For Joe Burrow, home has changed over the years—from Southeast Ohio to Baton Rouge to Cincinnati. But wherever he has gone, he has carried with him a desire to help those who haven't had the same opportunities he has.
Today, the Cincinnati area is one of the communities where that commitment has taken root. It is where the Bengals quarterback has built his life and where his family's commitment to giving back continues through the Joe Burrow Foundation.
Founded in 2022 by Joe and his parents, Jimmy and Robin Burrow, the Foundation provides resources and support to underserved and underprivileged communities, with food insecurity and youth mental wellness at the center of its mission.
For Robin Burrow, that mission is personal.
After spending 15 years working in the public school system, she saw firsthand how a lack of healthy food could affect children in the classroom.
“Kids can’t focus if they’re hungry,” Robin explains. “Good nutrition has been important to Joe’s success on and off the field, and the same is true for young people in every area of life.”
Joe heard those stories too. He remembers realizing that some of his classmates and teammates didn’t have the same resources and support he did.
“Growing up, my mom would share stories of kids that had some really significant struggles. Some didn’t have food on their table. Some didn’t have support from parents or family members. This has really stuck with me.”
That awareness eventually became part of Joe's public story. During his 2019 Heisman Trophy acceptance speech, the Athens County native spoke about poverty and food insecurity in the community where he grew up. His words prompted people across the country to donate to the Athens County Food Pantry and showed the Burrow family the potential of Joe's platform to make a difference.
That commitment followed Joe from Southeast Ohio to Baton Rouge, where he became a star quarterback at LSU, and ultimately to Cincinnati, where he began his NFL career. Robin says giving back to those three communities is deeply important to the Burrow family.
Today, the Foundation's work is tangible. Through programs such as Burrow Bags, families receive food during times when school is out and children no longer have access to school breakfast and lunch. The Healthy Body, Healthy Mind initiative combines nutrition education with lessons about sleep, exercise and mental wellness.
In 2025, the Foundation distributed more than 1,000 food boxes to families in need and partnered with Cincinnati-based La Soupe to provide 100,000 chef-prepared meals to underserved schools. It also distributed nearly $1 million in grants to organizations working in its mission areas.
“Our goal has always been to meet kids and families where they are,” says Amy Floyd, executive director of the Joe Burrow Foundation. “Whether that's a meal on the table or a safe space to talk about mental health, we want to be a steady resource, not just a name people recognize.”
Robin points to another challenge: the stigma that can surround asking for help.
“There’s sometimes a stigma around food insecurity, and it doesn’t always outwardly present the way people assume it does,” she explains. “It’s important that we, beyond increasing access to healthy foods and important resources, also soften the narrative and make these moments feel safe and judgment free for parents and children.”
For those who want to pitch in, there are several ways to get involved. Yards for Youth allows fans to pledge an amount tied to Joe's passing yards, with proceeds supporting the Foundation's food insecurity and youth mental health initiatives.
“Taking a few hours to volunteer at one of our community events or pledging a few dollars per 25 yards adds up fast when a whole community participates,” Amy encourages.
For the Burrow family, giving back isn't simply a byproduct of Joe's success. It is part of the responsibility he learned long before he became a Bengal: to recognize when others need help and when you have the opportunity, to do something about it. JoeBurrow.org
“Good nutrition has been important to Joe’s success on and off the field, and the same is true for young people in every area of life.” –Robin Burrow