10 Of The Most Generous Athletes Who’ve Given Millions Back to Their Communities

Professional sports are an undeniable part of American culture. People from all walks of life get wrapped up in the drama of competition and as a result, there’s a lot of money to be made. And if you’re hard-working and talented enough to reach the top tier of a sport, you’ll almost certainly make a pretty penny.

As some of these top athletes have shown, not only are they blessed with talent but also with generosity. It’s not enough just to make millions, it’s also very important to give back. Some of the best athletes in the world feel an obligation to return some of the goodwill given to them by the society that enriched their lives. Here are 10 of the athletes who have done the most for their communities.

10. Lebron James

There are few stars in the world of sports that shine brighter than “King James.” He’s been a powerful force in the NBA since he joined the league in 2003, capturing three championships and countless accolades on the court. Off the court, he’s been a powerful force for good, supporting a number of non-profit organizations, including raising millions for the After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Club of America, and Children’s Defense Fund, not to mention his own charity, the Lebron James Family Foundation.

I Promise

But perhaps his most notable good deed has been partnering his foundation with the Akron School Board to create the I Promise school. The school provides free food for the kids, GED and job placement programs for their parents, and free tuition to the University of Akron for every graduating student.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese soccer star is internationally renowned for his skills on the field as well as displaying his chiseled physique in steamy underwear ads. He’s not quite as well known for opening up his wallet when a cause tugs at his heart strings. He gave £100,000 to the hospital that saved his mother’s life in her battle with cancer so they could open a new cancer center.

Double Back

Ronaldo also paid for the entirety of a 9-year-old boy’s treatment for brain cancer (roughly $83,000) and donated €1.5 million to a fund to build schools for children in Gaza. He’s an ambassador for Save The Children and The Mangrove Care Forum and in 2015, was named the world’s most charitable sportsperson after donating £5 million to Nepal’s earthquake relief. The reason he gives so much is simple: “My father always taught me that when you help other people,” he said, “then God will give you double. And that’s what has really happened to me.”

8. Eli Manning

The two time Super Bowl winning quarterback for the New York Giants has supported causes like the Make-A-Wish foundation, Operation Smile, Wounded Warriors, and has regularly supported March of Dimes’ March for Babies walk. He’s also raised over $500,000 for Tackle Kids Cancer and $2.5 million to construct “The Eli Manning’s Children’s Clinics” at the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children. But perhaps the most impressive way Eli has given back isn’t through the money he’s raised.

Hands On

In the wake of hurricane Katrina, Eli and his brother Peyton volunteered to help those people devastated by the storm. The two helped deliver over 30,000 pounds of much needed supplies to the people in the New Orleans area, including water, Gatorade, baby formula, and pillows.

7. Derek Jeter

The legendary New York Yankees shortstop got started with charity very early in his career, starting the Turn 2 foundation in his rookie year. Started with his father, a substance abuse counselor, the foundation helps young people avoid drug and alcohol problems and rewards kids with high academic performance.

All About The Kids

Jeter’s charitable focus seems to be entirely on improving the lives of kids, as evidenced by his partnering with STOPit, an app designed to fight against cyberbullying and his former involvement as an ambassador for Weplay, a website geared toward getting kids to go outside more and get involved in athletics.

6. David Beckham

The retired soccer star and current President of the Inter Miami CF soccer team, has given to just about every cause you can think of. Since he played for Manchester United in 2005, he’s supported UNICEF. He also met with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street in 2012 to call for more action to fight children’s malnutrition around the world.

Helping Worldwide

Beckham’s supported Unite for Children, was a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, donated millions of his own money to children’s charities in France, and supports Help For Heroes, which helps soldiers injured in the Iraq and Afghan wars. Beckham is also a founding member of Malaria No More UK, and has even worked with the MLS W.O.R.K.S. charity in the US.

5. Albert Pujols

The 10-time MLB all-star first baseman and designated hitter is a devout Christian, which strongly informs his charity work. The Pujols Family Foundation, which he started in 2005, describes itself as a “not-for-profit agency that exists to honor God and strengthen families throughout our works, deeds, and examples.”

Dual Purpose

The foundation has two main functions: the first of which is to help people with Down Syndrome. It does that through promoting awareness, providing hope, and meeting the tangible needs for children with Down Syndrome and their families, according to the website. It’s other mission is to improve the standard of living and provide humanitarian relief in the Dominican Republic, where Albert lived for the first 16 years of his life.

4. Larry Fitzgerald

The 11-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was the 2016 winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award which honors players for their volunteer and charity work in addition to excellence on the field. Part of that is due to his establishing the Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund which helps kids and their families by funding sports activities during the summer and after school, helping families in crisis, and working with family oriented health organizations.

For You, Mom

He also created the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund, named for his mother who died of breast cancer. It supports the causes his mother cared dearly about, including educating young people about HIV and breast cancer issues. Larry also traveled to locations in Africa, India, Thailand, the Philippines, and elsewhere to support economic development projects, provide hearing aids to children, an as a part of USO tours that visited soldiers overseas.

3. Clayton Kershaw

The seven time all-star, three time Cy Young Award winner, and 2014 MVP is often described as the best pitcher in baseball and when he debuted in 2008, he was the youngest player in the MLB. That kind of success early in life can go to a person’s head in a bad way but it didn’t for Clayton. Instead, he’s remained grounded through his faith and his focus on charity work.

Up To The Challenge

He’s traveled to Zambia as part of a Christian Mission organized by Arise Africa. Afterward, he started “Kershaw’s Challenge” by donating $100 per strikeout recorded in 2011 toward building an orphanage, eventually donating nearly half a million dollars. Kershaw’s Challenge now aims to change the lives of at-risk children and communities around the world.

2. Serena Williams

Having won more Grand Slam Singles Titles than anyone else, you could argue that Serena is the best tennis player of all time, man or woman. But on top of leaving an indelible mark through her play, she’s also left one through her charity.

Many Ways

Through the Serena Williams Foundation, she’s built schools in Kenya and Jamaica, provided university scholarships for students in the US, and supported a number of clinics, and community centers. She’s also partnered with the Equal Justice Initiative to provide legal representation for those who haven’t had fair trials, hosts an annual charity run to reduce youth violence and works with the Purple Purse Project to provide financial empowerment to victims of domestic abuse.

1. Jeff Gordon

With 93 career wins, the four-time Sprint Cup champion and three-time Daytona 500 winner is easily one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time. He’s also one of the most charitable, beginning back in 1999 with the establishment of the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation to help children facing chronic and life-threatening diseases, which would open its own children’s hospital in 2006.

For The Elderly

In 2007, he was a founding member of Athletes for Hope, a charity that gets pro and amateur athletes involved in various charitable causes. Gordon then began working with the AARP in 2011 with their Drive to End Hunger program, which donates meals to hunger relief organizations that are based near NASCAR tracks and works to end hunger among senior citizens.