100 Suits for 100 Men: Colin Kaepernick Donates $33k & 50 Suits To Aid Former Inmates
Colin Kaepernick was "the most stylish man in the history of the NFL"—GQ Magazine said it! The quarterback’s been featured in the pages of fashion mags wearing upmarket styles by Sandro, Christian Louboutin, and Acne Studios, to name a few. He knows that looking good is actually important, and it helps him to be a role model.
“I want to be a representative of the African community, and I want to hold myself and dress myself in a way that reflects that. I want black kids to see me and think: ‘Okay, he’s carrying himself as a black man, and that’s how a black man should carry himself,’” Kaepernick told Mr Porter in an interview.
Now he’s putting his money—and his fashion—where his mouth is. The former San Francisco 49ers QB recently donated $33,000 to 100 Suits for 100 Men, a Jamaica-based organization that’s assisting formerly incarcerated men and women by helping them get jobs and giving them free business threads, haircuts and job training. The activist/athlete also gave the group 50 custom-made suits.
That’s huge! It is such a great help to the charity and to the young men who can walk proud in suits donated by “the most stylish man in the history of the NFL.”
Entrepreneur and community activist Kevin Livingston started 100 Suits for 100 Men seven years ago, and the 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization has attracted judges, retired DAs, and celebrities like Kaepernick, Charlemagne Tha God and Snoop Dogg to rally for their cause.
According to a statement on Kaepernick’s website, the money he donated will cover the costs of dry cleaning, the purchase of new suits and shirts, repairs to the program’s transportation vehicle, gas for weekly trips to Rikers Island, office supplies and equipment, as well as stipends for volunteers.
Kaepernick has a "Million Dollar Pledge" he's working on, and 100 Suits for 100 Men is just one of his many worthy projects.
The nonprofit doesn’t stop there: it also tailors the free suits to fit the recipients, teaches them how to tie a tie, to shake hands properly…everything that goes with the look is as important.
“The mission of 100 Suits for 100 Men is to help underprivileged men and women improve their role in society, build dignity and self-esteem, foster self-sufficiency, dispel stereotypes, and promote community involvement in order to build each other up,” says Livingston.
Livingston was once homeless himself, so he’s well aware that community support is essential to getting a leg-up in society.
We love sharing stories like these—kudos to not only the wealthy celebs who can afford to help, but also the volunteers, and the folks who benefit from the program who are trying to better their lives.
