The Kansas City Chiefs' Chris Jones announced that the first official partner for his new charitable organization, Sack Nation Foundation, will be the YMCA of Greater Kansas City.
Jones made the announcement about his new foundation and its first donation through a virtual appearance at the Columbus Park YMCA Head Start on February 23, 2021. The donation will provide flag football programs for 300 YMCA Head Start kids and their siblings.
Watch the full announcement here, including remarks from Jones, questions for Jones from kids at the Columbus Park Head Start program, questions from the media, and remarks from John Mikos, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City.
Jones, the Chiefs star defensive tackle and fan favorite #95, founded Sack Nation Foundation to improve the health and well-being of young people in underserved communities.
“The YMCA of Greater Kansas City focuses on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility,” said Jones. “It’s a perfect fit for Sack Nation Foundation, especially for kids in vulnerable communities."
During the announcement, Jones spoke about the challenges he had growing up.
“I was actually one of those kids in a poverty community — that I wasn’t able to play sports early on in my early age because of a financial standpoint," he said.
He said the foundation will give him an opportunity to give back after the Chiefs took a chance on him to get to this point.
"It’s always been a part of me to give back, and they put me in a position to reach the opportunity to give back to others, and I’m just trying to fulfill that,” Jones said.
The foundation will help the Y deliver its mission.
“We’re looking forward to partnering with Chris Jones and Sack Nation Foundation to give hundreds of kids the opportunity to learn and grow from sports,” said John Mikos, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. “We’re grateful for the shared commitment to nurturing the potential of youth and making sports accessible to kids of all backgrounds and abilities.”
Watch the video below for more on how Jones makes a difference on and off the field.