caught up with Beckford to learn more about what it's like to work with one of the most sought-after athletes in the world.

Q: What does the day in the life of Carole Beckford look like, from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed?

Beckford:
1. Morning meditation to get me through the day
2. Preparation to leave for work and drop my son at school
3. Before that though I am up reading the papers from around the world and responding to requests from journalists in Europe
4. Once I get to work, the phone goes on for at least two to three hours, then meetings
5. By 4:30 though I am back on the email to talk to Australia and to say good night to Europe. I really do talk to the world most days.
Q: With Usain Bolt being one of the most sought after athletes in the world, how have you assisted him with his off-the-track endeavors to put him in the best position to be successful in London?

Beckford: We have lots of conversations. Usain learns fast (pun intended) so he is a quick study. It is also important for him to give input. It has been hectic, but the evidence of his reach is clear. The hardest part is when I have to say no to a request. Otherwise we are good.

Q: As we’ve watched Usain’s development in front of the camera since the 2008 Olympics, what would you attribute to his adeptness in the interview setting? Media training, experience, or is he just a natural?

Beckford: Usain has learned and continues to learn his business. He puts himself into his work, so he catches on really fast. We do role playing sometimes, but we are always relaxed together, so it helps.

Q: How have you maintained a healthy balance for Usain in terms of managing media requests and appearances while he’s training and competing at a world-class level?

Beckford: Easy, we have a timetable and each of his team gets their time – the coach and the rest of us. We do ask for some slack sometimes, but we have our time. Usain also appreciates notice. He does not like surprises, so it makes it easier to plan. We share the schedule on a regular basis and so if anything pops up we can try to accommodate. The requests are plenty though, but we have coped well. We will never be able to facilitate all, but we try our best.

Q: What are the primary factors you consider when looking at sponsorship/endorsement deals on behalf of Usain?

Beckford:
1. Usain’s brand has international appeal
2. Usain’s sport is different
3. Usain’s personality is endearing
4. We look at earning ability, partnership (medium to long-term), and then impact on specific demographics
Q: What are the ways in which you have assisted Usain in leveraging his celebrity to give back to the community?

Beckford: The Usain Bolt Foundation focuses on children and we plan activities, programs and look at specific contributions aimed at social, cultural and educational growth. I am the CEO and I do all the groundwork with the advice of a Board.

Q: What type of charitable organizations or pro-social marketing campaigns does Usain support?

Beckford:
1. Children under 12
2. Health facilities (in his community and the Bustamante Hospital for Children)
3. He partners with his sponsors for donations to Haiti, etc.
4. He is a mentor to a group of young men in boys’ homes
Q: What else would you like people to know about your professional association with Usain?

Beckford: Usain’s impact on the sport of track and field and Jamaica has been positive and I am happy to be a part of that. Usain makes it easy to work for him as he is one of the coolest dudes to work with – not without a little stubbornness of course. We do get along.

Follow Carole Beckford on Twitter.
Published 08-03-2012 © 2024 Access Athletes, LLC
Keywords: 2012 Summer Olympics, Carole Beckford, Carole Beckford & Associates, Jamaica, Men's 100 meter, Men's 200 Meter, Men's 4x100 Meter Relay, Sports Tourism, The Business of Sport, Usain Bolt, Usain Bolt's Publicist, Yohan Blake
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Comments
1. 1
  Lyndon
  01-03-2013
  
  Thanks for the insight. One can imagine the level of fitness of team to keep up with the global demands for the world's fastest man. Great work CB!
  
  Comments Closed
2. 2
  Ras Astor Black
  08-21-2013
  
  Please tune in to Falmouth Community Radio 88.9FM and on www.freeiradio.net
  
  Comments Closed
Michael "MJ" Johnson Q&A: His Journey to the NFL, Philanthropy, and Development as an NFL Player

by Michelle Hill 06-09-2012 09:01 PM Athlete Interviews | Philanthropy | Athlete Career Development

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My recent conversation with fourth-year NFL veteran Michael “MJ” Johnson left me impressed with this young athlete’s self-driven acumen that has helped him on his way to greatness on and off the field. The Cincinnati Bengals defensive end candidly expressed his desire to share his resources and his wisdom to youth across the country and in his own hometown. He credits his mother and father as the cornerstones of his youth development, and into adulthood. The lessons they taught him have helped shape who he is and what he has and will accomplish in life.

Michael recalls his journey from youth sports to the NFL and credits his diligence and a strong work ethic for enabling him to overcome the challenges he has encountered along the way. The lessons he learned along the way have given birth to an explosive message that infuses youths with motivation to focus on their education first.

Michael’s strong presence on and off the field will surely make an impact on anyone who is fortunate enough to cross his path.

Journey to the NFL

Michelle: How and where did you grow up, and how much was football a part of your upbringing?

Michael: I’m from Selma, Alabama. It’s a small town in south central Alabama… about an hour away from Montgomery and an hour and a half from Meridian, Mississippi in the ‘black belt’. Football is very big in Alabama, as it is across the south. I started playing when I was 10 and fell in love with it from the first game. I broke my arm the first game, but it’s just in me.

Michelle: Who would you say is the most influential person that helped shape you as a man and why?

Michael: My dad, just because of the way he always conducts himself and takes care of business. He’s the type who would play and just have a good time. He’s always very friendly and outgoing (he’s way more outgoing than even me). But when it was time to go to work, he went to work. It was always work first and play second. He was able to balance that and he taught me [that] being a man consists of taking care of yourself, taking care of your family and the people around you by elevating others. He’d give you the shirt off his back.

Michelle: What a great influence. So you got your work ethic primarily from him?

Michael: Yes Ma’am. And my mom as well. She played the mother role. She did the nurturing and caring. She was the same way, always working hard at whatever it was she was doing. She was very service minded, service oriented. She had a little herb shop where she made dolls and sold herbs. Just watching her work, putting in those hours, the detail she put into making those dolls, and the customer service she provided people after hours as well. It was all that little extra stuff that taught me a lot.

Michelle: That’s beautiful. I’m sure you have an idea of what a lucky man you are.

Michael: Very. Very.

Michelle: I really like to hear that. Can you tell me three things you’ve practiced to bring football success into your life?

Michael: Number one, whatever I do I always try to be very detail-oriented in my work ethic and my approach to things. If the coach said, do this or do that, I always tried my best to do everything I was asked to do, whether it was in the weight room, in the classroom, or on the field. I’ve always been a team first kind of guy and put the good of the team first. That’s one thing.

Another thing is that I always tried to be the first one in and the last one out in whatever I was doing. I would try to get there early to get a head start, and if I had to stay there until nobody else was there, I’d do that too. I’d just do little stuff; whether it was making corrections, watching tapes, working out, or whatever.

The last thing is that I always try to take care of my body, eat right, put the right things in. That’s been a learning experience over the years and I’ve got a lot better with it. I always try to educate myself on health and nutrition to get the most out of my body.

Michelle: What tribulations and challenges have you been through that have made you into the person you are today?

Michael: Well, the first one is when I was in the 5^th grade, and I was cut from the basketball team and they put me back on just to be on the practice team. That really drove me.

Michelle: You were thinking, “I’m not staying on that practice team.”

Michael: Yeah. It really drove me and by the time I got to 10^th grade, I was better than all those guys in basketball. And I was being recruited for basketball, even before football because I was tall. I remember it like it was yesterday. So what do I need to do? I need to go to work. And that’s a message I’ve taken with me. Even to this day, it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. That’s the mentality I’ve taken day-in and day-out. I’m just going to keep my head down and keep working.

I’ve had to fight through injuries and battle back from some pretty tough surgeries in college. And it was tough not knowing if you’re going to come back the same for your teammates; they’re your brothers. I’ve only missed two games in my whole time playing football. But I’ve been very blessed to have that.

Philanthropy

Michelle: Tell me about some of your off-field efforts, such as the MJ93 Fund, Gen-1, “Binit2Winit”, and “A Fresh Start from MJ’s Heart.”

Michael: MJ93 Fund is the foundation my mom suggested I start because I was doing so much stuff on my own. And how I am, if I can do it, I’m going to do it.

“Binit2Winit” is a program with Sunny-D up here in Cincinnati that encourages people to recycle and stresses the importance of recycling. There’s been a big push in this area about ‘going green’.

The Gen-1 program is with the University of Cincinnati with first generation college students. Both my parents were first generation college students and they grew up in the rural south—rural Alabama—and they made it. That’s a big, big accomplishment to be the first person in your family to go to college. So I’m a big supporter of that program here at UC, University of Cincinnati.

“A Fresh Start from MJ’s Heart” was something I did in my home town. It was getting shirts for elementary school kids, so when they go on field trips they look uniform and [it] helps teachers and parents to keep up with the kids. The shirts have their school name on it, my logo, and it shows support for the Bengal’s team.

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A Pro Athlete's Responsibility to Give Back from a Player's Perspective

by Matthew Allinson 01-16-2012 04:08 PM Athlete Interviews | Philanthropy | Human Relations

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We caught up with several Baltimore Ravens players at Anquan Boldin’s Inaugural Fundraiser Dinner at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, and had the opportunity to ask them about their responsibility to give back to the community as pro athletes as well as their advice for the younger players on how they can get involved with charity work and a find a cause that's meaningful to them. We spoke to Rice Rice, Michael Oher, Matt Birk, Joe Flacco, and Ed Reed. We also recently published Q&A’s with Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who provided invaluable insight about philanthropy and are role models off the field.

Q: What does it mean to you to be a professional athlete in terms of leveraging your celebrity to give back to the community?

Ray Rice: I think being a professional athlete is a big part of your job, but if you’re just being a football player you’re not filling a total fulfillment. Giving back to the community is one of them things you can’t take for granted because they're people that look up to you on and off the field. And being a community ambassador is something that, especially [with] all the things that I’ve been through in my life, it’s almost like my calling and duty to be part of the community.

Q: What advice would you lend to aspiring athletes coming up in the ranks in terms of how they can give back to the community to prepare themselves to be in a position like you?

Ray Rice: I think like you said, they got to position themselves. A lot of people think they have to donate money. But really if you donate your time to the community first, the money will follow because then people see you doing a good job and then they’ll want to help you. So, I just think follow your heart and desire, and just go out there and donate your time before you try to donate any money.

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Haloti Ngata Q&A

by Matthew Allinson 01-16-2012 01:33 AM Athlete Interviews | Philanthropy | Athlete Career Development | Human Relations

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Haloti Ngata, 27, is widely considered one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. The six-year veteran of the Baltimore Ravens earned his third consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl this season after recording 64 tackles, a career high, and adding 5 sacks. At 6-foot-4, 330-pounds, the versatile and freakishly athletic one-man wrecking crew is one of the anchors of the Ravens’ long vaunted 3-4 hybrid defense. Ngata and his Ravens will head to Foxborough next weekend to face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

Ngata spoke to Access Athletes at Anquan Boldin’s Inaugural Fundraiser Dinner about his approach to being a pro athlete off the field.

Q: Start off by telling me what it means to you to be a pro athlete and how you leverage your celebrity to give back to the community.

Ngata: It’s huge for me. I’ve always wanted to be an NFL football player. I’ve always dreamed it. I always have looked up to guys like I could kind of be like, guys like Reggie White. That kind of person where he was a great football player, but then off the field he was a great man, a great father, and a great god-fearing man. So that’s the person I looked up to and hopefully I can be that same kind of person. So now that I’m here at Anquan’s charity dinner and doing things like this, hopefully the guys that are coming up seeing us doing these things understand that yeah you’re getting paid a lot and you got a lot of blessings and talent from God, but you definitely have to give back to your community to whatever things you want to do. It doesn’t have to be what somebody else wants; it’s whatever you want to have happen. So it’s great that Anquan can do some things like this and that all of us teammates that are here can be here to support him and help give back—and then we know Anquan would do the same thing for us.

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Anquan Boldin Q&A: An exemplary role model off the field

by Matthew Allinson 01-11-2012 01:44 AM Athlete Interviews | Philanthropy | Human Relations

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With a tough matchup against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the AFC Playoffs at M&T Bank Stadium this Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens are eager to have their star wide receiver Anquan Boldin return to the lineup. Boldin, the team’s leading wide receiver with 887 yards on 57 catches, missed the final two regular-season games after he had surgery on Dec. 22 to repair a partial tear in his meniscus.

Despite being sidelined while his team secured its third AFC North Division crown in franchise history and clinched a #2 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs, Boldin remained active with his off-the-field charitable work through his foundation.

The Anquan Boldin Foundation (Q81 Foundation), which was founded in 2004 during Boldin’s second year in the league and is dedicated to expanding the educational and life opportunities of underprivileged children, participated in several events and initiatives over the winter holidays.

Most recently, the Q81 Foundation hosted its 4^th annual holiday shopping spree during Christmas week in which 200 kids in Baltimore and South Florida received $100 gift cards and a chance to shop with Boldin and his Q81 team at Wal-Mart. There was also a donation of toys in Phoenix, the city where Boldin began his NFL career.

Boldin was equally as busy spreading the holiday cheer in November. The Q81 Foundation hosted the All-Star Thanksgiving Feast at the Sam’s Club in Lantana, Florida in partnership with Abram Elam (Cowboys), Brandon Flowers (Chiefs), WEDR 99 Jamz, and the Produce Connection. In an international initiative, he teamed up with his former Arizona Cardinals teammate Larry Fitzgerald in a public service announcement calling on football fans and others to support efforts to raise awareness about the ongoing drought in East Africa and bring critically needed food and water to famine-stricken people in the region. More than 13 million people in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya have been affected by the disaster. Lastly, the Q81 Foundation’s Inaugural Fundraiser Dinner was held in Baltimore at M&T Bank Stadium, a great cause which I had the privilege of attending along with around 200 other guests and several of Boldin’s teammates.

We caught up with the 3-time Pro Bowler and the 2010 Ravens’ Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient to talk about philanthropy and get his advice for aspiring pro athletes interested in giving back to the community.

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Ravens Anquan Boldin Hosts 1st Fundraiser Dinner in Baltimore

by Matthew Allinson 11-13-2011 11:58 PM Philanthropy | Special Event

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Access Athletes will be attending Anquan Boldin's Inaugural Fundraiser Dinner for the Anquan Boldin Foundation (Q81 Foundation) tomorrow evening at M&T Bank Stadium. Bridgett Coates of Exposure BBC invited me to cover the event and I'm thrilled for the opportunity to be able to provide my readers with a glimpse into Boldin's charitable work.

Boldin, who was awarded the 2010 Ravens’ Walter Payton Man of the Year award, has a strong record of community service with the many successful youth programs he has established. Other athletes can learn a great deal from Boldin's perspective on philanthropy and what it means to him to be a professional athlete, as reflected by his quote below.

"I don't want to be just another guy who played in the NFL. We have a bigger purpose to touch lives and I'm trying to do that."

I look forward to writing more about the Q81 Foundation event in the near future.

(Press Release below)

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Maximizing the Benefits of Running a Nonprofit Organization While Minimizing Risks Is Crucial to the Athlete’s Success

by Kanika Corley 10-24-2011 11:36 PM Philanthropy | Legal

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Charitable giving, or the expectation of charitable giving – whether it is the giving of time or money – seems to go hand in hand with being a professional athlete. These days, it seems that if an athlete does not have a charitable organization or private foundation in his/her own name, it is likely that she/he spends time volunteering at a local children’s hospital, for example, as a result of being on a professional sports team. But why do individual athletes maintain charity organizations? Certainly it cannot simply be that athletes sign their names onto golf tournaments and athletic skills camps as a result of a directive issued by a sports agent or other career manager.

As most would agree, although there are exceptions, people are not generally altruistic or philanthropic by nature. The most basic economic theories advise that people act in their own best self-interest in an attempt to maximize their financial standing. Well, in an effort to inject philanthropic motives into society – thereby decreasing self-interest – many governments have devised plans that effectively incentivize high-income earners to work for, create and/or manage nonprofit organizations.

Nonprofit Organizations Are Public Service Businesses

A nonprofit organization (NPO), or charity, is essentially a business set up to perform work that benefits certain underprivileged classes of people. Historically, charities were developed to meet certain needs of society and were formed to do public good – to provide aid to segments of the community that tend to fall outside of the general scope of public assistance. In the U.S., NPOs are set up and qualified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In turn, the IRS gives the charity various tax benefits, including complete tax exemption, or 501(c)(3) status. Obtaining 501(c)(3) status let's all who do business with the charity know that their donations and services may also be entitled to reap the benefits of tax exemption. As a result, people who are more likely to work for and/or with a business that not only helps a segment of society in need, but in so doing, garners tax benefits.

A Legal Way to Decrease Tax Liability

Finding oneself in a higher income bracket means learning about increased tax liability. In an effort to decrease the sting, some athletes are able to drop down into lower tax brackets by investing in charities as a method of legally decreasing tax liability. Lucky for some, U.S. federal and state tax laws have been enacted to encourage the making of charitable gifts and to facilitate the operation of charitable organizations. These laws reflect the public policy favoring charitable giving and recognize that many charities relieve the public tax rolls from the burden of financing human and community services.

A donor (corporate or individual) can claim a personal federal income tax deduction for contributions made to a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. In some parts of the U.S., corporations can make deductible charitable contributions of up to 10% of their annual taxable income. In other jurisdictions, individuals can deduct up to 50% of their adjusted gross income in any year for contributions made to 501(c)(3) public charities and to some types of 501(c)(3) private foundations. However, donations to most types of private foundations are limited to 30% of an individual’s adjusted gross income in each year. (To be sure, consult your trusted, licensed tax and/or financial professional for all matters dealing with tax liability.)

Given the availability of a charitable donation tax deduction that presumably lessens tax liability, the question remains: Why is it that so many athletes seem to be running their own charitable organizations?

Develop Real-World Business Skills

By developing a charitable organization, athletes give themselves the opportunity to develop business acumen and experience by managing an organization from the ground up. Athlete/employers will have direct oversight over the business, which will enable the athlete to make immediate changes should the need arise within the charity.

Ultimately, running the charity ensures that the athlete obtains hands-on experience by making decisions that will have an immediate impact on the organization’s bottom line, learning the importance and role of each staff member, determining who should/should not have leadership and control in the business, and assessing the financial viability of the company. Such real-world business lessons will prove invaluable experience to the athlete, who will one day transition into the business sector of society when professional sports provide no further opportunities.

In addition, for those athletes who find themselves providing financial support to family members and friends, funding a NPO may give these recipients a way to earn the money to which they have become accustomed.

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Poetry in Motion: A Story of Hardship and Hope in Crow Country, Montana

by Matthew Allinson 09-26-2011 02:29 PM Philanthropy

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This is a guest article written by David Dean, Founder & Director of Unity Hoops Basketball.

On the Crow Indian Reservation just south of Billings, Montana a way of life exists that flows with the sun and seasons, one not contingent on the constant tick of the stress-filled clock so characteristic of western society. What remains most deeply etched into my mind about my experience there is not the expansive sky or the beauty of the natural world, but rather the continuing hardship of a people whose struggle has been neglected and hidden through history.

I remember the solemn faces of children searching for ways to express their feelings about the substance abuse that had taken the lives of their parents. I think back to a man telling the story of his false hope for greater federal aid following the election of President Obama.

I recall two girls seven and thirteen, who, at different times, spoke to me without emotion, saying, “My mom died from drugs,” like it happened all the time. I cannot forget the shame so apparent in young teenagers after admitting that time and time again they went to bed hungry.

And the ten-year-old who broke down, and wept about her home life, sobbing, “My dad just drinks and drinks. We can’t live with him. I’m scared he’ll hurt me when he gets mad again. He already did that to my mom. She took me to Pryor where we stayed in a tent last night—I was so cold… Tonight, I don’t know where she is—I can’t find her anywhere.” The girl then began to beg for a place to stay.

I often recollect the worn but penetrating stare of a spiritual and community leader who spoke to me slowly and with a lucid tone about the racism, second-rate educational systems, and lack of representation from both federal and reservation governments that act as barriers keeping Native youth from their potential, saying, “Our children are so behind. And they are our future. We all must help them to catch up.”

Or the wrinkled, scarred face of a high school basketball coach standing with his wife and daughter. He stared at his feet and softly murmured, “We lost everything we had in the flood.” His words were interrupted by the bounce of a rubber ball on concrete, that somehow, if only for a moment, made things better.

I remember the look of helplessness and anger in the eyes of a young boy as he began to tear up, putting his hands over his face and whispering, “The men in my family are wicked.” Later I witnessed the same child dribbling through defenders with speed—running on the wind—finding peace of mind in the game that had almost become a part of culture itself—a game described to me by a Crow elder as “poetry in motion.”

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Marshall Faulk: Making a Difference On and Off the Field

by Allison Collinger 08-06-2011 01:12 PM Philanthropy | Human Relations | Special Event

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During my career in and around the National Football League, I had the opportunity to work with many great players!

My early work to secure an NFL expansion team for St. Louis included NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton. Payton made a mark on the football field, but also off of it. The NFL's highest award for player community involvement, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, was renamed in his honor.

Ironically, as the head of the Rams Foundation from 1997-2009, I got to work with another legendary running back! This weekend I salute another champion on and off the field - Marshall Faulk. As Marshall is inducted this weekend as the first St. Louis Ram, I reflect on the opportunities we had to help Marshall make an impact on St. Louis.

Faulk was born February 26th, 1973, in New Orleans, Louisiana to parents Roosevelt and Cecile Faulk. The youngest of five brothers, he grew up in the Desire Housing Projects 9th ward. Sports were always a great escape from the bad influences in the neighborhood and at a young age began shaping Marshall into the man he is today.

Faulk's love of the game started early on while playing at George Washington Carver High School. He excelled at four different positions: quarterback, running back, wide receiver and cornerback, even lettering in track and field. Marshall also excelled in the classroom, and especially loved math. He learned early on the importance of good grades and a strong education.

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Making the Most of Athlete Philanthropy

by Allison Collinger 08-01-2011 11:55 PM Philanthropy | Human Relations | Marketing

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Sporting the same shoes as the ones featured on Sharapova or spotted on the hottest new NBA celebrity can definitely make an ordinary pair of sneakers feel a bit more glamorous. There’s no denying the ever-increasing influence of sports on culture and media—the industry is bigger, more multi-faceted, and wealthier than ever. Today’s sports superstars are a canvas for the latest endorsements and pop culture trends.

Behind almost every Great with-a-capital-G sports team or athlete is a community that finds inspiration and hope in them. Many athletes today are discovering that the best way to become more than just “the current face of Adidas” is by becoming the face of something they are more emotionally invested in—an issue important to them and relevant to a greater community. That’s when the concept of “sports philanthropy” came into the picture.

Sports philanthropy, a rather under-the-radar facet of the sports industry, now plays a pivotal role in connecting teams and athletes with their community to foster positive social change. Since its initiation in 1998, the “Sports Philanthropy Project” (SPP) has dedicated itself to tying the popularity and marketing power of the professional sports industry with health and social issues that face communities, such as childhood obesity, tobacco use, healthcare access, education, etc.

The concept is quite ingenious: who wouldn’t want to look like the Mother Theresa of baseball? Leading an effective and successful philanthropic program is a great spotlight on any sports celebrity, and SPP works in essentially connecting professional sports foundations with a network, a vision, and the specific framework to get the most out of their philanthropic endeavors.

Let’s face it, something about a star athlete personally reaching out to a cause is heart-warming enough to spark respect and faith, especially from the community involved, forming the basis for the kind of fan support that will withstand the good and the bad seasons. The personal nature of the program and the way it encourages the community to participate is a recipe for success, proving that the old saying definitely holds true: good deeds don’t go unnoticed.

“Professional sports is big business, yes, but experience has shown that it can also be a big player in driving social change,” said Joe Marx, the senior marketing director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)—a leading public health group focused on major health issues—in an interview featured in their anthology. RWJF, the figurative “father” organization from which the Sports Philanthropy Project was generated, shaped the initial idea for the project after the success of one of the first notable sports philanthropy partnerships with the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation. Leveraging sports and marketing to promote health, they utilized the team and its athletes to spread anti-tobacco messages and extensive community programs.

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