DONATE
About
the jason taylor foundation

Innovative, impactful programming

Giving back.  It is a simple concept, but one not grasped often enough.  One person who fully understands what it means to give back, however is Jason Taylor, legendary Miami Dolphins Defensive End and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017.  From his humble beginnings as a Pittsburgh youth serving as a missionary, to his endless hours of community involvement as an NFL superstar, Jason Taylor has always given something of himself to those less fortunate.

In July 2004, Jason’s philanthropy inspired him to establish the Jason Taylor Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization. The Foundation’s mission is to support and create programs that facilitate the personal growth and empowerment of South Florida’s children in need by focusing on improved health care, education and quality of life.

Since opening its doors, the Jason Taylor Foundation has contributed more than $12,000,000 in programs and services to benefit youth.  The Holtz Children’s Hospital officially renamed its recreational and educational facility “The Jason Taylor Children’s Learning Center” and more than 50 middle school students have been awarded college scholarships as a result of the Foundation’s work with Take Stock in Children.

The Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network

The Jason Taylor Foundation prides itself on innovative, impactful programming.  Every September 60 deserving children are each given a $300 back-to-school shopping opportunity at Old Navy as part of the “Cool Gear for the School Year” program.  To date, nearly $400,000 in new clothes has been awarded.  Currently, nearly 60 middle school students attend the Jason Taylor Reading Room at New Renaissance Middle School, a comprehensive after-school program designed to address academic challenges among inner-city youth, particularly in the areas of literacy. The Reading Room also incubated a Spoken Word Poetry component that became a full-blown network, now featuring more than 50 schools across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties. The Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network rapidly expanded across school districts through its “Louder Than a Bomb Florida” festival, which brings school-based poetry teams together to showcase this art form through a friendly competition, while providing teens from diverse backgrounds a common vehicle for written and performance-based self-expression. Most recently, the Foundation added a Careers in Sports Network designed to provide South Florida high school students with equitable access to resources and best practices in the sports industry.

With Jason’s undying commitment and the continued support of community members and civic leaders alike, the Jason Taylor Foundation will work tirelessly to achieve its goal of building a better future for the youth of South Florida.