People have always looked up to Seattle Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung, literally. His 6-foot-5 stature guaranteed that. But with the work he does off the field through his UP Foundation, people look up to Okung figuratively as well as literally.
On the field, Okung is the blindside protector for rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, as well as part of a respected Seahawks offensive line that opens running lanes for Marshawn Lynch. Okung was recently voted to Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, recognizing the contribution he has made to a vastly improving Seahawks offense. Off the field, he gives countless hours of his time working with kids through his UP Foundation.
Okung had to deal with a lot of adversity himself growing up, and now that he has succeeded at the highest level of sports, his focus is on ensuring that kids have the tools they need to succeed. He describes the mission of his charity as to “reach out to children all over the United States of America through camps, education, and activities, to encourage them to reach UP.”
“We want the American youth to begin reaching higher in achieving their goals rather than settling for mediocrity,” Okung added. “We want our youth to begin having perseverance through all things, achieving their goals despite circumstances, and educating themselves to become all that they can be, while reaching up.”
The UP Foundation’s mission, is to “give back to the community by reaching out to children of single parent homes while offering them hope through activities and information on the importance of a good education and social responsibility. UP promises to inspire children and enable them to realize their potential to build a better future through community events, charitable giving, grants and other related programs.”
Okung is now in the third year of his six year contract signed in August of 2010, and with his first Pro Bowl under his belt, he looks to be a fixture of the Seahawks’ offensive line for years to come. And that’s not only good news for Lynch and Wilson, it is great news for the kids of Seattle, who can look to the UP Foundation to help support them for years to come as well.
