For some time now, Coach Jason Garrett has preached about “the right kind of guy,” and a certain Cowboys player has exemplified these qualities since entering the NFL.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing second-year Dallas Cowboys safety Kavon Frazier, who started his very own nonprofit during his first off season in the league. The Frazier Cares Foundation is designed to aid families and children raised in single parent homes. This is only one of the many ways in which Frazier has stepped up to help others. He has demonstrated a selfless dedication to the community and the value he has added to this team goes beyond the field.
While many athletes and celebrities choose to donate financially to certain causes, that isn’t enough for Frazier. He is using his platform to make a direct, positive impact in the world and this interview highlights some of his amazing efforts.
Q: Can you start off with telling me about your charity organization?
A: I started Frazier Cares this past off season and I started it because my mom was a single parent with multiple sclerosis and you know it was difficult cause we grew up in the struggle a little bit. My mom was working at a bank and it wasn’t really a stable job. I was like in 6th or 7th grade when she lost her job and the Christian schools we were going to were trying to kick us out— me and my sisters were being kicked out cause my mom couldn’t pay it and there was a lot of people who helped with the funding and it really inspired me to do the same and give back, so that’s why I am so passionate about this.
Q: Do you feel this has brought you closer to the Dallas-Fort Worth community?
A: Oh yeah, definitely. It definitely brought me closer to Dallas and Cowboys fans especially working with the children I think I definitely feel closer to this community and to the fans.
Q: Other NFL players have also joined you in raising money for several causes, including your teammate Travis Frederick with his Blocking Out Hunger Foundation– how important do you feel it is to use your platform to give back to communities?
A: I think everybody in the NFL should do something with their platform. You know, we have one the biggest platforms out there and it’s extremely important to try to make a difference in the world especially with everything that is going on in the NFL right now. It’s really important to make the best of your platform by giving back.
Q: There was recently pictures of you loading up trucks with Hurricane Harvey relief supplies that went viral among Cowboys Nation. With this is an organization that you yourself started— how big of a difference do you think it makes that fans see you actually putting in work to load up trucks and raise money as opposed to just letting someone else take care of it?
A: I think it makes all the difference because people get to see you actually putting in effort and breaking a sweat to do your part and to make sure you’re helping in whatever way you can. And that picture was after a long, long day at practice but I mean there’s people who need help and like I said I want to make sure I’m giving back in whatever ways I’m able to.
Q: So, who was the winner of the fundraising challenge, you or Keith Smith?
A: (chuckling) Keith actually beat me, but it was friendly and I was happy to see him raise so much money. We do a lot of events together, like Incarnation. Incarnation is a shelter for homeless kids so during the off season I hang out a lot with their kids and help them with things they need. So yeah it definitely had no hard feelings, I was just happy Keith raised all that money.
During the Cowboys bye week, Frazier and friend/teammate Keith Smith had a competition to see who could raise the most money for the charity of their choice. Frazier chose his own foundation and Smith chose Incarnation house, which ultimately was the winner of the challenge.
The best way to spend victory Monday’s. Thank you #MLKLearningCenter for letting us come spend time with the kids.Captured by @AnnieDevineTX pic.twitter.com/npVQGRxm2l
— Kavon Frazier (@Kay_BlackSimba) October 30, 2017
It’s absolutely fun and refreshing to see young players stepping up to make a change in the world. Guys like these make it easy to root for them both on and off the field. With all the loud noise there has been in the NFL lately, these efforts will surely not go unnoticed.
If you would like to know more about the work Kavon Frazier is doing, head over to www.FrazierCaresFoundation.com and learn about how you join Kavon in being the change in the world.
As a Cowboys fan, thank you, Kavon. Dallas is lucky to have you.
Frazier Cares Foundation mission statement:
Frazier Cares Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Dallas Cowboys’ safety, Kavon Frazier. The Foundation’s main purpose is to provide a helping hand to both parents and children by hosting events and programs that focus on assisting the youth reach their full potential both in sports and life.
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