ATLANTA — Parents often leave an indelible imprint on their children’s lives.
Former Atlanta Falcons defensive back and Atlanta Braves right fielder Brian Jordan has parents, Betty and Alvin, who positively impacted his two-sport professional career, and are now similarly affecting his non-profit organization.
“It all started because my mom was an educator,” Jordan said. “She made the kids believe that they could do whatever they aspired to do in that class. Watching that, I knew that if I ever make it and reach my dreams and my goals, I would start a foundation and do the same – give kids hope.”
Jordan created the Brian Jordan Foundation in 1998, which is committed to creating and supporting programs for children and their families that will directly improve their quality of life.
One of the main aspects of the foundation is an annual scholarship. High school seniors attending accredited four-year institutions or technical colleges are eligible for a yearly financial award, mentorship opportunities and workshops on topics such as financial literacy. The journey begins with a mixer, allowing mentors to immediately build relationships with their scholars.
Two of the 2023 scholarship recipients, Keyshawn Wiley and Julius Spencer, are second-semester freshmen at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
“All of the recipients connected during the mixer, but the board is very generous; they are very open and very welcoming as well,” Spencer said. “So we all formed relationships with them. I feel comfortable just reaching out to any one of them at any certain time.”
The goal of these relationships is to last beyond college.
Jordan loves to hear about how the young change agents who won the scholarship as high school seniors develop into professional leaders.
“To see the success stories that we’ve had – I mean, we’ve had CEOs that started out with scholarships – it’s unbelievable,” Jordan said. “It just brings joy to my heart to touch a kid’s life, give them an opportunity and for them to just excel, and that’s what it’s all about.”
And that’s not all the Brian Jordan Foundation provides.
Jordan’s reading challenge is another aspect of the foundation; the challenge promotes literacy skills and a love for reading through outreach tours dedicated to children. He knows he would have benefited from this initiative growing up, and hopes to help younger generations…
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