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Food and football, the reason for Thanksgiving, weren’t the only things a special group of kids took away from a visit from Philadelphia Eagles star Jordan Davis. They walked away with something much more – a sense of belonging and being valued.
The kids ran around the gym at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Camden, New Jersey, as Davis’ voice echoed off the walls.
“White 80, set hut!” he was heard shouting.
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Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (90) reacts after a Detroit Lions turnover on downs during the second half of an NFL football game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 16, 2025. (Matt Slocum/AP Photo)
The kids ran around trying to catch Davis’ wild spirals after decorating festive crafts and stuffing their faces with turkey. While Davis showed them the technical aspects of the game, there was a deeper meaning at play.
From the Linc to the gymnasium, Davis ensured his community had something to be thankful for. He helped distribute the first 60 turkeys of 1,400 the center is providing. He also stayed for a Thanksgiving meal and taught the kids the game he loves.
“Football and life have a lot of lessons that coexist in each other,” Davis said. “If it wasn’t for sports, I wouldn’t know anything about management.”
Davis was adamant that the lessons he learned through football made him the man he is today. To understand early on that his role is bigger than himself. The lessons he learned in life he applied to the field, and that tangible connection, he says, is what drives him to give back.
For some it meant a lot.
“Regardless of your social status, you can help anyone at any time, even if you’re still in a tough place or going through a lot,” said 12-year-old Hector Rosario, who often attends events hosted by the Salvation Army.
Veronica Ramirez, standing next to her son, smiled.
She said she feels that when people of Davis’ stature come back to be a player in the community, they are involved, it shows their humility.
“Coming here around the holidays is such a blessing,” she said.
Ramirez added that giving does not come from one person alone.
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Jordan Davis (90) of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on against the Denver Broncos at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 5, 2025. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
“With volunteer work, it takes more than one,” she said. “Everyone is close, from the volunteers all the way up to the big ones.”
Davis emphasized that idea, saying it reflects how football works.
“The Salvation Army and the team I play for, we all have goals we want to achieve,” he continued. “But it requires everyone. It requires each person to spend time and effort to get to where we want to go.”
At a time when food insecurity is high, it takes a village to give people the support they need.
Cited in Feeding America’s 2023 report, more than 210,000 Philadelphians, or 13.6% of those living in the city, struggle with food insecurity.
Additionally, the report found that communities of color are more vulnerable, as 22% of black and 23% of Hispanic families lack access to nutritious food.
In Camden County, New Jersey alone, overall food insecurity hit 12.7% in 2023, affecting 66,570 residents.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania allocated over $40 million to food banks, farmers market vouchers and other assistance for what officials call a “growing hunger crisis.”
However, she went on to list the programs that her son and others nationwide benefit from.
Davis agreed, saying the precise programs available to the youth help with their development and are “near and dear to him.”
“I feel like not a lot of people use their voice, so I thought I’d be someone to stand up and make sure it’s heard.”
As a child, Davis and his family once received donations from the Salvation Army when they faced hard times. Now that he’s pushing past the finish line and providing that same help and positive reassurance to young children, it’s a full-circle moment for him.
“It’s an opportunity to use the skills I’ve learned over the years, experience in the community and community service I received as a child combined in me, and this is the perfect opportunity to do that [volunteer] around the holiday season,” he said.
For Rosario, this full-circle connection is what makes this place feel like home, a space where his favorite childhood memories are simultaneously built and anxiety melts away. Children feel supported by people like Davis and the volunteers around him.
“It’s a way to take all your insecurities away and a place for me to have fun and forget about what’s going on outside.”
When asked what Rosario learned, he explained that when competition is on the line, he gets upset if he doesn’t win, but it doesn’t matter.
“It’s not what you win, it’s what you do for the Lord.”
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This simple feeling has helped him come a long way, and taught him that even in loss, there is purpose and meaning to every loss.
