ATHENS COUNTY, Ohio — When Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy this past weekend he made sure to make an impact back home in Athens County.
- Burrow brought national attention to Athens County’s poverty and hunger issues, which is among the worst in the state.
- Roughly one in five people suffer from food instability
- Since his speech, thousands of people have answered his call to action
By bringing up the issue of hunger, Burrow sparked several fundraisers to combat the issue.
And now, nearly $400,000 dollars have been raised, and that number keeps growing.
When Joe Burrow was named the best player in the nation on Saturday, he made sure what he said was going to matter for the people he has known his entire life.
“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,” LSU Quarterback Joe Burrow said Saturday on ESPN. “You guys can be up here, too.”
Burrow’s words put an instant spotlight on Athens County, and people took action.
Will Drabold, a resident of Athens County, started a fundraiser on Facebook, and it took off just like Burrow’s playing career at LSU.
It is quickly nearing $400,000 in donations.
At the Athens County Food Pantry, they’re overwhelmed by the support and positivity they’re receiving from people nationwide.
“It warms my heart that people are that generous and that caring and compassionate for others,” Athens County Food Pantry President Karin Bright said.
The fundraiser will go a long way to combat an ongoing issue in Ohio’s poorest county.
“The need for feeding people and the need for food in this area is quite large,” Bright said. “We have a definite hunger issue in this area.
Bright said one in five people go hungry in Athens County and the Food Pantry’s 2019 budget was roughly $60,000, making it tough to make every dollar stretch to meet the needs of the county.
And now, since Burrow’s speech, the money being raised is enough to provide substantial assistance to Athens county for perhaps the next decade.
“Fifty cents can provide a meal,” she said. “So, you can do the math with those dollars. All of these dollars will stretch in ways that most of us cannot imagine, just being a regular consumer.”
Ohio Representative Jay Edwards (R) said he’s known Joe Burrow and his family for many years. He couldn’t be more proud of how Burrow used his Heisman speech to make a difference.
“Saturday Evening, he became America’s Quarterback — not just because of his skills on the field, but because of the kind of person he is off the field,” Edwards said. “Joe has a big heart, cares about others and has never forgotten his roots in Southeast Ohio. He’s a remarkable young man with a very bright future.”
Burrow stepping up to be the hometown hero for Athens county, on and off the field.
“He clearly hasn’t forgotten where he’s from,” Bright said. “He hasn’t forgotten the people that he grew up with here in Athens County. Watching his friends, kids he went to school with that he knew didn’t have enough food to eat.. I think it’s amazing that he remembers us, even though he’s so far from home now.”
