{"id":12168,"date":"2021-08-10T09:41:19","date_gmt":"2021-08-10T13:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/?p=12168"},"modified":"2021-08-10T09:53:06","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T13:53:06","slug":"12168","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/news\/12168\/","title":{"rendered":"Why We Established Cool Gear for the School Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Why We Established Cool Gear for the School Year
\nby Jason Taylor<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t grow up with much.<\/p>\n

My Mom busted her tail, working at least two jobs per day to make sure we were fed and had a place to live, but I\u2019d be lying if I said I didn\u2019t know what it was like to stand in line waiting for government assistance.<\/p>\n

And as a tall, skinny kid who was growing faster than my peers, I certainly experienced my share of embarrassment because my clothes didn\u2019t fit right. Too small. Too generic. Too much like somebody else\u2019s old clothes because, well\u2026they were.<\/p>\n

Years later, while playing defensive end for the Miami Dolphins, we had a saying in the locker room:<\/p>\n

\u201cLook good, feel good. Feel good, play good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, while that was a fun way to get us hyped up for a big game, it also speaks volumes to the power of self-belief and empowerment. Of course, as I reflect on some of my childhood experiences, I realize that this mantra also extends far beyond the gridiron.<\/p>\n

For these reasons, I established the \u201cCool Gear for the School Year<\/strong><\/a><\/span>\u201d initiative through my Foundation back in 2005. Our mission with this program is to help build each child\u2019s self-esteem and eliminate the unnecessary distraction in school that comes with not feeling good about the clothing you are wearing. \u00a0I want kids to be able to focus on their studies and not their attire while they sit in a classroom.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Each year, we take 40-60 deserving young people to the Old Navy<\/strong><\/a><\/span> store in Davie and provide them with $300 to purchase their new \u201cCool Gear\u201d as the school year begins.<\/p>\n

This Labor Day will mark our 17th<\/sup> Cool Gear and to date, we have provided nearly $290,000 in new clothes to more than 950 young people\u2026and we can\u2019t wait to do more!<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we approach our fundraising goal for this year\u2019s effort, I hope that you will consider supporting Cool Gear for the School Year. One hundred percent of any donation you make will go directly to the purchase of new clothing, outfitting a student, and putting plenty of smiles on some very special faces.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[image src=”http:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Secondary.Image_.Cool_.Gear_.JT_.Blog_.Jerome.Baker_.900×900-300×300.png” shape=”img-rounded”] \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 [image src=”http:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/coolgear_final-featured-image.600×600-300×300.png” shape=”img-rounded”] \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 [image src=”http:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Secondary.Image_.Cool_.Gear_.JT_.Blog_.Party_.900×900-300×300.png” shape=”img-rounded”]<\/p>\n

 
\n