Carolina Panthers’ Michael Jackson spent his NFL off weekend giving back to the community that he said raised him.
The 27-year-old cornerback, who played for Parker and Spain Park high schools and then the Miami Hurricanes, handed out 1,000 free turkeys Saturday at the Ensley Recreation Center.
“I don’t get to come home much during football season,’’ Jackson. “I was pretty much raised at Ensley Rec and I just want to give back.
The giveaway, in its fourth year, is sponsored through Jackson’s R.A.C.E Foundation, which stands for Rising Above Your Current Environment.
Saturday’s giveaway also included boxes of sides for a Thanksgiving feast.
“Thanksgiving is a tough time for a lot of people and to be honest, a lot of times the crime happens because people are just hungry,’’ Jackson said. “If you’ve been hungry for a couple of days, at some point somethings got to give.”
“We just want to be able to give families a sense of a holiday and not put stress on the parents knowing Christmas is just a month away and some have to decide if they want to do Christmas gifts or something for Thanksgiving,’’ he said. “I have their back.”
The foundation holds events in Birmingham throughout the year, ranging from youth football camps to literacy classes.
“I was always taught if you want to be blessed,’’ Jackson said, “you need to bless other people.”
