There are certain moments in your life that will stick with you forever, and shape the path of your journey. For Johnathan Cyprien, one of those moments was when he was playing on a little league football team as a kid. At practice one day, a future NFL player made a visit. Jon Beason, who played linebacker for the Panthers for 9 years, was playing at the University of Miami when he came to speak to Cyprien’s team. As Cyprien reflected, it he could recall every little detail from that day. “I’m 27 right now, and I can still remember the day he came out there and spoke to me as a kid,” Cyprien said. That visit has made Johnathan Cyprien understand just how impactful even a simple visit could be, and he says that being able to tell his story and where he came from can be “an inspiration” for the kids. To be able to share his story, Johnathan Cyprien hosts an annual USA FUNdamentals Cyp Squad Youth camp. This year at camp, he gave away 200 backpacks to attendees. Because at this camp, it’s more than just football.

Cyprien cites his inspiration for the camp comes from his “love for kids, specifically kids that grew up in less fortunate situations. I feel like kids who grow up in less fortunate situations are not given the same opportunities or choices that others are.” He sees it as as his responsibility to provide them with the opportunity to make better choices.

In addition to his camp, Johnathan Cyprien’s foundation, the At-Risk-Youth Foundation, is dedicated to a similar cause. Put simply, he hopes to improve as many lives as possible, and you can tell it is truly a passion for him. When I asked him what it meant to be able to run a camp like this, his eyes lit up. Being able to provide kids with opportunities like this is is huge for Cyprien. If their lives are better after going through his camp, or his foundation is able to help, Cyprien is happy.

He expects next year’s camp to be “bigger and better” than ever, and says the Cyp Squad camp will only continue to grow. “Every year, I promise to bring more.”