Wanted to pass along a feel-good story to close out the week. For as much negativity that gets reported in the news, with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the NFL, and hey, life in general, the majority of the players in the league are genuinely good guys who do the right thing. Mike and Maurkice Pouncey are the most recent examples of kindness and generosity.
Yesterday, Maurkice Pouncey shared this photo on Instagram, showing him and his brother writing a $30,000 check to the Lakeland High School football team, where they each attended, as a way to give back to the program and their community.
Pouncey’s caption reads: “I normally don’t show the things we do as far as giving back money cause we love doing things behind the scene but Lakeland made us and we forever love our community”
Giving back to the area is nothing new for either of them. They run the Team Pouncey Foundation setting up events and raising millions for children in the area. Their website goes into detail about their program, an excerpt of which I’ll share below.
“Through their constant giving, they have provided more than $10 million of impact to at risk youth through its grants and programs since its inception to Florida, Miami, Lakeland. The Foundation supports numerous organizations and programs through its grant program, but also operates and funds several of its own programs for underprivileged children.”
They’ve also run multiple football camps for kids in the area. In 2017, more than 1300 kids showed up. j
“We love Lakeland,” Mike Pouncey said during that camp. “It means a lot to us. We grew up here, we still have family here, and we wanted to give back to the community that did so much for us when we were growing up.”
Both players graduated from Lakeland in 2007, went to Florida together, and would become first round picks. Not only did those teams get top talent but top people, too.
