Objective

Education. Ideas. Sports. The primary mission of the Christian Okoye Foundation is to capture the passion children have for sports, and direct that energy to enhance their educational and personal goals. The Foundation draws at-risk and underprivileged youth by hosting free athletic clinics, where well-known professional athletes coach the kids. Once at the Foundation's events, the kids are given unparalleled training in sports and, importantly, are encouraged to develop business and entrepreneurial skills by the Foundation's corporate sponsors. The Foundation's decision to use athletics as a vehicle for exposing the kids to the business world gave rise to the Foundation's motto, “Education, Ideas and Sports.”

Through clinics and mentorship, the Foundation hopes to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in each child. In addition, the Foundation provides its kids with computer access, and plans to develop “Tech Centers” to ensure the kids are exposed to technology in a meaningful and substantial way. In the past few years, the Foundation provided several of its kids with their first “hands-on” exposure to computers. With the help of local businesses that set up booths during our events, the children are encouraged to explore their interests in any area of business or learning. The Foundation then works with the corporate sponsors to provide support to the kids throughout the year in their respective areas of interest.

Even as a young boy growing up in his native Nigeria, Christian recognized the importance that sports would play in defining his future. Ever grateful for the opportunities that athletics afforded him, Christian works to motivate at-risk youth to define and achieve their goals by emphasizing the importance of drive and commitment. Through his Foundation, the “Nigerian Nightmare” uses sports to help kids understand the importance of education, community, focus and drive. Christian also instructs the kids on health issues, including drug abuse, proper nutrition and exercise. On average, the Christian Okoye Foundation touches the lives of 9,500 kids each year.

The Christian Okoye Foundation events offer young men and women the opportunity to develop and refine the essential skills in their respective areas of interests. Each event offers a structured, well-supervised atmosphere where kids are led through sessions of drills, demonstrations and discussions on all aspects of sports and business. The Foundation stresses the importance of sportsmanship and a positive attitude in sports, in business, and in life. It is Christian's personal goal that each child leave his events as a better athlete and, more importantly, a better person.

Different cities and hospitals visited in past years are: Kansas City Missouri, Phoenix Arizona, Las Vegas Nevada, Loma Linda California, Upland California, Pomona California, West Covina California, Monrovia California, La Brea California, Santa Ana California including pediatric hospitals in different Super Bowl cities in the past 3 years.

Stuffed Heroes: which started as a simple gesture by Eddie and Jessica Lange during Christmas 1997, is now an important part of the Christian Okoye Foundation. As an integral part of this project, professional athletes from the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball League, as well as Olympic athletes from various sports, volunteer their time at pediatric units around the country. The volunteers bring each hospitalized child a stuffed toy, and spend time talking, reading stories, and generally helping brighten the day of the sick children and their families.

Children in pediatric hospitals throughout the United States, including Kansas City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Loma Linda, Upland, Pomona, West Covina, Monrovia, La Brea, and Santa Ana, have benefited from the generosity of Stuffed Heroes.