An emotional speech by 2019 Heisman trophy winner Joe Burrow fueled a wave of donations to poverty-stricken residents of his hometown.
Choking back tears, the 23-year-old Louisiana State University quarterback spoke of his hometown of Athens, Ohio. He told the crowd during his speech that he was also accepting the prestigious award in honor of children who live in poverty.
“Coming from southeast Ohio, it’s a very impoverished area, and the poverty rate is almost two times the national average,” Burrow said. “There’s so many people there that don’t have a lot, and I’m up here for all those kids in Athens and Athens County that go home to not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school. You guys can be up here, too.”
The speech drew attention to the county’s plight. One Athens resident, Will Drabold, started a fundraiser for those who live below the poverty line. The fundraiser went viral and was boosted by Burrow’s speech, bringing in about $195,000 by late afternoon on Monday. More than 5,500 people had donated to the cause.
“Let’s answer Joey’s call to action by supporting a local nonprofit that serves food to more than 5,000 households in Athens County each year,” the fundraising page said.
Donations to the cause will go directly to the Athens County Food Pantry, which provides meals to impoverished residents. About 30% of the county is below the poverty line, making Athens, which is home to Ohio University, one of the poorest counties in the state.
