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Entertainment, NGO & Charities, Philanthropy

Players’ Philanthropy Fund: Interview With Matt Stover

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Professional athletes are always looked up to as heroes for what they do in their respective sports, but it’s the athletes that use their influence for the greater good that inspires us. I looked around for some of these athletes who have taken their passion for sports, and combined with a passion for helping others, to start their own philanthropies and improve the quality of life for others.

The first athlete I was fortunate enough to be introduced to was former NFL player, and two time Super Bowl Champion, Matt Stover. Matt was a place kicker for 12 years in the NFL before retiring in 2008. Being around the game for so long made him realize that there needed to be a place where other current and former athletes could give back by starting their own philanthropies or donating money in a safe and secure environment. This led Matt to create the Player’s Philanthropy Fund (PPF).

I talked to Matt to see how his organization came about.

MattStoverPodium       In the Photo: Matt Stover Speaking at a PPF event.

Q. How did growing up in Dallas, Texas influence your professional career and where you are now?

My opportunity came about in Dallas because of soccer and football being so popular. I played Soccer until 8th grade but my motor skills with kicking translated to high school football very well. That allowed me to get an athletic scholarship to Louisana Tech and from there went on to play in the NFL. With the influence that I gained through my years of playing in the NFL, I’ve been able to create the Player’s Philanthropy Fund to help out current athletes and the charities that they provide donations for to improve the wellbeing of others.

Q. What influences went into creating the Player’s Philanthropy Fund and how does it work?

The fact that I had a deep knowledge of charitable giving. Having the platform given to me and being a player rep. You have a privilege and have the ability to make the world a better place. Use your platform and put it to work. Foundations didn’t understand setting up your own charities and legal issues, tax returns. What we do at PPF is a Donor-advised Fund – essentially the players’ funds are in a tax-free account and managed by an advisor who then will send a donation safely to the charity of an athlete’s choice whenever they would like. The players job is to raise or personally give the funds to the PPF who maximizes the philanthropic giving while protecting their finances and reputations.

Q. Describe a typical day for you and the PPF?

My job is to communicate our message of how we work with pro athletes, to market and get the message out and athletes, managers will come and simplify their charitable givings. TV, radio, and mainly social media are used to get the word out. I work with Brandon Warehime (Social Media and Marketing) and Eleanor Shriver Magee (Consultant) and it’s from there that we create the relationships with people so that they will come and utilize our platform.

MattStover-FeulUp        In the Photo: Fuel Up to Play

Q. Is there a big picture goal for Player’s Philanthropy Fund and if so what is it?

There absolutely is a big picture goal for the PPF. We want to be the first contact for all associations, leagues, and professional players when thinking about starting their own charitable fund or organization. It’s to use our influence to make the world a better place, improving the livelihood of professional athletes and the charities and philanthropies that are receiving the donations.

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Webb       In the Photo: Baltimore Ravens’ great Lardarius Webb signing autographs at his charity softball game.

Q. What is the most impactful thing you see from your organization in the community?

The most impactful thing would be the transparency that Players’ Philanthropy Fund provides. Athletes can choose any charity at any time to donate through our platform but it can only be 501C3 charities. This provides people on the outside looking in to know and trust that the proper funds are being sent to legit philanthropies. There’s been numerous instances where a player’s money has ended up in the pockets of the wrong people and not doing the world any good.

 

Stoverandkids         In the Photo: Matt Stover

Q. What are some commonalities between sports and philanthropies in your opinion?

I’d have to say trust. Building trust is the most important thing when it comes to relationships, whether that is on a team with other players or as a businessman, nothing happens without trust.

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About the Author /

Nick currently resides in San Francisco where he works on the marketing side for Thingser.com and is a columnist for Impakter Magazine. His passion lies in sports and he has combined that with his interest in philanthropies to uncover athletes who have given back in their communities.

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The food industry is coming under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, from greenhouse gas emissions, to excessive and detrimental land and water usage, to chemical pollution. Given the challenge of feeding a growing world population whilst simultaneously needing to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts, clearly we need to look at alternatives to “dinner as usual”. The contribution of livestock to global greenhouse emissions is estimated at between 14.5 – 18%. Fortunately, there are companies who are tackling this challenge head on and looking at how emissions from food production can be reduced. With consumer interest increasing in alternatives to meat and other protein sources, we’ve spoken to the founders of three companies. From the seemingly futuristic to the rediscovery of superfood trees, each company tackles this new drive in consumer interest in different ways.

Solar Foods, Finland

Dr Pasi Vainnika is the CEO and co-founder of Solar Foods. The slogan of the company is “Food out of thin air”. Pasi was formerly in charge of the single largest renewable energy program in Finland. However, when he found out that 20-25% of the emissions come from food, he realized that emissions from this sector needed to be addressed, as well as those in the energy sector. But with the growth in affordable and renewable energy – particularly solar energy– it led him and his team to question the possibility of producing food solely from energy, carbon dioxide, and water. It turns out, the answer is yes. Solein is a unique single cell protein. It is produced using a fully natural fermentation process like that of the production of yeast or lactic acid bacteria. The powder, which is produced from the process, is 50% protein, 5-10% fat and 20-25% carbohydrate. Most likely, the first product to reach the consumer market will be a replacement in existing plant-based foods. For example, using Solein in shakes or as an alternative to dairy in milks, yogurts, and even in breads and pasta. In the future, a lasagna could include the protein in all aspects of the recipe: the sauce, in the pasta sheets, and in the filling. Further into the future, there is also the possibility that it could be used as the basis for cultured meat production.
In the Photo: Solein Can be used in smoothies as a protein alternative. Photo Credit: Shawn Fields - Unsplash
To produce a kilo of the protein powder takes 10 liters of water in comparison to the 2500 liters of water for a kilo of soy or 15,500 liters for a kilo of beef. Electricity is the main raw material, and the plan is to source this from renewable energy sources. Additionally, Solein binds carbon dioxide rather than emitting it, easing pressure on land use. The product is currently going through regulatory checks and testing at the moment, with a plan to launch in 2021. NASA and the Soviet Union space programs had started to investigate in similar protein production for their expeditions in the past, but Solar Foods has brought it down to earth.

Higher Steaks, United Kingdom

Whilst some people are switching to plant-based diets and others have reduced their meat consumption, some others still want to keep meat in their diets but are looking for more environmentally friendly options. This is where lab-based meat comes in. Benjamina Bollag, CEO and co-founder of Higher Steaks, a UK-based company, believes that it is important to provide alternatives to meat with a lower carbon footprint, but that taste as close as possible to the real thing. She believes that the change required in human behavior to cut emissions will not happen fast enough otherwise. This approach is confirmed by research they have conducted. 52% of respondents confirmed that they would switch from conventional meat to the Higher Steaks alternative, with 21% saying they would prefer a plant-based diet. There are different ways of producing lab-based meat. The process that Higher Steaks is developing is based on pluripotent stem cells, which are taken from a small skin patch or blood sample. The meat that is grown is then shaped into products. Currently, Higher Steaks is working primarily on pork products.
In Photo: Higher Steaks will eventually release pork as its first lab-cultured meat. Photo Credit: Yvonne Lee Harijanto - Unsplash
The company has yet to conduct a lifecycle assessment of the lab-grown meat, but given the high levels of environmental impact from meat production, it should be safe to say that Higher Steaks products will be more sustainable. In addition, as Benjamina explains, other advantages include the avoidance of antibiotic use, resulting in a product which is better for the consumer as well. The level of fat can also be adjusted, depending on consumer preference. The company is working to have the first products in shops within 3-5 years.

Barukas, Brazil

Barukas proves that you don’t always to have to look to the future for more sustainable food sources. Sometimes it is about rediscovering and making available a food source which has been around for a long time to a wider audience. The baruzeiro tree, native to Brazil, has been a long-time source of nutrition for people living in the Cerrado, the vast savannah at the heart of Brazil. The tree produces a fruit, which contains the baru nut. It was the nutritional profile of the baru nut that initially attracted Seth Tuckerman, who had formerly been the COO of Beachbody, a fitness business. The nuts are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and are lower in fat than typical nuts. The taste is often described as a cross between peanuts and almonds. In fact, Tuckerman’s immediate thought on tasting them was “low calorie almonds”. Tuckerman’s passion is not only about the positive health benefits, but also about the trees and the mutual benefits for the communities where they grew.
In Photo: Baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas
Tuckerman became a co-founder of Barukas Incorporated. They are on a mission to plant 20 million baruzeiro trees – as a start. The trees need little water and – as native trees – they are already ideally suited to the Cerrado conditions. First, Barukas must prove that there is a market for the fruit of the existing trees. As such, the company is encouraging those living in the Cerrado to collect the nuts by guaranteeing to buy them, then creating customer demand for the nuts. Collecting the fruit from existing trees helps to preserve them from being cleared for intensive and invasive agricultural methods such as soy plantations. Likewise, planting new trees helps to reverse the deforestation of Cerrado. A report by the Climate Observatory estimated that the destruction of surface vegetation in the Cerrado released 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. This is roughly two-and-half times the annual tailpipe emissions from all cars in Brazil.
In Photo: Closer look at the baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas.
From talking with these three pioneers, it is now clearer than ever that we need multiple solutions to address how to sustainably feed a growing population. We need to cut the carbon emissions and reduce other environmental impacts such as water and land use associated with food production. Some of these solutions are a little way off in the future, but others are available now. We are what we eat, but our choices will increasingly determine what kind of future we will live in as well.   EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
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