KATY – Houston Texans defensive tackle Amobi Okoye makes a living trying to cause havoc for offenses across the National Football League.
Off the field, Amobi is busy changing lives here and in his native country of Nigeria.
On Friday, Okoye and his charity organization, the Amobi Okoye Foundation, hosted a special event at Alamo Draft House in Katy in order to raise money to help children both here in Houston and overseas in Africa.
"During the off-season I do a lot of traveling and just giving back to the community and encourage everyone in as many ways that we can," says Okoye.
The foundation has several programs including Kick-Off for Kids, which creates a series of youth activities that use athletics to motivate and inspire youth. Okoye says his goal is to help kids stay active, but also get a good education in the process.
"I think everyone should give," says Okoye. "We as players have all been blessed and you never know if you may one day end up on the other side of it, so you always have to give thanks."
Okoye also helps kids back in his homeland of Nigeria. On March 12, he and several players from the NFL will be heading across the Atlantic to deliver books and help teach the game of football to children who are less fortunate. The Katy Independent School District has donated the reading material and he will spread them out across the country.
"The main goal is introduce a prep school for American football down there," says Okoye. "We go down there every year and we also do a whole bunch of work including a free medical clinic, so it’s very rewarding to be able to give back."
As for football, Okoye says he thinks the Texans are finally on the right track, but added that it will be tough to lose Dunta Robinson. Amobi became the youngest player ever to be drafted into the NFL and has been with the Texans his whole career.
You can learn more about Amobi and his organization by going to AmobiOkoyeFoundation.org. On there are a bunch of links and ways to donate money.
