GREEN BAY – They grew up together. They played sports together. Now, Packers running back Aaron Jones and his twin brother Alvin Jr. are partnering to start their own foundation.
The Jones Bros. announced Tuesday they are establishing the A&A All the Way Foundation, aiming to make an impact in the lives of our nation's youth through charitable giving and action.
Aaron and Alvin Jr. have run a free football camp in their hometown of El Paso, Texas, since Aaron's rookie season with the Packers in 2017, but they wanted to go a step further to create opportunities for youth like they enjoyed as children.
"There's not a lot of people who come from where we come from," Aaron Jones said. "So we wanted to use our platform to let those kids know, 'Hey, we've done it. We don't have to be the only ones, you can do this as well.' If these kids are in need, then they have resources.
"That's one of the ways I narrowed it down to kids and just helping them overcome things so they can get past the hump and really start their life in whatever avenue it may be."
The foundation already has started working towards events and initiatives in both Green Bay and El Paso that educate and promote unity and diversity across multiple communities.
They currently have turkey and bike giveaways planned for November and December, respectively. As the children of two retired U.S. Army sergeants, Aaron and Alvin Jr. grew up understanding the importance of family and civil service.
"Just being able to come home at the end of the day and know your family is there and they love you (matters)," Aaron said. "And you're making them proud. Not only by the things you're doing on the field, but also the things you're doing off the field. Some of the things I do off the field makes my mom more proud than what I do on the field because it's about being a great person."
Alvin Jr., who played linebacker at UTEP with Aaron and was most recently a member of the Baltimore Ravens, has been living with Aaron in Green Bay.
After spending the past three years apart, the twins have enjoyed the chance to reconnect and are excited to give back to the communities that supported them in a new way.
"I think it's important for us to start it because really all you have in life is hope," Alvin Jr. said. "(In) football we feel like we've both been overlooked but we've always had someone in our corner pushing us. It's to give back to people who can't do things that other people can do just because that's the hand they were dealt. You can make it out of any situation."
For more information, visit the A&A All The Way Foundation website at www.aaalltheway.org.
