Stan Hays shares how a single act of service after a tornado sparked a national nonprofit movement. Learn how Operation BBQ Relief feeds not just stomachs, but souls—during disaster and beyond.
My Cause My Cleats NFL Players
Will Shields | Founder
NFL legend Will Shields returns to KC Cares to celebrate ten years of My Cause My Cleats. What started as a simple idea — customizing cleats to highlight causes — has evolved into a powerful storytelling platform for players, fans, and nonprofits. Joined by Kansas City Chiefs players, the episode reveals the personal stories behind the designs: mental health advocacy, childhood cancer, and grief support. Together, they show how football can create change that lasts far beyond the field.
https://www.willtosucceed.org
Key Takeaways:
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Purpose Through Platform: NFL players design custom cleats to spotlight causes from mental health to cancer research, raising awareness and funds nationwide.
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Beyond the Game: Will Shields shares how the NFL Legends program mentors current players, teaching them to use their influence for good — on and off the field.
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Kansas City’s Heart: Chiefs players open up about personal causes — from men’s mental health (L’Jarius Sneed) to childhood cancer (Mike Danna) and grief support (Trent McDuffie).
What Nonprofit Questions are Answered?
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What is the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign?
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A program where players design cleats to represent causes they care about, later auctioned to raise funds.
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How does My Cause My Cleats help nonprofits?
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The campaign raises awareness and donations directly through the NFL auction platform.
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Can fans buy the custom cleats?
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Yes. Fans can bid on their favorite cleats via the NFL Auction site, with proceeds going to the player’s selected cause.
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How do players choose their causes?
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Most choose causes tied to personal experiences — family loss, health struggles, or local charities they support.
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What Kansas City Chiefs are part of My Cause My Cleats?
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Players like L’Jarius Sneed, Mike Danna, and Trent McDuffie are among those showcasing their causes.
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Find us on
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Twitter: @kccaresradio
Instagram: @Kccaresonline
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KC Cares, Kansas City’s nonprofit voice, tells the stories of Kansas City nonprofits and connects them with the community.
Produced by Charitable Communications
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In partnership with:
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Transcript:
00:00:01:16 – 00:00:24:03
Speaker 1
Welcome to KC Cares. We’re the voice of Kansas City nonprofits. We share the stories of local nonprofits and the individuals who drive them. The KC Cares. We like to connect the nonprofit and business sectors to enhance the quality of life in Kansas City, for both our residents and our visitors. This KC Care segment is brought to you by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Kauffman Board.
00:00:24:06 – 00:00:49:00
Speaker 1
I’m Ruth Baum Bigus When you play in the NFL, your cleats matter. They’ve got to fit right. Feel right. Hold up to pressure. But during weeks 12 and 13, these cleats carry an even bigger responsibility helping change lives through the NFL. My cause my cleats campaign players team up the talented local artists to turn their footwear into a dazzling, designed fundraising powerhouses.
00:00:49:03 – 00:01:18:08
Speaker 1
These custom creations bring in thousands of dollars, probably even more to support nonprofits, tackling everything from mental health and wellness to cancer education and so much more. Now celebrating its 10th season of My Cause My Cleats, the effort includes more than 1800 NFL participants. We have players, coaches, staff and legends and fans get in on the action, too, by bidding on their favorite cleats through the NFL’s auction site, directly supporting the causes they care about.
00:01:18:10 – 00:01:30:27
Speaker 1
Joining KC Cares today is one of the incredible legends of the NFL and a hometown favorite. Former Kansas City Chiefs and Pro Football Hall of Famer Will shields will welcome back. It’s so great to talk to you again.
00:01:30:27 – 00:01:33:15
Speaker 2
Well, thanks for having me I appreciate it.
00:01:33:18 – 00:01:46:10
Speaker 1
You bet. All right. So you know all things my cleats, you know, the the beginning and everything to share with us a little bit about kind of how this started and and why.
00:01:46:13 – 00:02:03:14
Speaker 2
Well, you know, we always talk about platform, platform, platform. How do we build a platform, how do we grow, how do we let people understand what’s going on? You know, Tracy Pearlman at one point was like, hey, how do we get this out? How do we build new ways of doing it? And so they created my cause, my cleats.
00:02:03:14 – 00:02:31:27
Speaker 2
The simple fact of it is, it’s like, you know, everybody likes their swag on their shoes and what they wear. Why not give our guys an opportunity to sort of promote their, their cause, regardless if it’s a foundation or a loved one or something of that nature, how do we give them the chance to sort of express themselves individually, but also build within the communities that they’ve grown in to let people understand and tell a little story, you know, within that of how did you become involved in it?
00:02:31:27 – 00:03:05:06
Speaker 2
What makes it important to you? Because most people don’t understand that. Yeah, we’re players, we’re athletes, but we’re also we’re people that have created different things for different reasons, and have had some different things happen in our lives to make us want to support these programs. And that’s sort of the thing of, of building it out, of letting people understand that all these athletes have goals in life of what they love and what’s important to them, and why not share it with the whole world when you have the opportunity, when you’re playing on one of the biggest stages in the world.
00:03:05:09 – 00:03:16:23
Speaker 1
Can you talk a little bit about in the NFL because you’re involved? Well, let’s go back this way. Tell everybody what a legend is. I mean, we know that you’re a legend, but in the NFL, what is that program?
00:03:16:25 – 00:03:47:19
Speaker 2
Well, the NFL matches, program is a program created almost 12 years ago. And basically it was built to help guys understand all of the different things that come to them from different organizations and different things, their benefits, all the way down to the NFLPA as well as, the NFL alumni program. We sort of try to keep ourselves in the know because there’s so much information that comes out and so many different tranches of information that comes to you in different ways.
00:03:47:21 – 00:04:10:23
Speaker 2
We sort of want to be that back board of saying, hey, why don’t you call us and let us know, we’ll let you know if it’s legitimate or illegitimate, because there’s so many things out there today that you sort of trust but can’t trust kind of thing. The largest community is basically 24 of us that are guys that are actually working with the NFL to help guys understand all of the different things that are going on.
00:04:10:23 – 00:04:29:11
Speaker 2
As far as, procedures and things that you can use and benefits and things of that nature. We sort of call ourselves the point guards. We’d be able to try to help guys get to get to different things when they’re when life happens. And we also work with our rookies as they’re going into the NFL. So we’re always at the combines.
00:04:29:11 – 00:04:43:16
Speaker 2
And we actually do the draft piece so that we can go in and talk to them and say, hey, this is the expectations. These are the things that you can expect that’s going to happen. And the thing of it is we get a chance to tell our story about, hey, you know what? Life is not going to be perfect.
00:04:43:16 – 00:04:57:18
Speaker 2
There’s going to be issues, there’s going to be bumps in the road and learn from our mistakes, the things that we’ve done in the past so that they can be better and move forward faster as they start their career. With all the stress and strife.
00:04:57:20 – 00:05:18:00
Speaker 1
I can’t imagine. I mean, we, the fans, see the game. They may see a little of the off off days of not playing in a game, but there’s so much that goes on in the background. So legends, how are the legends been involved with the My Cars? My crates were part of the conversation when the NFL even started this initiative.
00:05:18:01 – 00:05:35:25
Speaker 2
Well, they always bring different opportunities as we sort of talk about different things of, hey, what would be good? What would be bad? Ideas come popping up of, hey, what do you guys think? This kind of stuff? So, you know, I don’t know exactly the right person who I can give you the backstory of that personally. I said, oh, let’s do it through our cliques.
00:05:35:25 – 00:05:54:18
Speaker 2
Let’s do this. Let’s do that. But we’re always in the mix as far as the guys discussing ways that we could promote our foundations and how the foundations are going to grow, there’s not I’m never going to say he’s just one person that does this or does that. Everything is a group effort. And that’s why we’re football.
00:05:54:18 – 00:06:18:23
Speaker 2
We’re a team. We’re a group. So the cool thing about it is that as the group, we made an opportunity for people to sort of celebrate and to build out and to fundraise for local charities in a way that’s positive and also give them a platform to know what other causes that might be out there that we don’t know about, that need help in need funding, or just need growth.
00:06:18:26 – 00:06:34:17
Speaker 1
It looks like every year it’s taken a bigger step. As you’ve watched this, as a legend and an alum, I share a little bit about how you’ve seen just this one project kind of morph into a huge project.
00:06:34:19 – 00:07:00:14
Speaker 2
Well, the cool thing about it is that now you’ve got to have your own sector to work with, because there’s so many guys out there that’s doing community work and working in their own field, and that’s a cool thing. That’s a great thing about it. So that you can sort of have your, your pillar guys that are saying, hey, these are the things that are important to me outside of the game of football and football allowed me the opportunity to set this platform.
00:07:00:17 – 00:07:34:14
Speaker 2
And to me, that’s the coolest part, and that’s what’s made it so important to let it grow every year so that we can get more guys on board. You know, as I’m looking at it, I’m going, oh, now we have to do the partnerships from some of the guys that still have foundations, or maybe working with foundations and trying to pass it along to the next generation and make sure that we have generational guys that are like, oh, yeah, I remember he started that so many years back, but then the next group of young people have picked up the platform, picked up the baton and moved it forward even more than what you have.
00:07:34:16 – 00:07:38:06
Speaker 2
And to me, that’s the most important piece.
00:07:38:08 – 00:07:57:21
Speaker 1
I love that it’s something they wear on the big stage that every fan can see. Now, granted, you don’t have the camera zooming in on just me, I get that, but it seems like in every game there’s maybe a quick flash of somebody’s cleats. What do you think of that whole whole thing?
00:07:57:23 – 00:08:21:27
Speaker 2
Well, the promotional piece, I mean, that’s what it’s for. I mean, that’s for, the guys to get their story out, but also for the NFL to say, hey, we we’ve got guys that really care about their community. And I think that’s that sort of that storytelling piece that needs to be told across the board. And, you know, if not, we wouldn’t be talking today as far as what we’re trying to do and pick out different programs in different areas.
00:08:21:27 – 00:08:40:04
Speaker 2
And what’s cool is that you can actually go on the website of my calls, my cleats and pick your team, and it’ll show all the players that are actually doing things in the community that you’re building. So, and, and sort of take their topic of what they’ve actually chosen to work in. And some fields are bigger than others.
00:08:40:04 – 00:09:04:18
Speaker 2
Some are sort of specific. And that’s what’s really cool, because then we try to pull more people in and say, hey, come on in and help be a part of it. We want you to be a part of our foundation. We want you to work. But the other piece of it is, is that it’s really hard to sort of quantitate across the board because just like anyone else, some people want to be more private, some people might be public as well as some people want that.
00:09:04:18 – 00:09:19:09
Speaker 2
Oh, well, I’ll give directly to this person because I know where it goes compared to hey, I just want to put it in, you know, like my Will to succeed foundation and people going, well, I want to know exactly where it goes. Well, if we’re working with this group or that group, they might just want to give to that group directly.
00:09:19:16 – 00:09:35:16
Speaker 2
And so that also makes a difference of how you’re trying to get it out. But it’s more or less the awareness. But also telling that story of a guy that really cares about what he’s doing and how he’s doing it, to take an extra step to sort of promote it and put it on that platform.
00:09:35:19 – 00:09:53:22
Speaker 1
Well, a little later in this episode, well, we’ll share for Chiefs that we had a chance to talk with him, and it was interesting to hear them tell the story versus here, you know, I’m going to give you a brochure. I’m going to tell you to go look at this, to hear it in their voice and why it’s important, I think is really, really impactful.
00:09:53:24 – 00:10:13:26
Speaker 1
I’ve noticed they’ve added so much more now. I mean, this year there’s there’s reporters. I know Tracy Wolfson has a pair of tennis shoes. Obviously she doesn’t wear cleats, but I bet she has to pick what she wears on that field to go. Reporting. Yeah. You know, there’s some legends I understand. Why don’t we have your cleats?
00:10:13:28 – 00:10:29:09
Speaker 2
Well, I think, you know, we’ve been working on it, but I want to partner with the, current guy, and there’s a there’s a couple of guys that’s already pushing forward some of the great initiatives that we work with here in Kansas City. And so, you know, let those guys enjoy it, make sure that they’re doing a good job.
00:10:29:12 – 00:10:52:04
Speaker 2
You know, I’ll just sit in the background and be like, okay, yeah, go do that. Go do this. But it’s the whole purpose of just letting guys know that when you’re trying to do something good in the community, it makes a difference. But it also takes a stand. Sort of like when when I started my foundation here in Kansas City, it was because I saw 17 other guys doing it.
00:10:52:04 – 00:11:11:03
Speaker 2
They were setting a precedent of they were here to stay, they were here to make a difference. And that sort of settled with me especially, you know, having great coaches that had done it in the past before me. And I was like, well, I want to be a part of that group. I want to be able to say that, hey, I want to make something happen and make sure it’s good and positive.
00:11:11:05 – 00:11:31:20
Speaker 2
And I see where you see those little cracks in community where you want to help as well fill it in and be the best you can be. And that’s what makes an important, even though, you know, some guys won’t be here for 4 or 5 years, but that’s 4 or 5 years that you can make a difference in one person’s life that can affect the rest of their life just by that one thing that you do.
00:11:31:20 – 00:11:35:11
Speaker 2
And and that’s really the important piece.
00:11:35:13 – 00:11:54:09
Speaker 1
You were fortunate you spent your whole career in one place that it seems like today people even I mean, we have our longtime chiefs, but we also have people in. And that what we had someone we applied Edwards-Helaire who was here left and he’s back again. Yeah. And he’s one of the players we’ll be talking with. But how does a player navigate that?
00:11:54:09 – 00:12:03:05
Speaker 1
I mean, you get established in the community and then you go elsewhere. How do you manage that? Is there support from you guys to help them?
00:12:03:08 – 00:12:22:03
Speaker 2
Well, there’s certain guys that actually have done things where they’ve moved from other places into our city and brought their programs along with them. You know, one of them is, Reed when he was here, he actually brought his program with him. That was tech. He was in the tech field of, hey, we want to help with technology and everything else.
00:12:22:06 – 00:12:45:29
Speaker 2
So I was like, hey, well, let’s partner, let’s build something together. So we’ve done programs here. And now that he’s in, you know, New Orleans, he’s now building programs there also. So it’s that simple fact of, yeah, when you come into town and you have a great program, I sort of say find and find the synergy between who’s already there and who’s doing this, because it makes it easier and build it up, build it as you grow.
00:12:46:01 – 00:12:58:09
Speaker 2
Fortunately, when I was doing my, program itself, I actually brought in all my teammates for every event. So it was more than, hey, I’m having event this week. Can you guys show up, please? You know, that’s.
00:12:58:12 – 00:12:59:06
Speaker 1
Always be there.
00:12:59:07 – 00:13:12:10
Speaker 2
Yes, exactly. Please be there. Come on, let’s go. And, then vice versa for guys that had programs, be there for them so that you can show up and be a part of it and sort of create that brotherhood within a different way.
00:13:12:12 – 00:13:28:08
Speaker 1
Right. Is it hard for a player to be able to focus that there’s so much coming at them? Is it hard for them to focus on a little bit of this in the midst of this? I mean, this is coming at a really crucial time in the season. Well.
00:13:28:15 – 00:13:47:01
Speaker 2
I think it’s different depending on what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. I think it’s hard if you’re not the established player to a certain point. It’s, you know, is that that hard part of. Well, because you’re worried about you’re playing well by playing you’re worried about how can I get on the field? How can I make sure I’m going to be here this week?
00:13:47:04 – 00:14:05:19
Speaker 2
Right. Everything else. So, you know, if you’re a guy that’s been here, that’s established a little bit, then you go, oh, yeah, I can start my own 500 and C3 or Foundation, or I can work with a group or what have you. That’s sort of that next step. When you start to feel that you are comfortable in what you’re doing on the field.
00:14:05:21 – 00:14:20:17
Speaker 2
And some guys, you know, hey, if you can’t do it on the field, we say, hey, volunteer for another guys program. And that’s another big pulling it along of like, hey, you know, I’ve got this program where I’m doing X, Y, and Z, can you show up? You know, it’s just coming out throwing a couple of footballs.
00:14:20:17 – 00:14:38:21
Speaker 2
But we’re going to talk about this issue and that issue and build it that way. And to me that’s the most important piece is keeping everybody involved and understand that the game is the game. But there’s more things that are that are bigger and better outside of the game that you can help along with. And to me, that’s the cool part about being able to.
00:14:38:21 – 00:14:45:14
Speaker 2
The game makes one thing easier and might as well utilize that as your as your jump off point.
00:14:45:17 – 00:15:12:14
Speaker 1
So we want to tell folks you can go to my Cause My cleats.org. It’s a website. It’s pretty easy to navigate. I thought it’s cool this year that you can plug in a team, or you can plug in a cause and it will populate players across the league. We have a lot of Chiefs this year. I was I failed to count them all but a huge crop, and it’s really interesting to kind of study across the league who’s doing what.
00:15:12:17 – 00:15:24:25
Speaker 1
There’s already bids there. And I believe this stays up for a long, a long time. So you’ll have a chance to go out and look, I think it’s on the NFL auction site is where it takes you. If you want to bid on those cleats.
00:15:25:00 – 00:15:26:18
Speaker 3
Yes it does.
00:15:26:21 – 00:15:31:28
Speaker 1
What is the craziest cleat that you have seen been created? If you have you watched?
00:15:32:01 – 00:15:52:02
Speaker 2
Yeah, I watched, you know, I love the ones that are multicolored, the ones that you can see from way, way, way, way, you know, if they’re bright, bright green or bright orange or something of that nature because that actually you know, brings your eye to what they’re doing. And to me, those are the most those are the coolest ones are all across the board.
00:15:52:05 – 00:16:13:03
Speaker 2
But, you know, there’s always those special mission ones that you like to see, that does cancer research and building blocks and things like that. For me, is education. Any kind of educational piece is very important. So anyone that’s doing educational work and building those blocks from the ground up, you know, they’ve got my bid.
00:16:13:06 – 00:16:22:01
Speaker 1
Be careful. Somebody. Okay. All right. Well, or how much are you going to put in? Are we going to see your plate next year? I think we need to see a well, shields legend cleat.
00:16:22:04 – 00:16:25:09
Speaker 2
That would be cool. You know, we’ll work on that.
00:16:25:12 – 00:16:39:10
Speaker 1
Thanks for sharing with us all this background knowledge. And now we’re going to share with you several of the players that we were able to talk to out at Arrowhead. Tell us a little about your cleats and your cause.
00:16:39:12 – 00:17:10:06
Speaker 4
So I don’t, so really good read on them. It’s men’s mental health. I feel like that’s a big thing that a lot of men deal with. We have a especially in the NFL or just pro sports in general. We have a lot of weight on our shoulders and high expectations. So, you know, nine and eight and, you know, just anybody to have someone around to talk to because, a lot of people, you know, they don’t really see, our process, you know, going into games and stuff like that or just our normal life.
00:17:10:09 – 00:17:18:27
Speaker 4
And so we always have to have someone us to depend on and being able to speak on your mental health can help you express and relieve your mental.
00:17:18:29 – 00:17:22:24
Speaker 1
Do you have that special person that is your listener is your support?
00:17:22:24 – 00:17:41:19
Speaker 4
I have a lot of people to me. Yeah, yeah. I went through some things during, my rookie season. And so I had, you know, more, more mental stress. And I thought I would have coming into the NFL and stuff like that. So I was able to, go lean on people early and learn about mental health, how serious it is.
00:17:41:21 – 00:17:53:05
Speaker 1
And how important is it for you to stand up for a cause like this? I mean, you’re star the team. People know you. They know your number. You’re you know, are are all those things.
00:17:53:08 – 00:18:18:06
Speaker 4
Yeah. It’s very important. Honestly, just because I’m the type of guy that walks around with a smile on my face all at all times, no matter, you know what’s going on? I feel like keeping a smile on my face just helps me, bring energy and happiness to other people. And, you know, sometimes maybe I’m not as happy as I look, but, you know, I have people that I can talk to even when, you know, it’s a harder day just to get me to.
00:18:18:09 – 00:18:26:18
Speaker 1
Share with us. Kind of, you know, your cause, your your charitable things that you like to support that are important for you.
00:18:26:21 – 00:18:54:16
Speaker 3
Mainly I would say really mental health, is my is my main cause of the reasons why I feel like I get up day to day and, and try to strive to make my name, become a better advocate for mental health and for people who need help in, the mental health, space and aspect. So be it for me, because, I feel like I deal with a lot of mental health challenges throughout my life.
00:18:54:18 – 00:19:14:09
Speaker 3
And it’s something that I’ve also overcame. And not only that, day to day testimony of, you know, getting up every day and having a smile on your face is, is healthy, healthy, and, a great reason to make sure, you know, to keep a smile everybody else’s face. So it’s great.
00:19:14:12 – 00:19:29:00
Speaker 1
What would you say to the fandom, etcetera. Where can they go? How can they support kind of your, your soapbox of, you know, helping people who, you know, we all have mental health challenges on any given day.
00:19:29:03 – 00:19:54:05
Speaker 3
That’s definitely so right now. Actually redoing and starting up my that was earlier foundation. And it was something that I really had to pivot it because initially it was really just big in the kids space. And I’m still still big in a care space. But the mental health aspect was something that I needed to draw more attention on and, and actually get more help.
00:19:54:05 – 00:20:14:20
Speaker 3
And, it’s something I feel like a lot more people are a lot more of the community is trying to get involved with it. So I’m trying to find each and every avenue, not only person to person, but different ways through like was therapy through horses. Was something that I learned was was major for a lot of, us vets.
00:20:14:22 – 00:20:35:27
Speaker 3
They have a lot of this that either DM me or talk to me up here in KC, which this is a big area for, for military. People. And that was in the Marines while I was in the Army. So this is one of those things that’s very near and dear to me. So it was easier for me to kind of contact them and see what was helping them in the mental aspect space.
00:20:35:27 – 00:20:53:12
Speaker 3
So, I’m trying to bridge animals and people and kids and animals and kind of make everything kind of like this does not necessarily a happy go lucky space, but somewhere where, relaxation is key. And mental clarity and is, is, is something that we strive for.
00:20:53:20 – 00:20:59:05
Speaker 1
This is a tense job. I know people see all the fun and everything, but it’s a hard job. You’re going to work. Yeah, right.
00:20:59:05 – 00:21:20:18
Speaker 3
Come every day. Every day. But it’s something that, I feel like if I don’t do it every day, I can’t talk about it or showcase, how it’s benefiting and and it helping me. And, every day has been something different. Days either push me, in the right direction or push the next person in the right direction is for us, a healthy mental health aspect.
00:21:20:21 – 00:21:23:08
Speaker 1
Mike Danna, tell us about your cleats.
00:21:23:08 – 00:21:46:15
Speaker 3
So, these cleats for my cause, my cleats this year. You know, our brain based off Braden’s hopes for childhood cancer and pretty much just, you know, where to raise awareness. You know, research for a cure for childhood children, cancer. And, you know, the colors is based off the gala they had, you know, recently. And, you know, we kind of went to game some values right here that’s important to us.
00:21:46:15 – 00:21:53:01
Speaker 3
Faith, hope and love. And you know they did an awesome job preparing these for me I’m excited to wear these.
00:21:53:03 – 00:21:57:12
Speaker 1
Why is it important for you to participate in something like this?
00:21:57:15 – 00:22:13:01
Speaker 3
I think it’s just, you know, just having a message, having a voice, you know, just trying to you know, give back to the community. And, you know, we have a huge platform and, you know, a platform where it can make an impact. And, you know, just just showing that, you know, you care. You have something you want to give back to.
00:22:13:01 – 00:22:26:19
Speaker 3
And that means a lot to me. You know, my mother went through cancer. So, you know, I just always want to find a way to give back to the community. You know, it’s this was a special, special cleats. I’m excited to wear.
00:22:26:21 – 00:22:31:20
Speaker 1
Now, tell me about your involvement with this charity. Have you done some other things with them or.
00:22:31:23 – 00:22:53:19
Speaker 3
Well, recently, I haven’t done. But usually when I do my call, my calls, my calls is is being, you know, associated with our cancer, foundation. I think recently you pass last year or your year or two ago, I did, one for breast cancer. So, I try to keep a with, you know, cancer research, cures for cancer.
00:22:53:19 – 00:23:06:08
Speaker 3
You know, that’s a big thing in the world. So, you know, like I said, I’m. I can’t wait to put these on, you know, you see the color, the color scheme. You know, get the gold ribbon in the bag. So I’m very excited.
00:23:06:10 – 00:23:08:09
Speaker 1
Very, very cool logos.
00:23:08:09 – 00:23:15:03
Speaker 3
Awesome to see the logo. Logos. Perfect. You know. Oh, I love the heart. Yeah, that awesome job.
00:23:15:06 – 00:23:22:09
Speaker 1
Hey, we’re talking with the Trent McDuffie. Tell us a little bit. You’re participating in my cause my cleats tell you about that.
00:23:22:12 – 00:23:43:11
Speaker 4
I’m actually it’s with my foundation, C22 McDuffie Foundation, and I’m partnering with the Solis house. And I actually found out about them last year. My foundation is all about the grief, and how to manage it and how to deal with it with, children, teens, adults and kind of just collectively trying to just get the word out and try to spread awareness about it.
00:23:43:11 – 00:24:07:09
Speaker 4
That is something we all go through. Listen, we all have to experience and to talk about it, to be that person that can speak out about it. In a situation where it’s kind of hard to talk about, you know, it’s kind of hard to talk about losing a loved one, and bring up those emotions. So just being somebody who’s lived through it, who’s gone through it and can sit there and say, you know, I understand you, I hear you, you know, these are the things that can help you, but also just that there’s a community around you.
00:24:07:12 – 00:24:21:08
Speaker 4
And the solace House does a really good job with that. And they have nightly things with teens and children, up to 18 even that. You can go in there and kind of just be around people who have experienced it. And I thought that was really impactful. I wish I had something like that when I went to it.
00:24:21:10 – 00:24:26:10
Speaker 4
So, just waiting on awareness and being that person, that can be that for them. Some special for me.
00:24:26:13 – 00:24:27:21
Speaker 1
May I ask who you lost?
00:24:27:22 – 00:24:31:15
Speaker 4
Yeah, that’s the older brother. Back in 2015, he was 23.
00:24:31:17 – 00:24:32:00
Speaker 1
Oh, my.
00:24:32:00 – 00:24:44:19
Speaker 4
Gosh, it’s a heart attack. So that was a shock, you know, was a surprise. Didn’t see it coming. And, not the years. I’ve learned a lot about dealing with that. And just overall just what it meant to my family and what it meant to me.
00:24:44:21 – 00:24:47:21
Speaker 1
Well, thank you for what you’re doing. Tell us a little bit more about your foundation.
00:24:47:21 – 00:25:20:18
Speaker 4
Yeah, yeah. So the 222 McDonough Foundation was started, two years ago. And like I said, it’s really just to help those deal with grief. So far we’ve done youth football camps. I’ve took KC hospice group, like 30 kids. We took to the aquarium last summer, and just had them experience just just life just with their, their families, which is really cool to me is some special that, I get to create these moments where kids can look back, you know, in a time where it’s difficult and a time where they may be struggling and just give them one day, a few hours where to experience joy.
00:25:20:18 – 00:25:25:15
Speaker 4
So, yeah, my foundation’s really just trying to tackle that, grief and just the loss of love.
00:25:25:15 – 00:25:35:22
Speaker 1
And I can tell this is really a passion for you. I can see it. Yeah. In your face and in your eyes. What would you say to somebody who wants more information, about what you’re doing?
00:25:35:23 – 00:25:56:12
Speaker 4
Yeah. You can go to the website T 22, McDermott Foundation. Reach out to their or really hit me, to my Instagram. You know, I don’t always get to see all the emails and stuff they’re pushed through. So sometimes a simple comment, a simple reach out in the DMs, I can kind of see and, chat to you that point you in the right direction, or just be somebody that can just talk to you and just spend a little time with you.
00:25:56:14 – 00:26:21:24
Speaker 1
We’re grateful to Real shields and our Chiefs players for sharing about my cause, my cleats. And thank you for joining us on KC cares. Kansas City’s nonprofit voice. We’re produced by Charitable Communications, which is also a nonprofit. This KC cares segment was brought to you by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Kauffman North. If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, go to our website KC Games online.org and spread the love.
00:26:21:24 – 00:26:37:27
Speaker 1
You’ll find us on Facebook and Twitter at KC Kids Radio and Instagram at KC Cares Online. And don’t forget, you can catch us on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. on ESPN, 15:10 a.m., 94.5 at them. Thank you for joining us on KC cares.
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