Photo by Mike Morbeck
“I went from being born in hospital to homelessness,” says NFL pro James Jones. “It was a rough childhood.”
Not a bed of roses
James Jones, 31, is a wide receiver for the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. He has a successful career, a beautiful wife and two young sons. But life hasn’t always been rosy for Jones.
Jones grew up on the streets of San Jose, literally. He, his mother and his sister were homeless. When hunger got the best of him, he went to a pizza place where he cried and begged. The staff at the pizza place were so touched by his desperation that they gave him two whole large pizzas to share with his family. That was one of the rare nights his family had full stomachs when they went to bed.
James and his family would spend nights at shelters and other nights on the streets. “We lived on the streets for 15 years,” recalls Jones. “I remember sitting on a park bench and promising my mum that I would buy her a house one day. She encouraged me and made me believe it would happen.”
The turning point
Jones journey to the NFL began with the help of John Larrea who spotted him playing basketball in fourth grade. He approached him and asked him to join his Pop Warner team and offered to pay the $250 needed to play.
Larrea paid the fee all five years that Jones played. He, a single father, became a father figure to Jones. Jones would even sleep over at his house.
Jones and his family moved into his grandmother’s home when Jones turned 15. This allowed him a stable base for high school. Jones’ own mother and father were heavy drug users at the time.
Jones became a star player and received a scholarship to San Jose State University. While there, his coach, Keith Williams, encouraged him to take his studies seriously. He turned pro in 2007.
Giving back
With his great success, Jones has never forgotten his homeless journey. He founded Love Jones 4 Kids Foundation with his wife Tamika in 2008. The foundation helps underprivileged kids take part in football camps and provides food and inspiration for them.
The wide receiver also works with San Jose’s Family Supportive Housing when he return’s home and Freedom House when in Green Bay. He also visits the homeless shelter he lived in to offer support and serve meals.
He kept his promise to his mother and bought her a house after his first year in the NFL. She’s been drug free for 15 years.
