Ashland Area YMCA Teams Up with Cincinnati Bengals’ Cornerback- Cam Taylor to Tackle Hunger
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
Childhood hunger is a harsh reality for far too many families with millions of children across the country facing food insecurity daily. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the Ashland Area YMCA and Cincinnati Bengals Cornerback, Cam Taylor-Britt have joined forces to tackle hunger throughout the community and provide much-needed support to those who need it most.
In 2022, Cam was a second-round draft pick for the Bengals and quickly emerged as the team’s number-one cornerback. He started in twelve games during the 2023 season and is a powerhouse both on and off the field. His nickname is “Cam-Juice,” and anyone who recognizes him knows that he brings a lot of compassion and energy to the table with anything he does.
Cam has channeled that energy into a program he holds near and dear to his heart by establishing the J.U.I.C.E. Family Foundation. The mission of this foundation is to improve the lives of underserved communities and provide resources and support that can empower children and families with the hope of experiencing life to the fullest. This foundation provides the hygienic needs of those who need it most.
Once Cam got word of what the Ashland Area YMCA was trying to do to help the community’s children, he knew he wanted to be a part of making that happen. On March 16 from 1-4 p.m., the Ashland Area YMCA will host a free meet and greet. Attendees can gain access to the event by simply donating five nonperishable food items.
The Ashland Area YMCA shared, “We’re thrilled to announce our star-studded food drive with Cam Taylor-Britt of the Cincinnati Bengals. We’ve teamed up with Cam Britt-Taylor and the JUICE Family Foundation to feed hope back into our communities. Are you ready to be part of something incredible? Let’s unite, donate, and make a difference! All food items will be donated to school pantries throughout Northeast Kentucky!”
As a standout player for the Cincinnati Bengals, Taylor-Britt brings both star power and a deep commitment to giving back to his community. Paired with the Ashland Area YMCA's extensive network and dedication to youth development, this partnership has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of children facing hunger.
In addition to Cam Britt-Taylor and his JUICE Family Foundation, the Ashland Area YMCA has also teamed up with United Way and the Vanguard Vision Training Center to make this event as successful as possible. Scott Campbell, Executive Director of the Ashland Area YMCA shared, “God has put us all three together. We feel like God is really going to do something special here through several different avenues.”
Marshall Tyson, CEO of United Way, shared, “We are finding out that a lot of the kids are having to go home hungry. Through our Bridge Builders Program, we are able to see what the specific needs of the children are and address how to help them. Our goal with this food drive is to raise money and awareness to this issue. Marathon and KDMC have been very supportive of this and donated around 30K to help us with this mission. There are lots of food pantries and opportunities for people to take advantage of across Kentucky, but there are gaps in these programs. What I mean by that is they might only be open during certain times and not everyone can go get food when they need it. So, what we are trying to do is make sure that everyone has access to food anytime they need it. Our goal is to fill in those gaps and make sure that no child goes home hungry. This is a chance for us to put more food in the schools and into the programs that we are working with so that none of these kids go home hungry.”
The Vanguard Vision Training Center is a state-of-the-art visual and cognitive training facility designed to take athletes' games to the next level is very excited about the potential of this food drive. Bo Wampler who is the owner of the Vanguard Vision Training Center shared, “I realized that there are kids that don’t eat and if they don’t eat, they don’t perform well. Cam Taylor Brit just started a foundation last year that makes sure that kids have hygiene items that they need. We are very fortunate that Cam Taylor-Britt just recently moved to the area and wanted to get more involved to help make a difference in the lives of others.”
The collaboration between the Ashland Area YMCA, United Way, The Vanguard Vision Training Center, and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Cam Taylor-Britt represents a powerful synergy between sports and community service. This quad-partnership has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of children facing hunger.
