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Food and football, the staples of Thanksgiving, were not the only things a special group of kids took away from a visit from Philadelphia Eagles star Jordan Davis. They walked away with something much more – a sense of belonging and being valued.
The children ran around the gym at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Camden, New Jersey, as Davis’ voice echoed off the walls.
“White 80, set hut!” he was heard yelling.
The kids ran around trying to catch Davis’ wild spirals after decorating festive crafts and stuffing their faces with turkey. While Davis showed them the technical aspects of the game, a deeper meaning was at play.
From the Linc to the gym, Davis ensured his community had something to be grateful for. He helped hand out the first 60 turkeys of 1,400 that the center is providing. He also stayed for a Thanksgiving meal and taught kids the game he loves.
“Football and life have a lot of lessons that co-exist in each other,” Davis said. “If it weren’t for sports, I would know nothing about leadership.”
Davis was adamant that the lessons he learned through football made him the man he is today. Understanding early on that his role is bigger than himself. The lessons he learned in life, he applied to the field, and that tangible connection, he says, is what drives him to give back.
To some, that meant a lot.
“No matter your social status, you can help anyone at any time, even though you’re still in a tough place or going through a lot,” said 12-year-old Hector Rosario, who often attends events the Salvation Army hosts.
Veronica Ramirez, standing beside her son, smiled.
She said she when people of Davis’ status come back to the community, their involvement shows their humility
“Coming here around the holidays is such a blessing,” she said.
Ramirez added that giving does not come from one person alone.
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“With volunteering, it takes more than one,” she said. “Everyone is close-knit, from the volunteers all the way up to the majors.”
Davis emphasized that idea, saying it reflects how football works.
“The Salvation Army and the team I play for, we all have goals we want to achieve,” he continued. “But it takes everybody. It takes each person putting in time and effort to get where we want to go.”
At a time when food insecurity is high, it takes a village to give people the support they need.
Cited in Feeding America’s 2023 report, more than 210,000 Philadelphians, or 13.6% of those living in the city, grapple with food insecurity.
Furthermore, the report showed that communities of color are more at risk, as 22% of Black and 23% of Hispanic families lack access to food that’s nutritious.
In Camden County, New Jersey, alone, the overall food insecurity rate hit 12.7% in 2023, impacting 66,570 residents.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania allocated over $40 million for food banks, farmers’ market coupons and other assistance for what officials are calling a “growing hunger crisis.”
However, she went on to list the programs from which her son and others nationwide benefit.
Davis agreed, saying those exact programs provided for the youth help with their development and are “near and dear to him.”
“I feel like there’s not a lot of people using their voice, so I thought I’d be a person to stand up and make sure it’s heard.”
As a child, Davis and his family once received donations from the Salvation Army when they were facing tough times. Now that he’s pushing past the goal line, providing the same assistance and positive reassurance to young kids, it’s a full-circle moment for him.
“It’s an opportunity to use the skills that I learned over the years, experience in the community, and community service I received as a kid, combined into me, and this is the perfect opportunity to do it [volunteer] around the holiday season,” he said.
For Rosario, that full-circle connection is what makes this place feel like home, a space where simultaneously his favorite childhood memories are being built, and anxiety melts away. Kids feel supported by people like Davis and the volunteers around him.
“It’s a way to take all your insecurities away and a place for me to have fun and forget about what’s happening outside.”
When asked what lessons Rosario learned, he explained whenever there’s competition at stake, he gets upset if he doesn’t win, but that doesn’t matter.
“It’s not what you win, it’s what you do for the Lord.”
That simple sentiment has helped him come a long way, teaching him that even in loss, there is purpose and meaning to every loss.
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