The Giving Game

Sophia Whitesell

No stats. No highlights. No sports talk. Just what athletes are doing when the cameras are off.

Host Sophia Whitesell, a night-shift nurse and single mom known as "the Giving Gangster," sits down with athletes from every level of the game to talk about the one thing nobody asks them about: the causes they've built foundations to fight for.

Ben Zobrist. Sergio Garcia. Martin Gramatica. Dave Dravecky. Kareem Rush. They've all played the game. Here, they play a different one.

You'll hear the real stories behind building homes for wounded veterans, supporting kids who need a shot, and what it actually takes to make a difference. Then you'll find out exactly how you can be part of it, no gala ticket or silent auction required.

Because giving back shouldn't be exclusive. It should be trendy.

New episodes weekly. #MakeGivingTrendy

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Friday · 41 min
Ryan Lavarnway: World Series Champion on Life After Baseball & Saving Veterans | The Giving Game
Ryan Lavarnway won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox, competed in the Olympics, and finished an Ironman and after each one, he felt empty. On The Giving Game with Sophie Whitesell, Ryan talks about life after baseball, redefining success as a husband and father, and the cause he is playing for: Shields and Stripes. Welcome to The Giving Game, the only show where professional athletes are banned from talking about their sport. No stats, no game recaps, no media-trained answers. Just three rules: no sports talk, no filters, raise as much money as possible. In this episode, Ryan shares why he stopped playing when his daughter was six months old, how a stranger's LinkedIn message "you don't know me, but you saved my life" made him an ambassador for Shields and Stripes, and why veterans and first responders lose their whole support system the day they leave service. He also talks about the 1.5-year transition out of baseball, feeling never enough as an athlete, mental health, parenting his 4-year-old daughter Blake, and what success looks like now not checking boxes, but time, family, and purpose. Chapters: 00:00 Why Ryan stopped playing when his daughter was 6 months old 00:05 Welcome to The Giving Game no sports talk, no filters 01:00 Meet Ryan Lavarnway 01:38 The cause: Shields and Stripes 02:48 The Red Sox, and the message: "You saved my life" 03:30 The VA vs. Shields and Stripes, and batting practice in Arizona 04:39 Losing your built-in team after sport and service 06:15 Do you miss playing? In sport, you know what a win is 07:04 What does success look like now? 08:36 Checking boxes, The Five Types of Wealth, and Four Thousand Weeks 10:40 Parenting, and staying Ryan not just dad or husband 15:28 His daughter Blake, and being one and done 20:57 What sport gave him and what he hopes it gives his daughter 23:49 Coaching now for the Chicago Cubs 25:04 World Series, Olympics, Ironman and feeling empty after each one 26:57 Mental health, and why athletes don't talk about bad days 28:34 Am I enough? Finding the smallest next win 29:13 Who am I without baseball? 32:58 Making a decision, and The Second Mountain 37:56 Why he chose family over playing again About Shields and Stripes: Shields and Stripes are a military and first responder support organization providing whole-person care after service. It is a free, three-month recovery program for military members, veterans, and first responders. It starts with three weeks in person and continues with nine weeks of telehealth at home, with families included. Can't donate right now? You can still help for free repost this episode, send it to a veteran or first responder who might need it, and comment so more people see it. About The Giving Game: The Giving Game takes professional athletes out of the game. What's left is the person their story, their struggles, and the cause they'd fight for off the field. Every episode turns that conversation into a real fundraising challenge. We are running a 7-day campaign on our social media all about Shields and Stripes. More from The Giving Game: Website: https://givinggamemedia.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGivingGamePodcast Instagram: @thegivinggamepodcast Subscribe for new episodes every week and share this one it might be someone's reason to keep going. Tags: Ryan Lavarnway, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, World Series Champion, MLB, The Giving Game, Sophie Whitesell, Shields and Stripes, veterans, first responders, military veterans, veteran support, athlete podcast, life after sports, mental health, fatherhood, charity podcast Hashtags: #RyanLavarnway #TheGivingGame #SophieWhitesell #ShieldsAndStripes #BostonRedSox #Veterans #FirstResponders #MakeGivingTrendy
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#26
October 30 · 1 hr 3 min
From The NFL to Helping Veterans: Dave DesRochers, 1st & Goal Project
Former Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Dave DesRochers joins The Giving Game to talk about The 1st & Goal Project, the charity he founded to help military veterans transition and grow after service. Dave shares why he's dedicated his life after the NFL to our military community, how 1st & Goal is making a real difference for veterans, and how you can get involved. He also gets incredibly raw and real about life, and I open up about the moment I stopped playing the victim and started owning my part. In this episode: – Dave's journey from the Seahawks to serving veterans – Why he founded The 1st & Goal Project and who it helps – How anyone can support our military community – Taking ownership and breaking the "woe is me" cycle Learn more and support The 1st & Goal Project: https://the1standgoalproject.com Subscribe for more conversations with athletes who are changing lives off the field. #MakeGivingTrendy #Veterans #Seahawks
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#24
October 23 · 1 hr 4 min
Bite Like A Man: The Olympic Boxer Who Fought the Scale and Won | Danny O'Connor
Episode Description What happens when the discipline that built a champion becomes the thing that nearly kills him? Danny O'Connor opens up about a 20-year battle with eating disorders, the brutal reality of weight-class sports, and the moment his career nearly ended in an ICU bed hours before a world title fight.Sophia Whitesell leads a deeply honest conversation with Danny about the hidden toll of wrestling and boxing, the dangers of aggressive weight cutting, and why so many men suffer in silence without a community or a language for what they're experiencing. This is not a story about vanity or control - it's about survival, secrecy, shame, and what it takes to rebuild a relationship with food after years of self-destruction. You'll discover: Why Danny says eating disorders in men are vastly misunderstood How extreme weight cuts, starvation, dehydration, and laxative abuse shaped his career The difference between disordered eating, binge eating, and the full psychological trap of an eating disorder Why he believes early intervention could save lives in combat sports How he rebuilt his life through outpatient treatment, mindfulness, therapy, and relentless self-work Sophia also pulls back the curtain on the broader cultural pressure around body image, especially for women, and the two compare how shame around weight can quietly shape identity from childhood into adulthood. The result is a conversation that lands far beyond sports - into parenting, mental health, self-worth, and the way we talk to ourselves and each other.Danny shares what finally changed after years of thinking he could "beat it overnight," why growth is rarely linear, and how he turned pain into purpose through his book, his community, and his foundation supporting adolescent mental health. Essential listening if you care about mental health, combat sports, recovery, body image, or the hidden cost of chasing perfection.Danny O'Connor is a former boxer and author of Weight Class: A Fighter's Life or Death Battle with an Eating Disorder. He is also the founder of the O'Connor Foundation and Bite Like a Man, a community for men navigating eating disorders and recovery.Sophia Whitesell is the host of the show and guides the conversation with empathy, candor, and a strong focus on breaking cycles of shame and silence.
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#24
October 16 · 46 min
Every Stage Is A Platform: B. Taylor On Sports, Service and Music
This week on The Giving Game, I sit down with B. Taylor, a former D1 athlete at Mizzou who went on to become a multi-platinum recording artist, decorated U.S. Navy veteran, Goodwill Global Ambassador, and founder of the L1FE Organization and 1 Life Productions Group. We talk about his journey from college athletics to the music industry and military service, and how the discipline and teamwork he learned as an athlete shaped everything that came after. Today, he uses his music and platform to champion veterans, service members, and first responders throughout the United States. Giving back isn't reserved for galas and silent auctions. It's for all of us. #TheGivingGame #MakeGivingTrendy #L1FE #Mizzou #VeteransSupport
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#23
October 9 · 51 min
Rescue Dogs, Second Chances & #LovePup with Jess McClain | The Giving Game Ep. 23
Episode 23 is here. 🐾 Jess McClain sat down with me to talk about how the #LovePup Foundation changed her life, and why rescuing dogs ended up rescuing her too. We get into what it really looks like behind the scenes of animal rescue, what keeps her going, and how anyone can get involved. No gala tickets required. If you've ever loved a dog, this one's for you. 🐶❤️ 🎧 Full episode on The Giving Game. Link in bio. #TheGivingGame #LovePup #DogRescue #AdoptDontShop #RescueDogs #GivingBack #Philanthropy #NonprofitPodcast #AnimalRescue #PodcastEpisode
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#22
October 2 · 57 min
Love Makes Room: Anthony Trucks on Foster Care, Identity & Becoming More
Anthony Trucks’ story is one of resilience, identity, foster care, and turning adversity into purpose. A former NFL player, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and foster care advocate, Anthony opens up about growing up in the foster care system, finding a sense of belonging, rebuilding his identity, and using his platform to create better outcomes for kids facing similar challenges. He also shares why serving on the board of a foster care organization matters so deeply to him and how his own experience continues to shape the work he does today. This episode of The Giving Game is a powerful conversation about foster care, overcoming adversity, second chances, personal growth, and what it means to create a life and legacy that is bigger than your past.
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September 25 · 50 min
Former NBA Point Guard C.J. Watson on Family, Legacy & the Quiet Storm Foundation
Former NBA point guard C.J. Watson joins The Giving Game to talk about the Quiet Storm Foundation, the family-run nonprofit he co-founded in 2009 with his parents and brother to support underprivileged youth in his hometown of Las Vegas. C.J. walks through the foundation's three core programs: a free summer basketball camp with a parent workshop component, a Black History essay contest each February that sends winning students and their families to Washington, D.C. for a Black History Museum tour and an HBCU tour (a tradition that used to mean flying kids to C.J.'s NBA road games instead), and a twice-monthly out-of-school program built around field trips and health and wellness activities. He shares the deeply personal reason the essay contest matters to him — his grandmother helped desegregate an all-white school in Nashville, and his father's family was threatened over it — and reflects candidly on what still needs to change in how society talks about race, the value of "having the tough conversations," and what allyship looks like in practice. The conversation also covers C.J.'s path from a childhood in Las Vegas's inner city to a 10-year NBA career, his post-retirement pivot into being a children's book author (C.J.'s Big Dream, C.J.'s Big Project, C.J.'s Big Moment, and C.J. and His Magic Socks), and life as a father of three daughters, including his oldest, a Division I volleyball recruit at the University of Pittsburgh. He and Sophie wrap with a broader conversation about the state of youth sports — travel team costs, pay-to-play culture, and why the life lessons sports teach matter more than the scoreboard. If C.J.'s story moved you, you can support the Quiet Storm Foundation using the link below. What We Cover (01:46) What is the Quiet Storm Foundation, and how C.J.'s whole family got involved (03:13) Why empowering youth became C.J.'s mission (04:08) Growing up in the inner city of Las Vegas (05:04) Education first: how C.J.'s parents kept sports in perspective (05:50) From basketball to becoming a children's book author (07:13) The hardest part of transitioning out of a long pro career (08:22) The historical significance of Las Vegas's West Side (09:20) The story behind the Black History essay contest: C.J.'s grandmother and the fight to desegregate a Nashville school (12:06) What needs to change: allyship, tough conversations, and representation in sports (20:35) Fatherhood: raising three daughters and being a "strict dad" (21:31) His oldest daughter's path to a full volleyball scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh (23:50) What makes a good dad, in C.J.'s words (26:08) Learning things the hard way vs. having a strict upbringing (42:13) The state of youth sports: pay-to-play culture, private equity, and losing the fun (45:35) Why the life lessons sports teach matter more than the sport itself (47:44) Where to donate to the Quiet Storm Foundation (48:04) What C.J. wants his legacy to be, outside of basketball Support the Quiet Storm Foundation 👉 Website: quietstormfoundation.org 👉 Instagram: @QS_Foundation One-time and recurring donations are accepted via credit card, Zelle, and Venmo, and all gifts are tax-deductible.
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September 18 · 1 hr 2 min
"We Don't Cure Cancer, We Cure Bad Days": Kelyn Rowe & Erik Rees on the Jessie Rees Foundation
This is a special two-guest episode. Former professional soccer player Kelyn Rowe joins The Giving Game alongside a very special bonus guest, Erik Rees, founder of the Jessie Rees Foundation (NEGU — Never Ever Give Up), to tell the story behind one of the most moving nonprofits to appear on the show. Erik shares the story of his daughter Jessie, diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor called DIPG at age 11 in 2011. During treatment, Jessie noticed other kids in the hospital who couldn't go home, and asked her parents, "How can we help them?" That question led her to create Joy Jars — 64-ounce jars filled with toys, games, and activities for kids fighting cancer, which she made by hand in the family garage. Jessie passed away 10 months and two days after her diagnosis, but her family chose to continue her mission. The Jessie Rees Foundation has since sent out more than 600,000 Joy Jars to children in all 50 states and 53 countries, alongside programs supporting siblings, financial assistance for families (including $3.5 million distributed through their Hope for the Holidays program), self-care support for mothers, and grief support for bereaved families. Kelyn explains how he got connected to the foundation and created Kelyn's NEGU Crew, a program bringing courageous kids and their families to professional soccer games to be celebrated by the team and the crowd — including the story of David, a young cancer patient from Brazil who Kelyn stayed connected with for years and later saw cancer-free as a high schooler. Kelyn has since passed the torch of hosting NEGU Crew events to current players, while staying involved himself. The conversation also touches on host Sophie's own experience with her son's serious health scare in the hospital, why the foundation intentionally supports the whole family and not just the sick child, and Kelyn's post-soccer life running Vino FC, a community-driven wine business built around in-person tastings rather than shipped subscriptions. If this story moved you, you can support the Jessie Rees Foundation using the link below. This episode includes discussion of childhood cancer, terminal illness, and the loss of a child. If this topic is difficult for you, please take care while listening. What We Cover (00:02:01) Erik shares Jessie's diagnosis and the question that started it all: "How can we help them?" (00:03:53) Jessie's passing and the family's decision to continue her mission (00:05:01) The Jessie Rees Foundation's full range of programs, from diagnosis through bereavement (00:06:06) How Kelyn got connected and created Kelyn's NEGU Crew (00:07:15) What drew Kelyn to this cause over other children's charities (00:08:00) David's story: a young cancer patient turned lasting friendship (00:09:56) Finding families to help while respecting hospital privacy rules (00:13:41) Turning tragedy into purpose: "Jessie is living on through this" (00:15:53) Sophie shares her own family's hospital experience (00:43:25) Life after pro soccer: corporate insurance broker by day (00:44:09) Vino FC: Kelyn's community-driven, pickup-only wine business (00:59:02) Advice for anyone who feels discouraged when their giving isn't immediately appreciated (01:01:43) Where to donate and get involved with the Jessie Rees Foundation Support the Jessie Rees Foundation 👉 Website: NEGU.org Community members can also volunteer at Joy Jar stuffing events or cheer on courageous kids at sporting events near them.
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September 11 · 1 hr 7 min
Former NFL Running Back Terron Ward on Mentorship, Scholarships & the Wardboy Project
Former NFL running back Terron Ward joins The Giving Game to talk about the Wardboy Project, the foundation he co-founded with his brother to support underprivileged youth in the East Bay Area — the pocket of cities east of Oakland including Antioch, Pittsburg, Concord, and Brentwood that Terron and his brother call home. Terron breaks down the foundation's three main pillars: DRAW, a mentorship program pairing middle schoolers with dedicated mentors for weekly check-ins, tutoring, and guidance; the TK Scholarship Program, named in memory of Terrence Kelly, a standout De La Salle student-athlete and family friend who was shot and killed in 2004 before he could start college, which now covers private school tuition for kids who couldn't otherwise afford it; and the Bay Area Skills Academy, a free annual football camp that just wrapped its tenth year with roughly 200 kids in attendance. The foundation also recently held its first Student Athlete Summit, a full day of programming with 20 speakers ranging from college coaches to financial experts covering everything a student-athlete needs to know, including NIL. The conversation moves into the harder-to-talk-about parts of life after football: the identity crisis that hits when the structure of a 20-year athletic regimen disappears overnight, why confidence-building is one of the most important things a coach or mentor can give a kid, and how coaching philosophy has shifted away from the "screaming coach" model of Terron's father's era. Terron also shares a piece of advice from an unexpected source — a billionaire he met at a bar who told him to stop chasing his dreams and start chasing his talents — and reflects on fatherhood, raising two daughters, and why he believes real growth is never linear. If Terron's story moved you, you can support the Wardboy Project using the link below. What We Cover (00:02:19) What the Wardboy Project is, and why Terron and his brother started it (00:03:44) Inside the DRAW mentorship program for middle schoolers (00:04:43) The TK Scholarship Program, named for Terrence Kelly (00:05:37) The Bay Area Skills Academy: 10 years of free football camps (00:06:08) The foundation's first Student Athlete Summit (00:09:11) The identity crisis that hits after leaving pro sports (00:11:28) His father's coaching legacy and the "domino effect" of mentorship (00:13:52) Why instilling confidence is top of the list for coaching kids (00:15:12) How coaching philosophy has changed since his father's era (00:32:03) "Chase your talents, not your dreams": advice from a chance encounter (00:36:21) Why Terron has always been process-oriented, not just goal-oriented (00:38:26) Fatherhood and raising two daughters (01:00:39) Why "they're famous, they can't have money problems" is a myth (01:04:11) How to support the Wardboy Project without giving money (01:03:36) Where to donate and follow the Wardboy Project Support the Wardboy Project 👉 Website: wardboyproject.org 👉 Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: @wardboyproject Can't give financially? The Wardboy Project is always looking for mentors and event volunteers — or connections to others who might be able to support the mission.
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September 4 · 45 min
Former NBA Player Kareem Rush on Building University Heritage Group and Giving Back to NIL Athletes
Recorded in-person in Kansas City, former NBA player Kareem Rush joins The Giving Game to talk about University Heritage Group (UHG), the exclusive alumni membership brand he built to reconnect former college athletes with the schools that shaped them — and to give current student-athletes a cut of the profits. Kareem breaks down the concept: each university's membership club is capped at the number tied to that school's founding year (Missouri's is 1839, KU's 1865, Georgetown's 1789), creating built-in scarcity similar to a private club like Soho House. Members get access to Kareem's growing product line — starting with a bourbon brand and expanding into coffee and more — with 5% of membership revenue funneled into an NIL fund supporting underserved sports like volleyball, soccer, and baseball at each school, since football and basketball typically absorb most NIL dollars. Kareem's own daughter, a senior on Mizzou's volleyball team, is part of why that focus is personal. The conversation ranges from Kareem's read on NIL and why he believes players deserved compensation all along, to his NBA career — playing alongside Shaq, Kobe, and Phil Jackson, facing Michael Jordan in his rookie year, and the ACL microfracture injury at 29 that ended his career years earlier than he expected. He also opens up about a parallel life in music: a Billboard Top 40 single, a performance at the ESPYs, an appearance on 106 & Park, and an almost-audition for The Voice. Kareem closes with a message for the next generation of athletes: don't put yourself in a box, because you are more than the game. If Kareem's story moved you, check out University Heritage Group using the link below. What We Cover (01:46) What Kareem's building with University Heritage Group (UHG) (02:52) How the exclusive, founding-year-based membership model works (04:41) The first five schools: Missouri, KU, Maryland, Georgetown, and UCLA (04:48) Scaling to 120+ university label designs and the PAC athlete network (05:53) Why 5% of membership revenue funds NIL support for underserved sports (06:59) Kareem's take on NIL: "It's only right that some of it trickles down" (10:25) What Kareem would tell his younger self about basketball and beyond (11:40) "Inherited fandom": why college loyalty outlasts pro team loyalty (17:38) The ACL microfracture injury at 29 that ended his NBA career early (17:59) A parallel career in music: a Billboard Top 40 single and an ESPYs performance (18:31) Rap and singing battles on the team bus with Shaq (42:13) Who Kareem looks up to in athlete-turned-business: Jordan, LeBron, Steph Curry (43:44) Why athletes give back even when it's not broadcast (45:14) Kareem's message to the next generation: "You are more than the game" About Kareem Rush Kareem Rush is a former NBA player who starred at the University of Missouri before being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, going on to play alongside Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and under head coach Phil Jackson. After an ACL microfracture injury ended his playing career at 29, Kareem built a career as an entrepreneur and recording artist, and is the founder of University Heritage Group, an exclusive membership brand connecting former college athletes with their alma maters while funding NIL support for underserved college sports. Check Out University Heritage Group 👉 Website: https://universityheritage.club
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August 28 · 52 min
Super Bowl Champion Martin Gramatica on Building Mortgage-Free Homes for Wounded Veterans
Former NFL kicker and Super Bowl champion Martin Gramatica joins The Giving Game to talk about the Gramatica Family Foundation, which began by building mortgage-free homes for combat-wounded veterans and has since expanded into rehabs, home repairs, and partnerships with organizations like Pinellas Habitat, Operation Finally Home, and Home For Our Troops as full home builds have become harder to fund. Martin, born in Argentina and raised there until age nine, shares why supporting veterans became personal — a deep gratitude for the freedom and opportunity his adopted country gave his family. He tells the story of Charlie Lemon, the foundation's first recipient: a Tampa veteran who lost both legs and his best friend in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan, and who is now, in Martin's words, "part of the family" — married with a son and still running the foundation's annual 5K in his wheelchair every year. The conversation moves through Martin's path from Kansas State to a Super Bowl title with the Bucks, raising three bilingual kids (two of whom followed him into kicking at USF), calling Buccaneers games in Spanish alongside his brother, and his day job running early-detection CT scans for heart disease and cancer — a side career he says has saved friends' lives. He and Sophie also swap notes on being terrible at golf, why charity golf tournaments are more about connection than a good scorecard, and how helping veterans has reshaped his own perspective on what's actually worth complaining about. If Martin's story moved you, you can support the Gramatica Family Foundation using the link below. What We Cover (00:57) What the Gramatica Family Foundation does, and why the mission has evolved (01:49) Why veterans: Martin's personal connection as an immigrant from Argentina (04:43) Football gave him an education, a Super Bowl, and a home in Tampa (09:18) Seven homes built from scratch, dozens more impacted through partners (10:03) The story of Charlie Lemon: the foundation's first recipient (13:33) Mortgage-free vs. interest-free: how the home programs actually work (16:48) Martin's day job: early-detection CT scans for heart disease and cancer (18:02) Calling Buccaneers games in Spanish with his brother Santiago (19:31) Inside the full-body cancer and heart screening technology (43:21) How veterans get connected to services through the foundation's partners (45:30) How to volunteer: the annual 5K, golf tournament, and build days (46:17) Why Martin hates golf but still shows up for the charity tournaments (50:18) Where to find and follow the Gramatica Family Foundation About Martin Gramatica Martin Gramatica is a former NFL kicker and Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, born in Argentina and raised in Florida from age nine. He is the founder of the Gramatica Family Foundation, which has built mortgage-free homes for combat-wounded veterans and now partners with organizations across the Tampa Bay area to provide home repairs, rehabs, and other veteran support services. Support the Gramatica Family Foundation 👉 Instagram: @martingramatica7 (Martin's personal account and the foundation's account) 👉 Get involved: email through the foundation's website, or join the annual 5K or golf tournament as a volunteer: https://gramaticafamilyfoundation.org
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August 21 · 54 min
Gary Forbes on Playing in the NBA with Type 1 Diabetes and Building The Sole Survivors
Former NBA player Gary Forbes joins The Giving Game to talk about The Sole Survivors — a children's multimedia platform he created featuring superhero characters who each live with a different chronic health condition. Gary is one of only three players in NBA history to compete with type 1 diabetes, diagnosed at 19 after his freshman year of college, and he built The Sole Survivors as the project he wished existed for kids like him growing up on X-Men, Thundercats, and Power Rangers. Gary walks through the comic universe's concept — 102 characters, each representing a different chronic condition, all searching for a cure inside the story the way real kids search for ways to manage their own diagnoses — and why he built it for children specifically rather than adults, since kids are still forming the mindset they'll carry into adulthood. He shares what it's like visiting hospitals and schools with the books and merch, the "0.006%" odds he beat to reach the NBA as a type 1 diabetic, and his father's relentless positive-reinforcement parenting that shaped how he processed his diagnosis. The conversation also covers fatherhood (his two-and-a-half-year-old son, watching his wife go through a 42-hour unmedicated labor, and what it's like being "mom's baby" for the first year and "all dad" after), the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, his strict 80/20 plant-based diet, and Gary's newest obsession: golf, including his one-year goal of turning pro and his own golf apparel brand in the works, Hooks and Slices. If Gary's story moved you, you can support The Sole Survivors using the link below. What We Cover (01:43) What is The Sole Survivors, and why Gary built it (04:23) Why children — not adults — are the focus of the mission (10:35) Visiting hospitals and schools with the books and merch (15:33) The X-Men influence and the 102-character comic universe (22:49) Watching his wife's 42-hour unmedicated labor (28:26) The 10-year vision: "I want people to know The Sole Survivors like they know Disney" (29:12) Building the world's first health and wellness league app (33:00) Beating 0.006% odds: playing in the NBA with type 1 diabetes (37:12) Diagnosed at 19: the hardest first year with insulin and needles (40:20) Type 1 vs. type 2 diabetes, explained simply (42:04) Advice for anyone newly diagnosed with diabetes (43:34) Denouncing the stigma around what type 1 diabetics can and can't do (44:16) His strict 80% plant-based diet and the "Rolls-Royce" analogy (48:11) Taking up golf as "life's game" and chasing the pro tour (52:32) Gary's closing message: "Your present situation is not your final destination" (53:06) Where to donate to and follow The Sole Survivors About Gary Forbes Gary Forbes is a former NBA player and one of only three athletes in league history to have played with type 1 diabetes. He is the founder of The Sole Survivors, a children's multimedia platform built around superhero characters who each represent a different chronic health condition, designed to help kids facing serious diagnoses see themselves as capable of greatness rather than limited by their circumstances. Support The Sole Survivors 👉 Website: TheSoleSurvivors: https://thesolesurvivors.com (search "The Sole Survivors") 👉 Instagram: @GaryForbes_ — Follow The Sole Survivors Can't donate right now? Share the mission — tell a friend, a family member, anyone who might connect with the message.
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August 14 · 44 min
Sergio Garcia on Family, Giving Back & Building FORE Kids ATX in Austin
Professional golfer Sergio Garcia joins The Giving Game to talk about the Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation and its flagship event, FORE Kids ATX — a two-day fundraiser in Austin that's raised over $10 million for local kids and families in just four years. Sergio walks through the event's three-part format: a gala dinner with live and silent auctions, a "prom-style" celebrity and pro golf day, and a newly added Mahjong tournament. Funds support four organizations: the Center for Child Protection, Dell Children's Medical Center, Experience Camps, and the Agila Foundation — his wife Angela's anti-bullying nonprofit. Sergio and Angela met at a golf tournament while she was a sports reporter for NBC and Golf Channel, and the two have been full-time residents of Austin since 2022 after years split between Spain and Switzerland. The conversation covers what motivated Angela to start the anti-bullying foundation, why fundraising is harder for niche and locally-focused causes than for widely recognized ones, and the moments from hospital visits and adaptive golf clinics that keep the couple committed to the work. Along the way, Sergio also gets pulled through a lighthearted "guess your sponsor" personality quiz, talks fatherhood with his two kids, and shares his (very particular) approach to packing and ironing golf polos. If Sergio's story moved you, you can support the Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation using the link below. What We Cover (00:43) What is the Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation, and the story behind FORE Kids ATX (02:08) Breaking down the three-part event: gala, golf day, and a new Mahjong tournament (04:17) The four beneficiary organizations, including Angela's anti-bullying foundation (05:48) From Spain to Switzerland to Austin: Sergio's path to Texas (06:37) How Sergio met his wife Angela on the golf beat (07:23) Angela's growing role running the foundation (10:33) The biggest misconception people have about pro athletes under pressure (13:00) A lighthearted "guess your sponsor" personality quiz (25:17) Why Angela started the anti-bullying foundation, and what social media has changed (26:53) Creating safe home environments for kids facing bullying (29:54) Fatherhood: raising an 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son (30:56) A favorite girl-dad moment from a school dance (38:20) The hospital visits and adaptive golf moments that keep the mission going (40:57) Raising humble, kind kids despite life in the public eye (42:14) How listeners can get involved beyond donating (43:32) Where to donate to FORE Kids ATX About Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia is a professional golfer originally from Spain who now lives full-time in Austin, Texas. Alongside his wife Angela, a former NBC and Golf Channel sports reporter, Sergio co-founded the Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation, which hosts the annual FORE Kids ATX fundraiser benefiting central Texas children and families. The event has raised more than $10 million since its launch in 2022, supporting organizations including the Center for Child Protection, Dell Children's Medical Center, Experience Camps, and the UGLI Foundation, Angela's anti-bullying nonprofit. Support FORE Kids ATX 👉 Website: FOREKidsATX.org This year's event takes place October 29–30. Donations, event tickets, and volunteer opportunities are all available through the website.
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August 7 · 40 min
Stephen Piscotty on Losing His Mom to ALS and Turning Grief Into the ALS Cure Project
Former MLB outfielder Stephen Piscotty joins The Giving Game to talk about the ALS Cure Project, the nonprofit he co-founded with his father after losing his mother, Gretchen, to ALS in 2018 — during the middle of his professional baseball career. Stephen walks through what ALS actually does to the body, why so few people understand the disease until it touches their own family, and the devastating combination of staying fully mentally present while slowly losing physical control. He shares what it was like caring for his mother at home through her final months, the perspective her attitude gave the whole family, and her request that drove the foundation's mission: to spare others from the same fate. The conversation goes deep into the science side of the ALS Cure Project, led largely by Stephen's father, a retired researcher from Lawrence Livermore National Lab who has poured himself into drug repurposing studies, multimodal data collection, and gene-combination research aimed at understanding what actually causes ALS. Stephen is candid about the unique challenge of fundraising for a rare disease compared to more widely recognized causes, and reflects on life after baseball — three young kids, a part-time hitting coach role with the Oakland A's system, newly discovered golf frustrations, and full "stay-at-home dad" energy. If Stephen's story moved you, you can support the ALS Cure Project using the link below. What We Cover (01:56) What is the ALS Cure Project, and why Stephen and his father started it (02:41) ALS 101: what the disease actually does to the body (04:07) Losing his mother Gretchen at 55, and her final days at home (05:22) Finding purpose after baseball through his mother's cause (09:10) Who Stephen is outside of baseball and ALS advocacy (11:30) Why niche disease charities struggle to compete for donor attention (13:15) Inside the research: drug repurposing, data collection, and gene studies (16:33) His father's post-retirement mission and the road still ahead (16:33) Thoughts on ALS awareness moments like the Ice Bucket Challenge (24:54) Learning golf as a retired pro athlete (and why coaches say it's the hardest transition) (27:31) Life after baseball: coaching hitting for the Oakland A's system (30:45) Being traded home to St. Louis to spend his mom's final days with her (32:18) Full dad mode: T-ball, lawn care, and white sneakers (33:16) A chaotic family flight story (38:19) Where to donate and get involved with the ALS Cure Project About Stephen Piscotty Stephen Piscotty is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played eight seasons in the big leagues, including with the St. Louis Cardinals and Oakland Athletics, and twelve seasons professionally overall. After his mother Gretchen passed away from ALS in 2018, Stephen and his father co-founded the ALS Cure Project, a nonprofit focused on funding ALS research, including drug repurposing studies, large-scale data collection, and genetic research aimed at finding a cure. Stephen now works as a part-time hitting coach within the Oakland A's minor league system and is raising three young children. Support the ALS Cure Project 👉 Website: ALSCure.org The ALS Cure Project is an all-volunteer organization. Recurring donations, one-time gifts, and volunteer opportunities for upcoming events are all available through the website.
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August 1 · 1 hr 23 min
Gamifying Giving: Ryan Beckmann on Hero Picks and Reinventing How America Donates
This is a special one. Host Sophie Whitesell sits down with Ryan Beckmann, founder of Hero Picks, to announce a major collaboration between their two platforms — and to unpack the story behind an idea that started with a hockey shootout bet and turned into a new way to fundraise for good causes. Ryan walks through how it all began: his son Tino's terrifying week in the Phoenix Children's ICU, a text from former NHL goalie Eddie Lack that turned into an unlikely friendship, and a charity shootout challenge that snowballed from "let's keep it small" into a sold-out rink event with pro athletes, WWE talent, and a Jackass alum taking slap shots. What followed were more events, Ryan's own nonprofit, and a hard lesson: even great events with real star power don't raise nearly as much as people assume. That gap is what led to Hero Picks — a platform that "gamifies giving" through Hero Tokens, prediction games, and sweepstakes-style entries into real experiences (meet-and-greets, FaceTimes, on-ice moments, memorabilia) — all while directing dollars toward smaller, deserving nonprofits that get buried under the small number of organizations that receive the majority of U.S. donations. Sophie and Ryan dig deep into why fundraising has barely evolved in decades, why storytelling (not size) is what actually moves donors, and why smaller nonprofits have an underrated advantage: real, personal stories big organizations can't replicate. Hero Picks is launching soon — details on how to get it are below. What We Cover (00:01:15) The origin story: Tino's ICU stay and a text from NHL goalie Eddie Lack (00:02:45) The shootout bet that started it all — and why it almost didn't happen (00:04:40) Going viral on the Empty Netters podcast and selling out an Arizona rink (00:06:10) The hard truth: big events don't always mean big money (00:08:02) Why instant gratification changed how people expect to give (00:09:01) The idea behind Hero Picks: Hero Tokens, predictions, and gamified giving (00:11:33) How Hero Tokens work and why there's a free mode of entry (00:12:27) The storytelling problem: why smaller nonprofits get lost in the noise (00:16:45) Why fundraising hasn't evolved in 10-20 years (00:17:39) Donor fatigue: why people default to giving to what they already trust (00:35:20) The uncomfortable truth about "selfless" giving (00:38:01) Why refusing help can rob someone else of their own joy (00:43:11) Ryan's own lesson in learning to accept generosity (00:47:34) Ryan's perspective on giving to people on the street (01:09:00) Advice for small nonprofits: differentiate your story or get lost (01:11:02) Why smaller organizations have a real advantage over big-name charities (01:13:55) Why Americans gave more than ever despite economic pressure (01:16:00) How Hero Picks and The Giving Game are teaming up (01:21:41) Where to find and download Hero Picks About Ryan Beckmann Ryan Beckmann is the founder of Hero Picks, a platform built to "gamify giving" by combining predictions, sweepstakes-style rewards, and real athlete and celebrity experiences to drive donations toward nonprofits — including smaller, under-the-radar organizations often overshadowed by major national charities. Ryan's journey into fundraising began with grassroots charity hockey events built around personal relationships with professional athletes, and evolved into a broader mission to modernize how people give.
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July 31 · 49 min
Alex & Alyssa Highsmith on Fighting Food Insecurity, Faith & Building a Foundation Together
Alex Highsmith and his wife Alyssa join The Giving Game for a rare joint interview — one where host Sophie Whitesell openly admits she knows nothing about Alex's NFL career and everything about the couple's foundation. That's exactly the point of this conversation. Alex and Alyssa pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to run the Alex Highsmith Family Foundation, debunking the assumption that athletes just write checks and let a team handle the rest. Both are hands-on every week — Alex on Tuesday meetings between football commitments, Alyssa deep in the sponsorship and operations side as, in Alex's words, "the backbone of the foundation." The headline announcement is Alex's Locker Room, a new initiative launching in partner high schools in Pittsburgh and Wilmington, NC, aimed at tackling food insecurity among student athletes — providing meals, hydration, hygiene essentials, and nutrition education for kids who qualify for free and reduced lunch. Alyssa, a certified nutritionist and nurse, explains why fueling young athletes properly is about more than food access — it's about education they'll carry for life. The couple also opens up about their foundation's back-to-school drives, the Dancing Grandma Scholarship (named for Alex's late grandmother, who went viral dancing when he was drafted), the Run for Colorado Scholarship honoring a high school classmate lost to violence, their faith, how they met and got engaged, and what it's really like navigating NFL life as a couple who insists on staying grounded and involved. If this conversation moved you, you can support the Alex Highsmith Family Foundation using the link below. What We Cover (00:52) The biggest misconception about running an athlete-led nonprofit (02:41) Announcing Alex's Locker Room — fighting food insecurity in partner high schools (04:59) Alyssa's background as a certified nutritionist and nurse (07:11) Getting to know the Highsmiths: partner-interview questions about each other (11:41) What Alyssa does behind the scenes that makes the foundation possible (14:22) The foundation pillar that feels most "Alyssa" (14:52) The back-to-school bash story that stuck with Alyssa (16:33) The Dancing Grandma Scholarship and honoring Alex's grandmother (19:26) Why empathy for kids who lack resources matters to the Highsmiths (20:41) Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination vs. winning a Super Bowl (24:03) Alex on identity beyond football and his faith (31:55) How Alex proposed to Alyssa (34:01) What sets Alyssa apart as an NFL wife who still works full-time (35:05) Creating a safe space for NFL wives navigating trades, moves, and isolation (36:47) Trusting people's intentions at a public level (38:33) Biggest wins and biggest challenges facing the foundation today (40:23) Alex's dream partnership: Dick's Sporting Goods (45:15) If given $100 million: Alex's vision for a foundation facility and school (49:15) Where to donate and support the Alex Highsmith Family Foundation Support the Alex Highsmith Family Foundation 👉 Website: AlexHighsmithFamilyFoundation.org 👉 Instagram & Facebook: linked in bio Can't give financially? Subscribe to the foundation's newsletter, follow along with Alex's "Fuel Up Fridays," and share their mission — community support matters as much as dollars.
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July 25 · 53 min
Jennifer George on Building Girls Basketball Worldwide, Athlete Identity & Life After Sports
She showed up to a $50,000 boarding school with no shoes — and that moment changed everything. In this episode of The Giving Game, host Sophie Whitesell sits down with Jennifer George, founder of Girls Basketball Worldwide Foundation, for a wide-ranging, no-sports-talk conversation about basketball as a tool, not an identity. Jennifer shares the origin story behind her foundation, born from her time playing for Jamaica's national women's basketball team and coaching at Montverde Academy, where she watched firsthand how talent alone isn't enough — kids from humble beginnings need real support to make the most of life-changing opportunities. Jennifer opens up about growing up in Orlando with a strict, British-military father and a "yes mom" who balanced things out, choosing recreation and event management over criminology after a rocky freshman year, and building a decade-long career as a strength and conditioning coach before founding her nonprofit. She and Sophie dig into life without kids by choice, the "rich auntie" life, and why nobody questions men the way they question women who don't want children. The conversation turns candid around athlete identity: Jennifer's advice for young athletes on separating self-worth from performance, the danger of treating sports as "the end all be all," and why she pushes girls in her program to know who they are outside the game. She also talks about the power of the Professional Athletes Community (PAC), the real cost and stigma athlete-led nonprofits face when competing for donor dollars against big-name organizations, and a brand-new partnership with Bras for Girls to support middle schoolers navigating an awkward age. If Jennifer's story moved you, consider supporting Girls Basketball Worldwide Foundation using the links below. What We Cover (00:46) What is Girls Basketball Worldwide, and why it started with a girl who had no shoes (02:43) Basketball as the tool, not the goal: Jennifer's path to college (03:32) Failing pre-law, finding recreation and event management at Florida (05:00) What separates a good event from a great one (06:51) Life without kids by choice — and the "rich auntie" mentality (09:10) Family background: a British military dad, a 96-year-old father, and growing up in Orlando (13:27) Bora Bora, bucket-list travel, and Jennifer's annual Jamaica trips with the foundation (16:43) Nerding out on sociology and strength & conditioning (24:54) Planning her exit from pro basketball before it happened (27:12) Advice for athletes on the transition out of sport (29:52) The danger of tying your worth to your performance (32:48) How social media, NIL, and year-round sports have changed youth athletics (38:31) Pro Athlete Community (PAC): building real relationships beyond networking events (45:33) Jennifer's 5-year vision for the foundation (47:37) Individual donors, golf scrambles, and what actually moves the needle (50:01) Why athlete-led nonprofits struggle for donor credibility — and why they deserve it (54:33) How to get involved with Girls Basketball Worldwide Foundation (55:30) New partnership announcement: Bras for Girls Support Girls Basketball Worldwide Foundation 👉 Website: girlsbasketballwf.org 👉 Social: Girls Basketball Worldwide (Instagram) Donations, sponsorships, and partnership inquiries can be made directly through the website.
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July 17 · 57 min
MMA Fighter Justin Wren on Addiction, Recovery & Fighting for Congo's Forgotten Pygmy Tribe
What happens when an MMA fighter stops fighting against people and starts fighting for them? In this episode of The Giving Game, host Sophie Whitesell sits down with Justin Wren — former MMA fighter, keynote speaker, and founder of Fight for the Forgotten — for a conversation that goes far beyond the cage. True to the show's rules, there's no sports talk here. Instead, Justin opens up about hitting rock bottom with addiction, surviving two suicide attempts, and the sunrise that changed everything. Justin shares how he was adopted into the Pygmy tribes of the Congo Basin rainforest — the Mbuti, Efe, and Batwa peoples, among the oldest and most marginalized people groups on Earth — and how that second family inspired a nonprofit unlike any other. Fight for the Forgotten has helped secure over 3,000 acres of land rights, brought clean water to more than 100,000 people through 200+ sustainable water projects, and recently opened a critical access hospital with a thriving maternity ward. Every donation to Fight for the Forgotten during this campaign will be TRIPLED thanks to two matching gifts. Give at the link below and turn $10 into $30. What We Cover (00:00) The sunrise that saved Justin's life (02:02) The 3X matching gift — every donation tripled (02:54) What is Fight for the Forgotten? Justin's adoption into the Pygmy tribe (05:01) Why 230,000+ water wells in Africa are broken — and how to build ones that last (07:53) "Slow down and listen": the problem with fly-in, fly-out charity (12:02) Sophie's Ugandan colleague on "patronizing" Western aid (19:31) Voluntourism vs. expert volunteers — and the new Base Camp project (21:38) Rock bottom: addiction, treatment, and how the mission found Justin (22:59) Andy Bo's story: the $1 pills that could have saved a child's life (26:06) Why the Pygmy people had no land rights — and reclaiming 3,000+ acres (28:37) Modern-day slavery: 400,000–600,000 Mbuti enslaved in the Congo (31:28) Finding home in the rainforest (and surviving malaria six times) (37:58) Fight for Her: the women-led initiative behind the new maternity ward (39:27) Meeting Amy — love, relapse, and second chances (44:25) Be a lighthouse, not a lifeguard: supporting someone through addiction (47:27) How Justin learned to forgive himself: purpose through service (50:36) "I can't afford rehab" — Justin's honest answer (54:22) The yellow shoes, the second suicide attempt, and the most epic sunrise of his life About Justin Wren Justin Wren is a former professional MMA fighter turned humanitarian, keynote speaker, and founder of Fight for the Forgotten, a nonprofit dedicated to building better lives for the Pygmy peoples of the Congo Basin through holistic, locally led community development — land rights, clean water, farming, education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihoods. Two matching donors mean every dollar you give right now is worth three. A $10 gift becomes $30. A $100 gift becomes $300. 👉 Donate at fightfortheforgotten.org or fftf.org Connect with Justin Wren Website: fightfortheforgotten.org Instagram: @thebigpygmy
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July 10 · 1 hr 5 min
Soccer as a Tool for Social Change: Dr. Hajar Abulfazl's Inspiring Journey
In this episode, Dr. Hajar Abulfazl shares her inspiring journey from Afghanistan to the US, highlighting how soccer empowers refugee and immigrant youth, especially girls, to build confidence, leadership, and community. Discover how sport can be a tool for healing, advocacy, and social change.
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July 6 · 38 min
From Navy to NASCAR: Jesse Iwuji's Journey of Giving
In this episode, Jesse Iwuji shares his journey from Navy officer to race car driver and philanthropist. We explore his charitable work with veterans, kids facing illnesses, and organizations supporting long-term missions, emphasizing the importance of giving back and living with purpose.
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