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Global Ballers Foundation Sean Birdsong

Sean Birdsong | Founder

In this KC Cares interview, we speak with Sean Birdsong, founder of the Global Ballers Foundation. A former professional basketball player and son of an NBA player, Birdsong created the foundation to provide kids with educational tools beyond the classroom. The foundation hosts sports clinics and camps that teach life skills, using sports as a platform to address careers, mental and physical health, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and social awareness. Birdsong’s organization also educates parents about the pressures they may inadvertently put on their children in sports. Despite funding challenges, the foundation has been involved in events with the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers, providing free opportunities for kids whose parents may not afford standard basketball camps. Birdsong’s commitment to helping youth reflects his personal journey in sports and his belief in life beyond sports.

visit them here: american-ballers.com

 

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KC Cares, Kansas City’s nonprofit voice, tells the stories of Kansas City nonprofits and connects them with the community.  

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Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Take risks. Own success. Be Uncommon.

TW: @kauffmanfdn FB: @kauffmanfdn IG: @kauffmanfdn

Transcript:

(00:00) KC cares is the intersection of the non-profit and profit communities making Kansas City a better place to live work and play this KC care segment is brought to you by the Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation www.Kauffman.org I’m Ruth Baum Biggus for Sean Birdsong Sports has been his life the son of an NBA player Sean started playing basketball at a young age ultimately competing on the court in college as well as professionally in the Continental Basketball Association in the Premier basketball league while many

(00:31) kids love sports few make it to the level Shawn has experienced and knowing the transformative nature of sports Sean saw that participation can mean so much more for kids so with a commitment to help youth excel at every level he created American Ballers and its non-profit arm the global Ballers Foundation providing kids with Educational Tools that they don’t get in any classroom setting the foundation hosts a variety of sporting clinics and camps providing a dose of life skills while kids play the sports they love

(01:02) Sean is joining us today to talk about his efforts and his journey to help kids become the best humans that they can be and we’re so lucky to have Sean with us welcome to KC cares good morning roof how are you doing I’m doing great and it’s so good to see you outside of a coffee shop right right that was a very good coffee shop by the way yeah we’ll put in a plug there for robo cup Sean let’s talk a little bit about your journey in sports I alluded to it of course in our introduction but I want

(01:33) our audience to really know where you come from and that we can talk about the passion that you’ve used to create your foundation uh thank you for having me this morning again um I come from a I would say very rich education background as well as Sports background um my my mother was an educator Candace Birdsong for 30 years in the Kansas City Kansas School District and my father was a NBA player Elvis Birdsong played 12 years in the NBA so I grew up basically having basketball and education really at the Forefront since I was a baby

(02:15) um my younger brother and I Sydney we of course played various sports soccer um football baseball outside with the friends but basketball was really a center part of uh us both growing up you didn’t have quote the normal upbringing though and I wanted to talk a little bit about that being the son of a professional athlete how how did that balance at home you had a mom who was an educator and then you have a pro athlete how did they create a balance and share with you what they felt were really the important life lessons

(02:53) well it’s a great question it was very unique uh situation um I do know you know I remember the last few years of my dad’s playing career in New Jersey so I was born in New Jersey um when he was playing with the Nets my mother and my father met here in Kansas City when he was playing with the Kansas City Kings so I believe 1981 um when he his contract was up with Kansas City and he signed his free agent to New Jersey they moved to New Jersey um I was born two years later and I just remember um you know that last year in New Jersey

(03:30) from my memory um you know just players coming over to the house or us going over players house me going to the Meadowlands Arena um down in East Rutherford New Jersey going being in the locker room you know with a lot of those guys coming in and out um opponents you know Michael Jordan and Magic and all of those guys so I think um growing up around that I didn’t really understand that it was anything special I guess you can say um it was just normal to me um but also I remember my mother um being you know later on we got a

(04:03) little older you know she just really has always been a hard worker um and not really just your so-called NBA wife stay-at-home mother um she did take a few years off you know to to raise of course my younger brother myself but I do remember vividly later on those last few years um from my dad’s career she got out there and was like Hey I’m you know I’m gonna do a part-time thing I’m gonna go out and teach and I’m gonna go get out the house and do things like that so that work ethic um from him playing basketball and my

(04:32) mother um also being a teacher and all of that that really kind of shaped at that time the way I was thinking about okay we’re in the school but we also going to the arena we’re going to school and all of that so that was a that was an awesome experience um during that time and then also you know his last year in Boston you know I remember when he he left New Jersey um and signed with the Celtics his last year I remember you know us going to Boston and and being up there you know with with Larry Bird and uh Robert

(05:04) Parish and Kevin McHale and Dennis Johnson all those guys like that was that was a good experience within itself because again I was a young kid didn’t understand the rich tradition of the Boston Celtics but as I got older and I looked back on it I was like wow like I was really in the locker room and you know in a a team meeting with you know Jimmy Rogers at the time who was the head coach um drawing up plays and things like that and me and you know my young Brothers running around with balls and things

(05:30) like that um that was a that was a cool situation as well I I think there’s a movie here but I digress be an interesting movie great idea yeah yeah a peek into the locker room but you yourself excelled in sports it through high school and and then you went into the college experience and then into the the pro ranks yourself so at what point did you make a decision of this is just it’s more than just playing the sport how did that come about for you um my senior year in high school and not too many people know this story a lot of

(06:12) a few people who are around the situation know the story but not too many people know the story so um in high school you know for a few years there I struggled with you know uh grades and things like that and one year in particular you know from my freshman year going into my sophomore year I was ineligible um the first five games of playing basketball because I you know at Bonner Springs High School where I attended the grade system was abcf there were no D’s math was always a struggle for me um and I think I believe it was a

(06:43) Spanish class of a struggle for me so I unfortunately you know if you failed I believe was either two or three at the time you couldn’t play the next the next semester so I actually had to sit out and I think sitting out um during that time and actually looking observant like okay this is really more than basketball because if you don’t get your grades if you if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do off the court you really can not play the game that you love to play so going through those

(07:08) situations in my senior year I broke my foot um seven games into the season that and I was lost for the season I was really a wake-up call um I believe I had UMKC New Mexico University um Indiana State University Kansas when coach Roy Williams was there I was getting a lot of letters and a lot of you know calls and things like that going into my senior year that was also a wake-up call to work you know I broke my foot and I had to transition um and and think about okay this is really the second time that basketball

(07:42) has been taken away from me so at that moment my senior year I remember like was yesterday I was really sitting in my room and I was like you know if basketball doesn’t work out I really have to start looking towards the future and I was when I was 17 years old so um after those situations I had to go you know Juco um played at Highland Community College for two years and then after that I fortunately was able to get a scholarship um to Lincoln University HBCU in Jefferson City Missouri NCAA school played there

(08:14) um and that was a a great situation itself um but it was just really the grind of trying to get you know back you know unless you’ve you know to the viewers um having to go through the Juco ranks and then try to fight your way back to go to an NCAA level type type experience it can really take a mental toll on you and I even experienced that going into uh the CBA um that that first year after I left Lincoln University as well as as far as the mental toll um in the minor leagues you know playing professionally

(08:53) um having coaches tell you that if you have a couple bad games you may get sent home you know that was a daily reminder to us all of us in practice the minority level hey there’s no guaranteed contracts here that’s the NBA level um but if you guys aren’t playing up to par we can send you guys home and bring other guys in that was the reality of always trying to be on your toes since I broke my foot in high school so how and where did you get support you knew that there had to be something I guess to fall back on or continue your

(09:29) life I mean you’re a young person at that point what swooped in to support and help you um during my high school years I basically have course um and I say of course because I know a lot of kids aren’t fortunate to have it but that was my reality uh when I say of course you know my mother um you know my dad even though they had gotten a divorce um when after he retired he was still involved um you know in our in our lives and my mother um was was our was a teacher I mean she was she understood what we were dealing

(10:03) with and my uncle you know my Uncle Mike Iman Sandy and a lot of my grandmother at the time when she was alive um here like I had a I had a support system from grandparents uncles um aunts and and of course my mom but um also AAU coaches you know we had Au coaches that also would tell us the reason why I have you guys here in the gym on a Friday night and a Saturday night is to not have you guys in the streets you know because we honestly have even though I played at Bonner Springs and my mother she was really um

(10:32) she was really Savvy you know she’s from KCK and she was seven she told me this when we were she’s like listen yeah you’re out here in school at Bonner to get a good education and and graduate but if you’re gonna play basketball you need to learn how to play with multiple players like from all backgrounds and all walks of life so she put us into AAU team in Kansas City Missouri with you know you had um coach Al Collins who coached you know or Watson NBA great um Jaron Rush Kareem Rush uh Brandon

(11:03) Rush and Malcolm Campbell and Jeff Hawkins and Wayne Simmons a lot of guys that came through um The Running Rebels in Kansas city so we were a part of that for like three years and we got exposure um to go to Las Vegas to go to Los Angeles but Gail Collins and also Al Collins who are our coaches would say you know always keep God first that’s really what we were um you know that was really our influence as far as hey same thing you get injured you tomorrow’s not promised you know keep him first uh go forward in

(11:36) in everything that you do um and everything will be great that was the kind of support system we had growing up so let’s look at those trials and tribulations from breaking my foot and then the the grind in college and then going into the CBA and all of that I always had those that you know those those people in my mind as far as what I went back to um you know when I was younger so let’s fast forward this is your life experience how did you then put American Ballers and your foundation together and and

(12:11) what is it that you want to or want to accomplish with it so after I finished playing a buddy of mine um Mike Copeland he actually worked at a place kvc it’s a behavioral health care center and he told me about you know he you know giving back to kids and they were going these outings and mentorship and all of that to young kids so he said hey this may be something that you might want to go into and look into man it’s really it’s really cool you know giving back to the kids and all that so went there and I actually you know

(12:46) interacting with those kids had a different mindset seeing the struggles that they had um of course I was interested in doing that based on the fact that my family were Educators so giving back to the kids in that way and understanding where they come from where there was traumas and things like that that opened my eyes to a lot of the reason why kids act the way they do and the reason why honestly a lot of adults may act the way they do as far as their upbringing so with me being involved in basketball camps and Clinics after I finished

(13:17) playing I’ve worked with the Dallas Mavericks for a few years doing skill development with their youth um youth events and then also that led to me being a part of the NBA assistant coaches program um in New York City to where they the NBA prepares you to coach if you want to on the NBA and NBA G league so I’ll coach combines and things like that in New York City with a lot of Hall of Famer you know Paul Silas former great um NBA player Hall of Famer George Lynch Rex Walters former Kansas player a lot

(13:48) of these guys that were getting into coaching I was in the room with these guys and just picking their brain and listening to them so doing that helping the Dallas Mavericks being involved in other camps um hearing the kids stories at these camps were kind of touching to the to where it was well we we play the game of sports um whether it’s basketball football and then we go home to our home lives whether it’s mother or mother’s there with boyfriend you know boyfriend smokes marijuana um I’m seeing this abuse I’m seeing this

(14:20) it was almost like wow so you guys are some really smart kids but you’re going home to this kind of home life that is like a distraction so in 2000 18 um I had the idea to kind of start my own um I guess you could say camps and Clinics as far as the non-profit side goes to really give back to the kids like okay instead of us giving you know t-shirts and just saying hey stay in school don’t do drugs which is what we grew up on how about we do a little bit more and like try to add to this to really like try to

(14:56) change um the lives of these kids we’re talking with Sean bird song American Ballers and his non-profit Global Ballers Foundation so how does this work and how do you infuse in this let’s say two-hour session that you’ve got with kiddos some who are coming in with home life that are let’s say less than ideal how do you put both things together so they can walk out of there and maybe have a little bit of change with both skills both skills that’s a great question well a lot of people they look at

(15:33) professional athletes whether in the NFL or NBA as okay they’re superheroes sometimes fans forget that these guys and women and WNBA that they’re human they have ordinary problems just like everybody else um you just happen to see the glitz and the glamor on TV but these you know individuals do have issues as far as anything anything that that you can probably think of but um 2018 when I started it I wanted to purposely bring in NBA and WBA players um to come and talk to the kids to say Hey you definitely can make it but these

(16:09) are the steps that you’re going to have to take so I just got on the phone with my with my resources fortunately I had resources growing up to reach out to different players and all of that so you know I would say hey I’m doing this basketball clinic or this Camp would love for you to come in be like a mentor to these kids of course teach basketball skills but we want to talk about life um and education off of the court and our first event was with the Brooklyn Nets organization in New York City brought my

(16:36) father in and brought former NBA All-Star um Michael Ray Richardson in also played with the Knicks and the Nets and it was a great event we had about maybe 80 70 to 80 kids from the New York City area come out to the Barclay Center the you know the Brooklyn Nets they laid it out for us um and we were able to have it at their practice facility which was all awesome the kids loved it and that was really the start of getting this ball going um the Los Angeles Lakers were next in that you know with a great um Keisha Nix

(17:05) you know vice president over there at the Lakers and Miss Linda Rambis um whose wife of former NBA player and Laker Kurt Rambis you know she invited me out there was like hey we like what you’re doing with American Ballers we love you to come up here and talk to these kids and all that so after that you know we did events with Orlando Magic and then um and then we went to Houston and this this has been rolling since then but we I bring in these guys and gals to talk to the kids about education but also what to do in the community

(17:38) um our five pillars for American Ballers and the global bars Foundation are careers Health which is your mental health could be physical health um Finance you know financial literacy is heavy entrepreneurship and also social awareness which is your drug and alcohol prevention and also policing um in in communities how to interact with the police and when we’re in Houston when we first brought in an individual from from the police department previously back in 2020.

(18:10) um it was the first time that I saw you know when the police asked hey how many of you guys know a cop or you know how many of you guys you know interact with police or how many of you guys are scared of police and when they ask the question of how many guys you scare the police you know a lot of the kids like raise their hand because they only see the negative side of policing well my grandfather was a policeman you know growing up and my you know I have cousins who were Sheriff so I saw the other side of the law as far as okay

(18:41) I know that there are are good cops out there um trying to do the right thing so we just try to bring that awareness to the kids um in all of these topics that we discuss with them at these clinics how many clinics are you doing I mean are they every month are they and and where and how do you choose the kiddos that get to participate great question so we reach out to the community um so the high schools middle schools um our ages are 8 to 17 but we try to more so for the education part you know we don’t turn the kids down but for the

(19:14) education probably really try to talk to the middle school and high school kids because they’re the kids that’s the age group that’s really about to go into college if they want to or if they leave cop if they leave High School excuse me and they’re going into a trade you know some of them may not want to go to college we understand that but they’re at the age to where they can really understand hey I’m going to start working you know I’m going to start getting a part-time job and start

(19:35) worrying about my finances um and and also you know those kind of saving type habits um so we just reach out to different um organizations and say hey we’re providing this this camper Clinic would love to to bring this to your students and it’s been it’s been great I mean we’ve we started out doing one clinic or two clinics a year starting out and then covet hit um but that was was a different situation within itself but fortunately you know we held clinics to where we kept our masks on and then also we had a

(20:10) few clinics to where Tiffany Hayes he’s a WNBA player with the Atlanta Dream she was like hey Sean this is great you know I know that the city I believe the city of Atlanta at the time wasn’t fully open yet I don’t believe um but I think parts of parts of the city was um and she had her own gym so she was like hey we can host it here at my gym and we brought kids from Atlanta out and she brought um Dwayne bacon he was the guest speaker he was he was the current player with the Charlotte Hornets at the

(20:39) time he’s now overseas playing but he came and talked to the kids so we try to get about one a month um upcoming this year we’re looking at about five in July alone so we’ve been picking up um yes we’ve been picking up a lot um of Buzz and actually have had people calling us hey we heard about Ballers we like to get you guys involved with with our organization here or you mind coming out here so I’m very very proud about where we’re headed as an organization why did you decide to create a

(21:12) non-profit arm when you already kind of had a gig going why did you decide then well we need a foundation we need to to have that be part of this that’s a great question so unfortunately in you know certain communities of of color um kids are able to afford your standard basketball camp you know and I’m not gonna you know go down the list of players who put on camps every year but they’re you know some of these teams organizations um rightfully so you know it’s a it is a business um they charge x amount of dollars for

(21:47) kids to come in and go to the camps well there are some kids that love to play basketball love to play football but their parents just can’t afford to pay for a basketball camp um so when I got you know the idea of hey we can give back in a different way these kids still deserve to have a right to an education have a right to um top quality athletes you know I’m fortunate to bring in Hall of Fame basketball players and Hall of Fame football players and it’s free for the kids you know so I don’t want to say It’s A disruption to

(22:21) what everybody else is kind of doing but it’s kind of like hey this is what I want to offer to the kids because we know that their parents um can’t afford to it but we still want to give back the same knowledge and you know we want to make it a fair we want to make it an even even playing field across the board whether you can pay for it clinic or you can’t pay for a clinic so by having the non-profits you could raise funds and then underwrite costs for kiddos who who couldn’t come exactly any other way and do that and I I want

(22:52) to be sure to share with our audience too he’s not just doing the foundation is not just doing basketball they’re in all kinds of sports you were recently part of the NFL draft so it sounds like you’re using Sports all together not just basketball yes and our our company 83 Ventures you know I was born in 1983 so that’s where I got the concept um under 83 Ventures we have American Ballers beyond the court which is our you know podcast that we started when covet hit a lot of former players you

(23:28) know Rick Barry Hall of Famer Marcus Johnson Hall of Fame Rogers Gilmore a lot of these guys George Gervin you know at the time we’re like hey we really don’t want to uh you know get on a plane right now totally understandable but you know hey let’s we can have a dialogue and we can still get a message across um via online okay that’s that’s even better so that’s when we started that um nothing but net Sports was our training business is really what we how we train kids and whether it’s um

(23:55) physical fitness basketball cleaners camps things like that and then American ballers in the gold bars Foundation so we we pretty much try to really give back um to the youth um on a variety of ways as well as parents we try to educate parents and I try to bring in professionals from the community um to talk about you know whether it’s mental health um whether it’s you know talking to the parents about not being too hard on your on your son or daughter is just a game you know we always get thrown out the

(24:27) sports mom or Sports dad but if you’ve never really lived it a lot of these parents unfortunately don’t understand that when you put pressure on your kids to play a sport or to do anything really you’re kind of steering them away from what you want them to do they’re going to back off of it and they may um you know if you’re writing a kid saying hey you need to get up and do this do this and they really don’t want to by the time the refreshment of sophomore in high school they’re

(24:52) probably just going to quit and we’ve seen that before so we try to talk to the parents as well as not really trying to tell them how to parent but when it comes to the sports thing it’s like hey we know we’ve seen this before it’s like back off a little bit let them enjoy the game um let them enjoy school let them enjoy the the things that that we all enjoy don’t try to push them too hard great great advice what’s the best place for our audience to go check out what you’re doing with the foundation and

(25:20) overall your website yes our website is uh American slash baller so that’s American minus signballers.com and also um Instagram I’m at the Sean bird song on Instagram and also our LinkedIn um Sean Burson on LinkedIn running the non-profit component of your activities what’s the greatest challenge that you face the greatest challenge I face oh besides raising money well there you go raising money so so uh any tips for anybody or how can they support you I was going to say it’s an opportunity for volunteers to work with

(26:04) you in any fashion well and I say I say that’s one of them one of the the problems were you know or is to raise money but I’m really particular in who we involve and that’s where I I guess that’s kind of a struggle because I’m not a person I’ve never I was never raised this way to just hey go try to seek um funding for an organization from anybody the one thing that I told the players when I first started American balls is hey are you guys involved with kids everybody who’s been involved in

(26:34) American Ballers and you can look at our website um the players have been involved they either all have a foundation they either all have kids themselves or they’re involved in some type of basketball component or education component I never want to just bring in anybody to just tell the kids a different message or a wrong message who aren’t really invested and that’s kind of the approach that I have when it comes to fundraising and the non-profit world I want to align myself um you know with people who want to give

(27:03) back to the community who want to service the community and of course who like who like sports but also see that there’s life beyond Sports um so many times in the world now there’s a lot of stuff going on but we try to I try to get across if we as a as a society put more into the kids I think in my opinion the world would be a better place because the kids are the Next Generation coming up who are going to take care of us but what we see is so many adults trying to take care of other adults which I understand it but if we invested that

(27:42) much money into the the younger generation I think it would be a a better place you know I think you know Charles Barkley I’m not sure if you watch um Inside the NBA or not um on TNT but Giannis antetokupo from the Milwaukee Bucks had a great great um line after the game that they they lost um to get eliminated in the playoffs and it was going around you know it went viral he was basically trying to report her when he asked him it’s like do you view this season as a failure he was like why would I view this season as a

(28:14) failure it was like first of all I’m in the NBA he’s like we are champions he said but there’s steps to the process you know he said you look at your job as a failure if you don’t get promoted every every couple years you know do you you look at yourself in the mirror and say hey I’m a failure because I know I got promoted last or three years ago but I haven’t gotten promoted in a few years so everything you’ve done up to that point is a failure no and I love when Charles Barkley made the analogy of hey

(28:37) teachers are the real are the real you know people who aren’t failures like they’re the real success stories it’s not really professional athletes I mean yes we got to a certain point my father got to a certain point there’s many guys who got to that point but after the playing days are gone what’s the next step and so many of us athletes we understand that we know that but I think that needs to be talked about more just in society as yes this is a great game whether it’s football or basketball

(29:08) um but we need to start investing in education investing in the youth coming up because they’re going to be where we are in a few years Sean Birdsong you are a wise Soul we want to send our audience again to American Dash ballers.com to check out what their non-profit is doing helping youth use sports but learn those life lessons thank you so much for sharing thank you I appreciate you for having me on and you’re doing great things in the you know Community as well I got a chance to be with you um at the 120th celebration

(29:45) um at JFS uh you know a while back so you got you guys you know keep up the great work and I appreciate you having me you betcha thank you for joining us on KC cares Kansas City’s nonprofit voice we’re produced by charitable Communications also a non-profit this KC cares segment was brought to you by the Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation www.kauffman.

(30:07) org well to be a guest on KC cares find all of our episodes visit our website kckersonline.org spread the love you can find us on Facebook and Twitter at KC cares radio and Instagram or at KC cares online and catch us Saturday mornings on ESPN 15 10 a.m and 94.5 FM at 8 A.M thanks for joining us on KC cares [Music]

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Ben Aken| Vice President

KC Cares interviews Ben Aken, Vice President of the KC Current, Kansas City’s newest sports team. They have three pillars that focus on community involvment. 1) Access to Sports for All: They believe that all children should have the opportunity to dream big and aspire to the same achievements as their players. 2) Inspiring Bold Ambition: They want girls and young women to have visibility to roles where women have traditionally been underrepresented, and in fields they may not have previously considered. 3) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – In elevating the community and all those within it, they believe it is essential that they use their platform and the power of sports to support diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

visit them here: https://www.kccurrentstadium.com/our-story#commitment-to-community

 

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Facebook:@ Kccaresradio

Twitter: @kccaresradio

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Also available on

Itunes || Spotify || Stitcher || Soundcloud || Youtube 

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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 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

In partnership with: 

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Take risks. Own success. Be Uncommon.

TW: @kauffmanfdn FB: @kauffmanfdn IG: @kauffmanfdn

[Transcript]

00:00:00:09 – 00:00:22:03
RUTH
Welcome to KC Cares, Kansas City’s nonprofit voice. We’re telling the stories of Kansas City nonprofits and the people behind them. KC Cares is the intersection of the nonprofit and other communities making Kansas City a better place to live, work and play. This KC Cares segment is brought to you by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. WW W.K. Kauffman dot org.

00:00:22:15 – 00:00:53:20
RUTH
I’m Ruth Bomb Vegas Soccer. It’s all the buzz around the world. And in Kansas City. Our town is blessed with two professional soccer teams, Men’s Sporting KC and our new kid on the block, the KC Current, the incredible women’s team that has had an amazing trajectory in the brief two years they’ve been on the scene. While the players are amazing and providing fans with some great bragging rights, the team is making its mark off the pitch as well through its philanthropic efforts.

00:00:54:03 – 00:01:12:01
RUTH
Here to bring us the very latest and greatest is Ben Akin. He is vice president of community relations. And we may have a surprise visit from another big deal with the current, but we’ll wait to see if she hops on with us. Ben, it’s so great to have you on the show.

00:01:12:19 – 00:01:13:27
BEN
Thank you so much for having me.

00:01:15:13 – 00:01:22:24
RUTH
So for you, it’s just been fast and furious. I mean, this is like you guys are like, wow, pow.

00:01:24:07 – 00:01:35:27
BEN
Well, it’s hard to believe. We just celebrated our second anniversary. So the current’s only two years old. And it’s really been amazing what our ownership is, is put together in that short amount of time.

00:01:37:05 – 00:02:00:19
RUTH
I don’t want to tell tales on you, and I want to put you in an awkward position. But you were with another sports franchise in our city. We don’t have to name it if you don’t want to. But I’m just wondering, because you’ve had experience with an established franchise to a newer franchise, why don’t you? What do you see as the differences in how things are moving forward?

00:02:01:24 – 00:02:35:17
BEN
Well, I do I really enjoy enjoyed my time. I was with the Kansas City Royals for a little over 20 seasons and I so enjoyed my time there and just had a great experience coming into a pretty well known organization. In the time I joined, we had won the World Series in 85 and had this established brand and this established like commitment of being a part of Kansas City and then to have the opportunity to come in to the current and really kind of help build something from the beginning has been really a lot of fun.

00:02:36:25 – 00:03:03:04
BEN
I think one thing that I’ve really enjoyed about my time with The Current is just working with these incredible women on the field. You know, these players are a diverse group of players from all over the world really, and they’re really the best of their game. So we have several players that appear in the U.S. Women’s National Team, Canadian national team, and a Jamaican player last year and other countries represented as well.

00:03:03:16 – 00:03:12:08
BEN
And so it’s neat for us here in Kansas City to have had the opportunity to work with these players and to see them and really excel on the field.

00:03:14:00 – 00:03:22:19
RUTH
It seems like everything is very organic. Can you elaborate on that?

00:03:23:12 – 00:03:50:07
BEN
I think that’s fair. I think that’s fair to say. Our really it goes back to our our owner. So Angie and Chris Long, a along with Brittney Mahomes are three owners and they are Kansas City at their core. So any of any of our our outreach or events is really based back in Kansas City and they’re involved in a lot of our decisions.

00:03:51:00 – 00:04:17:06
BEN
You, you know, whether to add like our different pillars and our outreach efforts. They’ve been involved in making those decisions all along. So I think their base of being from Kansas City and Chris and Angie Long are at the front. Their parents are for kids. And so I tell people this a lot, but a lot of times we’ll have meetings or discussions and the kids kids conversation will come up all the time.

00:04:17:06 – 00:04:43:04
BEN
And there’s been several times where we’ve been in meetings and it’ll hit like 330. And even if we’re nowhere near our point of discussion, they’re like, We’ve met. We’ve had everything that we want to talk about during our meeting. Angie will say, Well, I have kids pick up, so I need to leave. And that’s really just set up for for all of us as we’re building these things out and our community outreach just at the core, it’s back to families, it’s back to Kansas City.

00:04:43:10 – 00:04:59:20
BEN
And really just we can get into a little bit later. But at the core, it’s important to do what’s right for these players. And so it really is organic because everything is there’s no like history to build upon. It’s all like what’s best moving forward.

00:04:59:20 – 00:05:01:00
RUTH
You’re creating history.

00:05:02:07 – 00:05:29:18
BEN
We really are literally with the development of the the building of the New stadium down by the riverfront will be the first stadium built specifically for a women’s sport in North America. There’s some debate there whether it’s like how worldwide that is. But it’s really a first. It’s not only the first in the league, but it’s, you know, it’s going to be their first downtown stadium and we’re going to be the first in the league.

00:05:29:25 – 00:05:38:13
BEN
And then just really providing the first class opportunities for these players to play in front of fans in a stadium built specifically for that.

00:05:39:09 – 00:05:40:14
RUTH
You’re leading the way.

00:05:42:00 – 00:06:07:23
BEN
Yeah. You know it’s you know I Angie long some sometimes says that yes we’re the first but we won’t be the last. So I think the Longs really believe, along with Brittney, that this is just the standard moving forward. So other teams and we’ve heard from other teams that are going to do something similar hopefully down the road, they may be a little jealous that we’re moving as as fast as we are.

00:06:08:00 – 00:06:13:24
BEN
But I think in this league this will become a standard and we’re just going to be one of the first, which is great.

00:06:14:21 – 00:06:39:18
RUTH
Well, as a soccer mom, always back. I love a female soccer mom. What a great example for young women and for boys, too. I don’t mean to do that, but especially for young women to really be able to have this kind of team here in the heartland of the country instead of, you know, ending up on either side of the coast.

00:06:40:01 – 00:06:50:27
RUTH
You had mentioned a few minutes ago something about four pillars or four values. Can you share a little bit about that? I think our audience would be interested to know that.

00:06:51:23 – 00:07:16:02
BEN
Definitely. So we have we have three and then we have kind of a new initiative that we’ll be working on in the future as well. But so there are our first pillars and these were established towards the beginning of this of the formation of the club. So it’s the power of sports for all. So we really just believe that all children should have the same opportunity to dream big and aspire to big achievements like our players.

00:07:16:23 – 00:07:44:27
BEN
And so we do that through several, you know, providing opportunity for kids to play sports. Our second our second pillar is inspiring, bold ambition. And that’s really just providing young people access to visibility of women in roles, women in roles that are traditionally filled by women. So kind of the basis of what who Angie Long is and she she made her mark in the finance world, which there weren’t a lot of women in the room when she was doing that.

00:07:45:19 – 00:08:09:11
BEN
And so we’re trying to create opportunity that provides financial literacy, leadership development opportunities and with some STEM outreach. And it is really just giving the opportunity for girls to play sports. And then finally, diversity, equity, inclusion. And really, we just want to be a conduit to support those that are working in that space. So it’s it’s so important to our players.

00:08:09:11 – 00:08:24:29
BEN
We have a diverse group of players. And so as we move into our our new neighborhood and and where the stadium is going and just work with different communities, we want to make sure that we’re we’re representing those communities and just provide voice to those that sometimes don’t have a voice.

00:08:25:23 – 00:08:47:21
RUTH
So how interesting to start with an organization where you really have all that laid out in the beginning. It seems as though from the outside that this was very thoughtful. It wasn’t just we’ll just have a women’s soccer team. Let’s go do this. Let’s have Brittney Mahomes. Who everybody can recognize that name. Can you give us a little peek, a little sneak?

00:08:47:21 – 00:08:52:16
RUTH
Is that really how it came from those values and move it forward?

00:08:53:11 – 00:09:14:11
BEN
It really does. I mean, you know, even in meetings, well, the first thing that comes up in a meeting is where we’re evaluating different opportunities because, as you know, Ruth, and as your show represents, there’s so many different nonprofits and opportunities for people to get involved. And that’s one thing they love about Kansas City. But there are so many opportunities.

00:09:14:11 – 00:09:32:19
BEN
So you have to be selective to kind of where you want to make your mark. So we always talk about is this good for the players? That always comes up. Like every day we talk about, well, is this good for the players? And so that’s everything, like thinking about timing. So, you know, we get a request from a school to go visit.

00:09:33:21 – 00:09:55:29
BEN
Okay, well, we need to think about the timing. So the players train till about two, so probably don’t want to do anything to till four after, you know, those types of questions that come up. And then really does this go back to our brand pillars? So, you know, there’s plenty of things. And coming from the royals, you know, one great thing about that experience is that I got to know a lot of different people in town and different organizations.

00:09:56:09 – 00:10:12:10
BEN
So when I started, you know, this plate is full of, you know, where I have friends in all these different organizations as well. But you really had to go back. I really forced me to go back to our brand pillars and say, hey, is this increasing access for sports? Is this, you know, is there a way to inspire bold ambition?

00:10:13:01 – 00:10:18:04
BEN
And then really, what are the DEI efforts? What’s the community that’s going to be affected by this?

00:10:18:04 – 00:10:21:14
RUTH
So you alluded to there’s a fourth one.

00:10:22:21 – 00:10:53:27
BEN
That’s right. Well, as we so we’re obviously we’re building a new stadium downtown near the river. And so it’s important to us to make sure that we’re being good neighbors in that surrounding area. So, you know, we’re we’re getting to know that neighborhood and working with some local businesses down there to potentially do some some projects. And, you know, there’s a garrison community centers down there that we we’ve visited a few times and, you know, so we really just want to be good neighbors.

00:10:53:27 – 00:11:11:05
BEN
So that’s really what it comes down to is just how can we as moving in this new stadium, how can we be part of the neighborhood and just really, you know, not be coming in and have, you know, for certain our way through? We really run involve the neighborhood and what’s what we’re doing.

00:11:12:29 – 00:11:37:24
RUTH
That’s great. So I alluded to it in my intro about the ladies are or the women are more than just the player you see on the pitch. And of course, we focus on that nonprofit or that communal aspect. Talk with us a little bit about that coming from the KC Current and why is that part of your whole brand?

00:11:38:20 – 00:12:09:09
BEN
You know, one example, we partner with YMCA of Greater Kansas City. So all soccer programing that the YMCA does in the Kansas City area is now branded KC current YMCA youth soccer. So we have we have involved players. They’ve been to soccer practices. The kids wear jerseys that have the KC current logo on it. And it’s not just the girls that are playing soccer, it’s the boys as well.

00:12:10:14 – 00:12:21:20
BEN
So this year we had over 900 kids that participated in the program and the YMCA tells us that’s about a 50% increase from where they were a year ago before the current were involved.

00:12:23:03 – 00:12:24:18
RUTH
So congratulations.

00:12:24:18 – 00:12:51:28
BEN
So awesome. Yeah, it’s so great. And talking to our players that stemmed a lot of them got their soccer outreach or their careers, I guess their their love of soccer by playing in the YMCA soccer programs. So even 84 inches our goalkeeper, she got her start. She said that she was a YMCA kid through and through. Like she would go and just spend all day there with no school.

00:12:51:29 – 00:13:10:24
BEN
She would hang out at the YMCA and she had the opportunity to to learn soccer there. And, you know, thinking about her playing as a little kid, she ended up being on the U.S. women’s national team that won the World Cup. And so she was on the cover of a Wheaties box, and now she’s a goalkeeper for the Kansas City Courier.

00:13:11:12 – 00:13:12:12
BEN
It’s pretty amazing.

00:13:13:13 – 00:13:24:19
RUTH
That’s very exciting. So tell us a little bit about what the Current is doing in and around our community, partnering with nonprofits.

00:13:26:13 – 00:13:56:05
BEN
Yeah, so we’re lucky to have some some great partners here in town. One is Wind for Casey, which is, as you know, part of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission. So we’ve had we had our all of our players attend their their luncheon last year where they where went for Casey honors amazing women athletes. We’ve had we have a beer through Boulevard Brewery called Teal Rising where they’re part of the proceeds benefit went for Casey.

00:13:57:02 – 00:14:25:04
BEN
So win for Casey is one that we support strongly. You know, another example of that is our partnership with United We and United We is a development fair is an organization focused on just empowering women both in civic and government, civic and leadership opportunities. So throughout the season we did a few activities with them, including our Inspiring Women Night, where we had where we honored some amazing women leaders on the field.

00:14:25:12 – 00:14:50:23
BEN
We had World Cup champion Briana Scurry in town who met some of the participants and did all kinds of fun stuff with them, with them. And then we also had a partnership with the Girl Scouts. So this season we had a Girl Scout Day at one of our matches. And it wasn’t just a, Hey, how many tickets can the Girl Scouts sell and come out to the game?

00:14:51:11 – 00:15:18:20
BEN
There was a couple different elements beyond that, so we helped working with the Girl Scouts and American Century Investments, put together a program called My Money Plan, where both the junior Girl Scouts and their caregiver caregivers learned about earning and saving and investing from some of the female financial experts at American Century. And so it was really unique program that the Girl Scouts learned before the game.

00:15:18:20 – 00:15:45:05
BEN
They had a little session and then their parents went to a different session where they could learn as well. And then we honored Girl Scouts throughout the game. They got to meet some players after the game and did some fun things like that. But those are a couple examples that it’s been it’s been a it’s been a fun opportunity to work with these nonprofits and really develop something and not so much such a cookie cutter type event like we just want you at the match.

00:15:45:12 – 00:15:54:18
BEN
You know, there’s that element of it because we really want to have people there to be able to support this team. But really just think about be intentional and what can we do from this partnership together?

00:15:55:17 – 00:16:24:09
RUTH
We’re talking with Ben again. He’s vice president of community relations, a veteran in sports franchises here in Kansas City. And being a connector in the community, you mentioned, you know, bringing over your skill set. I can’t believe you were with the girls for 20 years. You must have been ten years old when you started and now has you and mentioned that the networking that so important you all are that new team razzle dazzle in town.

00:16:24:10 – 00:16:29:01
RUTH
So how do you balance that? As you say, there are a lot of nonprofits in the community.

00:16:30:26 – 00:16:47:12
BEN
I, I think, yeah, I mean, that’s been a little bit of a challenge in some ways, and it’s also been a big advantage, just kind of being able to step in and kind of have some of these relationships. But really you just have for me, I challenge myself and we have a great team that that works with us.

00:16:48:06 – 00:17:07:11
BEN
You go back to your pillars. So, A, is this going to be good for the players? Again, we talk about that all the time. And then where does this fit in with their pillars? So we want to be intentional, you know, just to make sure that we’re making the right moves and the right partnerships to really make a difference.

00:17:08:08 – 00:17:36:04
BEN
So but it’s also been fun, you know, being part of this group and learning about organizations I didn’t know about. And in organizations that are that are newer to the marketplace, one that comes to mind is Girls Preparatory Academy. That’s the only single gender public school in Kansas City area. So it is a it’s just a few years old, but it’s a middle school basically for four girls.

00:17:36:18 – 00:17:57:17
BEN
And so we did a couple fun things with them this year. One, we sponsored their Girls on the Run program at the school, two girls from that school. But it was could participate in girls on their own. And then we sponsored their sports programing. So the last couple of years, they haven’t offered sports. They’re pretty new charter school.

00:17:58:00 – 00:18:24:07
BEN
And but this year, together with the 15 and Mahomes Foundation. So Brittany Mahomes went with us when we were able to tell the students about sports that were coming to their school. So thanks to the current and 15 them, Mommy’s Girls Prep offered volleyball this year and they’re getting basketball started right now, so we can’t be. I’m looking forward to being there this winter and maybe take in a basketball game.

00:18:25:13 – 00:18:37:01
RUTH
Well, I don’t know if people realize or remember. Well, refresh their memory. I believe Brittany was a soccer player herself and played in college, I believe.

00:18:37:24 – 00:19:06:12
BEN
Yeah. Yeah. So Brittney, she played in college and then she also played professionally. And so that experience, I wasn’t here in the very beginning, but what I’ve been told has really has the the organization organization was setting their foundation, Brittany’s voice was in her experience as we were selecting players and going back to that player first mentality, bringing was a big part of making that happen.

00:19:06:12 – 00:19:20:02
BEN
And Brennan’s experience helped the teal and our crests and our amazing logos that have come out for the team. And Brittany was part of all of that and even was on the committee to help select the name The Current.

00:19:20:16 – 00:19:37:12
RUTH
So I was going to ask how much involvement is there from the three owners? Obviously, Brittany is very busy now with two kids and the Longs have children, etc. So are they really in there with fingers day to day? You mentioned a meeting where Angie had to excuse herself to go pick up kids.

00:19:37:29 – 00:20:06:18
BEN
Yes, they are. So Chris and Angie also run the organization they founded our school square capital management. And so for the first probably six months of my tenure, we were office two with Palmer Square. So we saw firsthand and both Chris and Angie run two companies simultaneously. So that was pretty amazing to watch them go back and forth between the two.

00:20:07:20 – 00:20:30:27
BEN
Now that we’re at our at our training facility in Riverside, Missouri, they are still very involved in emails. And we’ll get texts and sometimes we’ll take calls from Angie while she’s watching a kids soccer game either in the city or a different city. So they’re still very involved in activities. And then Brittany, she came to our groundbreaking on the new stadium.

00:20:30:27 – 00:20:57:09
BEN
That was the first part of October. And she was she was amazing. She was very pregnant and also moving her daughter. But she was there for all the pictures and hung out and talked to the players and several fans. And it was neat to see her, her dedication, where, you know, rightfully she could have bowed out of that because she was so close, but she was there and hanging out.

00:20:57:09 – 00:21:00:22
BEN
And we really appreciate her being involved.

00:21:00:26 – 00:21:40:08
RUTH
You talked about the importance of bringing on the right players, you know, for the mix of this all to work, you know, a team that can play well, but a new team and a new ownership group and all of that. So how how do you all work with the players and the is participating in activities quote required. And the reason I mentioned that and then I want you to answer is that I know at a point in time for the Kansas City Chiefs, I think when Lamar Hunt was alive, he required his players to be at so many community events.

00:21:40:08 – 00:21:46:10
RUTH
He wanted them in the community. So how does the current handle that?

00:21:46:18 – 00:22:26:09
BEN
Well, I will tell you that we have a 100% participation from our players on community events. So looking back over the year, every single player participated in one or more community event. Most were at the, you know, five, six, seven events. So they want to be out there. In fact, there’s been a few times where we’ll have opportunities, you know, like going to visit the kids at the YMCA, where we have maybe a two spots, you know, two or three spots, and we’ll get more players that want to participate then we have we’re able to accommodate.

00:22:26:10 – 00:22:57:27
BEN
So a lot of times we can add them or we’ll be like, okay, well we have this other event next week that will get you involved in and so the players want to be involved. And so we really work for ways to to work with them and having events. You know, another cool thing about this organization is really taking the player’s input and direction and some of our community activities and earlier, right before the season started, the NWSL hosted the Challenge Cup.

00:22:58:21 – 00:23:21:29
BEN
And so it’s a kind of an in-season tournament and that we host that is hosted across the league. So during the challenge last year, it took place in March and April for those jerseys we went to the players and we asked them, Hey, we’d love to do something with your jerseys, your game worn jerseys. Let’s, let’s auction them off for for a nonprofit.

00:23:21:29 – 00:23:50:26
BEN
And we let the players choose the nonprofit that would benefit. So I developed a list of like several nonprofits that they could choose from, and we overwhelmed and we chose the players chose zero reasons why. Which is an organization that’s on benefit to reduce teen suicide. And so just taking their input. And then there’s constant feedback. You know, we do a survey beginning of the season and then talk to them throughout.

00:23:50:26 – 00:24:01:28
BEN
Like just getting to know them and their their interest and really just trying to align them with a different area of Kansas City or different nonprofit that benefits, you know, their area of focus.

00:24:02:29 – 00:24:11:04
RUTH
Now, are most of the players living here or do they come and go as as season ends and then starts up again?

00:24:11:29 – 00:24:38:01
BEN
Well, another you know, it’s interesting, a lot of these players grew up in warmer weather, so they have an opportunity to be other places. But with the addition of our new training facility, which is state of the art, you know, players have access to a really nice weight room, locker room. All of our technical staff, massage therapists, you know, physical therapists, all of that.

00:24:38:01 – 00:25:03:27
BEN
Our coaches are based here in Kansas City and Riverside. And so you would think at the end of the season, you know, you would go home to California or we have a player from Hawaii would go to Hawaii to spend your offseason. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend December in Hawaii? But I started daycare and came back to work in Kansas City, along with several other players just because of this facility.

00:25:04:08 – 00:25:15:11
BEN
So, you know, I would think that we wouldn’t have access to a lot of players here in the offseason, but we have several players that are living with us living in Kansas City this winter.

00:25:16:11 – 00:25:35:04
RUTH
So if you’re out and about for the holidays or something, you may want to go look. And if you aren’t familiar with the players, they can go to the Web site at KC, current icon. That’s right. Remind us all when season starts, when we can start looking for the heat up and the excitement of KC Current.

00:25:36:11 – 00:26:05:25
BEN
And so this season, our our schedule isn’t quite set yet, but it’ll be announced probably February-March time and then we’ll start playing in March and then our season goes through October. So it’s we have 14 home games throughout the year and then 14 on the road and we play, you know, as, as you know, we play at Children’s Mercy Park and we played last year and Mercy Park next year will play at Challenge Mercy Park and then our new stadium will open in 24.

00:26:06:26 – 00:26:16:07
RUTH
So that’s really exciting and I know you guys will be very busy planning all kinds of cool stuff when that happens. Your seasons. Almost as long as baseball.

00:26:16:25 – 00:26:41:28
BEN
It is. We have a lot less games, though. So as a as someone working for the front office, I do appreciate 14 home games as opposed to 81 in that regard. But yeah, but it’s a it’s great that it’s, you know, 14 it’s we have a great crowd that came out to Children’s Mercy Park. You know, we have a really strong group of dedicated fans.

00:26:42:13 – 00:26:59:13
BEN
We’ve a great supporter section. You know, the people in the in the end zone that are playing the drums and making a lot of noise throughout the game. So we have a great crowd and we’re really looking forward to having, you know, one more season at Children’s Mercy Park and then be at the new stadium following that.

00:27:00:00 – 00:27:05:11
RUTH
And folks can go check out the renderings and everything for the new stadium. I think they’re on your website, is that right?

00:27:06:00 – 00:27:29:04
BEN
That’s right. Yeah. So and that’s one really cool thing, too. Right now, people have the opportunity to place a deposit to secure their their spot at the new stadium. So the new stadium will host 11,500. And so down by the riverfront, it’s not you know, that’s not a huge stadium. But I think it’s going to be right sized for our team where we are right now.

00:27:30:08 – 00:27:59:07
BEN
But we’re receiving a lot of deposits. So a lot of those seats are, you know, have deposits place for them. But for as little as $25, you can place a deposit and then you’ll have your place in line. When those tickets go on sale for the new stadium, you’ll be first in line to be able to call so and so we encourage everyone to go to KC current stadium dot com that’s where you can check out the new renderings and also place your deposit.

00:28:00:10 – 00:28:09:08
RUTH
What one little secret would you like to leave with us that’s special about the current in the community?

00:28:13:23 – 00:28:14:28
RUTH
I stumped the band.

00:28:15:10 – 00:28:35:10
BEN
I know. Well, there are so many cool things, you know, I. I think it’s just the heart of these players. It really is. It comes down to that, you know, these players, you know, having a background with the Royals and you know, we had some great we’ve had we’ve been lucky with the royals to have some some outstanding players.

00:28:35:19 – 00:29:10:15
BEN
But these players of the Kansas City Current, you know, are the best for their field. You know, they’ve been playing since they were little kids. Their passion for soccer and for spreading the love of soccer to, you know, on to the next generation is just been so amazing. You can see it every day. You know, when we take players out to to meet kids or even just at the at the training facility, you know, interaction with the front office staff, like they’re so appreciative of the opportunity and we’re so thankful to them just to be able to work with them and so Kansas City is really lucky to have the Kansas City current.

00:29:10:15 – 00:29:23:11
BEN
So I just I really just encourage people to get to know these players. And there’s some an amazing athletes on the street on this team and we’re just happy to have them part of our part of our community.

00:29:24:14 – 00:29:35:23
RUTH
Well, connect with the KC Current. Ben, thank you so much for sharing kind of the inside site about all the things that you all are doing, both on the pitch and off. And Kansas City is very lucky.

00:29:37:02 – 00:29:50:14
BEN
Definitely happy to be at work. We appreciate you. I appreciate what you do, Ruth. And shining a spotlight on all these nonprofits and some of the work that we’re doing and some of the other sports teams in town. So thank you for what you do.

00:29:51:06 – 00:30:17:21
RUTH
Thank you and thank you for joining us for KC Cares if you’d like to be a guest on the show or underwriting opportunities, visit our Web site. We’re at KC Cares online talk and Spread the Love. You’ll find us on Facebook and Twitter at KC Cares Radio and Instagram. It’s KC Cares online. Don’t forget, you can catch us on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. on SD and 15:10 a.m. and 94.5 FM that Saturday mornings.

00:30:17:21 – 00:30:22:01
RUTH
Thank you for joining us on KC CARES.

 

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Christian Okoye Foundation Serves Underprivileged Children

Christian O’Koye| Founder

The primary mission of the Christian Okoye Foundation is to capture the passion children have for sports, and direct that energy to enhance their educational and personal goals. The Foundation draws at-risk and underprivileged youth by hosting free athletic clinics, where well-known professional athletes coach the kids. Once at the Foundation’s events, the kids are given unparalleled training in sports and, importantly, are encouraged to develop business and entrepreneurial skills by the Foundation’s corporate sponsors. The Foundation’s decision to use athletics as a vehicle for exposing the kids to the business world gave rise to the Foundation’s motto, “Education, Ideas and Sports.”

visit them here: www.christianokoye.com

 

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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: 

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Take risks. Own success. Be Uncommon.

TW: @kauffmanfdn FB: @kauffmanfdn IG: @kauffmanfdn

[Transcript]

 

Previous Episodes!

Chiefs Ambassador Shawn Barber Discusses Sports and Community

Chiefs Ambassador

Shawn Barber | President

A group of former Kansas City Chiefs players from throughout the club’s history. The Ambassadors have become a recognizable group throughout the NFL and serve as an innovative and worthy asset to the Chiefs Community Caring Team in the Kansas City region and beyond. The Ambassadors are the only group of their kind in the NFL and inductees into the group are hand-picked based on tenure and their willingness to participate in Ambassador outreach events and meetings.

chiefs.nfil.com/

Find us on

Facebook:@ Kccaresradio

Twitter: @kccaresradio

Instagram: @Kccaresonline

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Also available on

Itunes || Spotify || Stitcher || Soundcloud || Youtube 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

KC Cares, Kansas City’s nonprofit voice, tells the stories of Kansas City nonprofits and connects them with the community.  

Produced by Charitable Communications 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

In partnership with: 

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Take risks. Own success. Be Uncommon.

TW: @kauffmanfdn FB: @kauffmanfdn IG: @kauffmanfdn

Previous Episodes!

Philanthropic Trends Giving USA Report

Philanthropic Trends Giving USA Report

Dr. Una Olisi | Assoc. Dean of Research In this insightful discussion, Dr. Una Osili, Associate Dean at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, unpacks the findings of the Giving USA report. Despite economic headwinds, American generosity stands firm, with corporate...

Royals Charities Talks Community Efforts In Kansas City

Royals Charities Talks Community Efforts In Kansas City

Royals Charities

Amanda Grosdidier

Royals Charities strives to support children, education, youth baseball and softball field renovations, and military families in and around the Kansas City area. The foundation accomplishes this mission through financial grants of life-changing projects and programs. To date, Royals Charities has put over $18 million back into our community.

https://www.mlb.com/royals/community/royals-charities

 

Find us on

Facebook:@ Kccaresradio

Twitter: @kccaresradio

Instagram: @Kccaresonline

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Also available on

Itunes || Spotify || Stitcher || Soundcloud || Youtube 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

KC Cares, Kansas City’s nonprofit voice, tells the stories of Kansas City nonprofits and connects them with the community.  

Produced by Charitable Communications 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

In partnership with: 

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Take risks. Own success. Be Uncommon.

TW: @kauffmanfdn FB: @kauffmanfdn IG: @kauffmanfdn

Previous Episodes!

Philanthropic Trends Giving USA Report

Philanthropic Trends Giving USA Report

Dr. Una Olisi | Assoc. Dean of Research In this insightful discussion, Dr. Una Osili, Associate Dean at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, unpacks the findings of the Giving USA report. Despite economic headwinds, American generosity stands firm, with corporate...

KC Cares Episode 346 | Nonprofit Stories, News, and Information

Kansas City’s Nonprofit Voice!

Sharing the stories of local nonprofits and connecting them with the community! We talk with philanthropists, volunteers, community activists, executive directors, and nonprofit lovers from the Kansas City nonprofit community. Be seen, be heard with KC Cares! Kansas City’s Nonprofit Nonprofit Voice!

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Leigh Steinberg Sports

Leigh Steinberg

Steinberg Sports & Entertainment is a full-service athlete representation, marketing and consulting firm. With over 56 years in the industry, SSE has guided the careers of hundreds of athletes, broadcasters and coaches as well as consulted for corporations, charities and entertainment properties to achieve optimal success. With a commitment to paying it forward, SSE produces several world-class events to teach the next generation of professionals.

steinbergsports.com

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Kansas School for the Deaf

Luann Barron

The Kansas School For the Deaf, is a K-12 school, located in downtown Olathe, Kansas. In 1866, it became the first school for the deaf established in the state of Kansas, and today it remains the largest.

ksdeaf.org

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Jewish Community Center-KC SuperStar

Felice Azorsky

High school singing competition to choose the best kid in teh region. A major outreach effort & fundraiser for The Jewish Community Center

Kcsuperstar.com

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Find us on

Facebook:@ Kccaresradio

Twitter: @kccaresradio

Instagram: @Kccaresonline

_________________________

Also available on

Itunes || Spotify || Stitcher || Soundcloud || Youtube 

KC Cares, Kansas City’s nonprofit voice, tells the stories of Kansas City nonprofits and connects them with the community.  Produced by Charitable Communications 

In partnership with the Kauffman Foundation

Think. Do. Be Uncommon.

Previous Episodes!

Philanthropic Trends Giving USA Report

Philanthropic Trends Giving USA Report

Dr. Una Olisi | Assoc. Dean of Research In this insightful discussion, Dr. Una Osili, Associate Dean at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, unpacks the findings of the Giving USA report. Despite economic headwinds, American generosity stands firm, with corporate...