U.K. football player helps bring awareness to everyday struggles of homelessness

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A University of Kentucky football player going the extra mile to help bring awareness to the struggles faced every day by people experiencing homelessness. U.K.’s tight end Jordan Dingle has partnered with the Catholic Action Center (CAC), using money earned from his ‘name, image and likeness’, or NIL, deal to support the non-profit.

“He’s connecting us to Big Blue Nation in a way we couldn’t,” says Ginney Ramsey, director and co-founder of the CAC.

The CAC began an Awareness Campaign in January. From February to November, the community is invited to share a meal with people living on the street and get to know them more with a guided discussion. The center says the conversations will be sponsored by an organization or faith group to provide a safe space and meals.

“Many of the students and many fans may not be watching for what’s happening in Lexington with homelessness, but Jordan will be the voice and Jordan will let it be known that it’s something we all need to be aware of and all need to be helpful with and compassionate about,” says Ramsey.

Dingle says his goal while helping during this campaign is to shed light on the many daily struggles homeless people face that we may not think of.

“Just being from Kentucky and just kind of seeing the area of Lexington and downtown, I see a lot of homelessness, a lot of people out there that’s in need and I just want to do what I can to help and make a difference,” says Dingle.

The CAC has a Homelessness Awareness IQ quiz on its website which reveals the struggles faced by many homeless people on a daily basis. Dingle himself took the quiz.

“I mean, it wasn’t the best honestly, I’m not going to lie. But it just really goes to show that the different worlds that people come from,” says Dingle. “Like it’s not as accessible as we might think for them to find a shelter or go and find food or have certain services provided to them such as a shower or anything like that.”

Dingle hopes to continue the work throughout the year and get teammates to join him to have conversations with people at the Catholic Action Center to humanize the problems they’re facing and allow them to share their stories.

“We’re blessed and it’s always good to give back,” says Dingle.

Volunteers and people taking shelter at the CAC say with Dingle’s partnership, they hope to see more people getting involved with homelessness prevention and donating supplies.

“We’re human too, just like you are. We may be homeless and live at the Catholic Action Center but we’re just as human as the ones that live in homes,” says CAC volunteer Buddy Bentley.

For information on how to get involved with the Awareness Campaign, visit the Catholic Action Center website at the link HERE.