Raising $1.1M for Noble Cause, Joe Burrow Joins Shark Tank Entrepreneurs to Donate 30k Meals

The mid-year starts with a noble cause for Joe Cool! Although Joe Burrow failed to prove his on-field prowess in the 2023 season after his injury setback, the quarterback made sure to mark his off-field humanity in the headlines.

According to NFL Insider, Adam Schefter, on his official X account, “Bengals QB Joe Burrow and Kodiak Cakes are joining forces to fight food insecurity.” Teaming up with Kodiak Cakes’ entrepreneurs, owner Jon Clark, and head of sales Cameron Smith, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, will donate nearly 30,000 meals to school programs in Athens, Baton Rouge, and Cincinnati.

The new quarterback partners of Burrow, Clark, and Smith also made a splash in the Shark Tank show on Season 5 in Episode 22. But that time, the Sharks, Robert Herjavec, Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, and Mark Cuban, all backed out from supporting the company. But as it is said, “you don’t know where your destiny will take you,” similarly, the duo became very popular after the show. Despite the rejection, the two were able to make around $1 million in just six weeks after the episode aired on television. And today, they joined the NFL star Burrow, for the children who are experiencing food insecurity.

They will donate 9,999 meals to each program. But why these 9,999 meals each? Well, it’s a nod to Burrow’s iconic No. 9 jersey. His foundation, Joe Burrow Foundation, provides much-needed resources and support to underprivileged children. And this time again, his foundation will help the needy. As a result, this noble gesture by Burrow is making a buzz in the NFL community.

Burrow won the hearts of many NFL fans, who went on praising him on social media. One of his fans wrote, “That’s my QB,” while another social media user stated, “That’s a solid move from Joe Burrow and Kodiak Cakes. Supporting food programs is exactly the kind of positive impact we need.” But the generosity of Burrow doesn’t stop there!

Joe Burrow’s foundation event tops over $1 million!

At the Joe Burrow Foundation’s 2nd Annual Golf Invitational in May, the NFL quarterback helped raise a whopping $1.1 million to support kids facing mental illness and food insecurity in Ohio and Louisiana. The event organized by Burrow’s family, was held at The Golf Club at Stonelick Hills on May 31 this year. And if Burrow is there, why wouldn’t his teammates be present as well? Hence, this sold-out event saw a strong turnout, including Bengals players and notable figures like head coach Zac Taylor and NFL Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz.

This cause is close to Burrow’s heart. But why? Because he has long promoted efforts to address food insecurity. His start was with a successful fundraiser in Athens County during his Heisman Trophy speech in 2019. And now this foundation has reached new heights. It is evident from the fact that last year; the foundation awarded $1.3 million in grants to 24 organizations across Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Louisiana. Not only that! Even in 2022, they raised an impressive $1 million through the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund event.

Besides all these, the interesting part is Burrow’s emotional plea of Heisman Trophy speech. That speech led to a fundraiser aiming for $50,000. However, the impact of it was so high that the community responded to Burrow’s aim with a massive raise. It crossed over $85,000 in just one day. Whoa! That’s really a huge number!

It seems, Joe Burrow is successfully using his fame to make a real difference in the community off the field.