Big River Gives Back: JJK Foundation

When you shop at Big River, you make a difference in the community. Big River supports St. Louis charities by donating 10% of sales of all Big River branded apparel and accessories through our Big River Gives Back program. We are thrilled to have the Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation as our current Big River Gives Back charity partner.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, winner of six Olympic Medals, is considered by ESPN to be one of the 50 Great Athletes of All Time, and was voted Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated for Women. She is the first woman to win back-to-back gold medals in the heptathlon, the first African American woman to win an Olympic Medal in the long jump, and the first woman to score 7,000 points in the heptathlon.

Born and raised in East St. Louis, Jackie is committed to ensuring that all children have access to high quality after-school programs, safe recreational places within their communities, and caring adults to help them achieve their dreams. Jackie is the heart and soul of this organization, and serves as living proof that kids in East St. Louis can dare to dream big and if they have the drive and determination, they can accomplish anything they desire.

Big River Gives Back will specifically be providing shoes for all of the kids who participate in the after school program at the Jackie Joyner Kersee Center. We recently visit the Center and measured the feet of lots and lots of kids so we can get them in a new pair of properly fitting athletic shoes. There are more than 100 participants in the after school program, so this is a big deal.

Want to know how you can help? Shop Big River apparel in-store and online to support the great work Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation does in our community. Thanks Big River Nation for shopping local and impacting local!