Okoye Tackles Hunger in Alabama: Press Release
Press Release
For Immediate Release
NFL DEFENSIVE TACKLE AMOBI OKOYE OF THE HOUSTON TEXANS RETURNS TO HIS
ALABAMA ROOTS TO LEAD ONE OF THE LARGEST FOOD DRIVES IN THE TENESSEE VALLEY
AREA.
Huntsville, AL …… On Friday October 31, 2008 at 7:30 a.m.
Amobi Okoye Foundation will publicly announce a joint effort with a goal
of feeding 1,000 Tennessee Valley families in need during the Thanksgiving
Holiday season. The Campaign, entitled, “Tackle Hunger” was
birthed out of Okoye’s desire to help those in need. Beginning October
28th high school athletic teams and area recreational leagues will join
in a competition to collect non-perishable food that can be used for a
Thanksgiving meal.
Teams raising the most food will be awarded the “Big Sack”
award. Organizations such as the Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama
have also joined this great cause. Sororities and fraternities, churches
and established organizations such as 100 Black Men of America have already
joined forces for this worthy cause. This food drive is sure to be one
of the largest drives ever expanding over many locations within the Tennessee
Valley Area.
Okoye, who on June 10th just turned 21, is the youngest to be drafted
in NFL history in the modern draft era. A fact not known to many is that
Okoye graduated high school ( Huntsville , AL ) and was accepted into
Harvard at just 15 years of age, but turned down Harvard to play football
at Louisville . In March of 2008, Okoye led a delegation of other athletes
of African-descent in a mission trip to Nigeria where he awarded 20 academic
and 10 athletic scholarships. Amobi celebrated his 21st birthday by launching
the Amobi Okoye Foundation. Okoye is also the National Spokesperson for
NAACP Youth & College Division.
# # # # #
The mission of the Amobi Okoye Foundation is to Provide Hope to Kids &
Communities by fostering programs and services that encourage achievement,
promote community stability, and help kids and young adults reach their
full potential. For more foundation information, contact Executive Director:
Susan Johnson, cell: (866) 998-4203.
BIO
Amobi Okoye
#91 Houston Texans
Lee High School Graduate
Amobi learned early that education is key. He graduated high school at
the young age of 15, was then accepted into Harvard, but turned it down
to play football at Louisville . He is known as the youngest NCAA student
athlete of all time where he played offensive and defensive lineman positions.
Okoye graduated from Louisville in 3 ½ years.
At 19, Amobi became the youngest player ever to be drafted into the NFL in April of 2007. Since that time, Amobi, called by many as the Young Phenom of the NFL, has earned many accolades on and off the field including: 2007 Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America All-Rookie team, 2007 NFL Rookie of the Month (September), 2007 USA Today Rookie of the Week (2). Amobi finished second on the team with a Texans rookie record of 5.5 sacks for 33.5 yards lost. (source: Houston, Texans). In 2008, Okoye launched his foundation, The Amobi Okoye Foundation, Inc. whose mission is to Provide Hope to Kids & Communities.