The Giving Game

David Meltzer went from being worth over $100 million to losing it all in bankruptcy including the home he bought for his mom. In this episode of The Giving Game, David tells Sophie Whitesell what that fall taught him, and why his mom's words in that moment still guide everything he does today: "God does not punish you. He is protecting you. He is promoting you. He is perfecting you."David is a speaker, author, and entrepreneur, co-founder of Sports 1 Marketing and formerly CEO of Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment. As Chairman of the Board of the Unstoppable Foundation, he is helping break the cycle of poverty in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, through education and community development food, healthcare, education, water, and sustainability across 18 sustainable villages, with over 1 million meals given during COVID.In this episode:How David lost over $100 million and what he learned from bankruptcyThe trip to Kenya with his three daughters, and the girls studying from 5am to 11pmHis giving philosophy: receiving is the greatest form of givingHis mission to empower over 1 billion people to be happyThe Evander Holyfield PSA, and why athletes are movements, not just brandsPractical advice on giving $300,000 wisely 30, then 60, then 120, then 240The St. Jude story, and a free signed book offer for Sophie's communityAbout the Unstoppable Foundation:The Unstoppable Foundation, founded by Cynthia Kersey, empowers lives through education in Kenya building schools and supporting whole communities so children and families can move from surviving to thriving.Donate / learn more: https://unstoppablefoundation.org/About The Giving Game:No sports talk. No filters. Just professional athletes sharing their personal stories and the charity cause they support — and raising as much money as possible for it.Hosted by Sophie Whitesell.If today's episode hits close to home for you, the donation link for this athlete's charity is in the description below. And if you can't donate right now, that's okay too just do something kind for somebody today.More from The Giving Game:Website: https://givinggamemedia.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGivingGamePodcastInstagram: @thegivinggamepodcast

Ryan Lavarnway won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox, competed in the Olympics, and finished an Ironman and after each one, he felt empty.On The Giving Game with Sophie Whitesell, Ryan talks about life after baseball, redefining success as a husband and father, and the cause he is playing for: Shields and Stripes.Welcome to The Giving Game, the only show where professional athletes are banned from talking about their sport. No stats, no game recaps, no media-trained answers. Just three rules: no sports talk, no filters, raise as much money as possible.In this episode, Ryan shares why he stopped playing when his daughter was six months old, how a stranger's LinkedIn message "you don't know me, but you saved my life" made him an ambassador for Shields and Stripes, and why veterans and first responders lose their whole support system the day they leave service.He also talks about the 1.5-year transition out of baseball, feeling never enough as an athlete, mental health, parenting his 4-year-old daughter Blake, and what success looks like now not checking boxes, but time, family, and purpose.Chapters:00:00 Why Ryan stopped playing when his daughter was 6 months old00:05 Welcome to The Giving Game no sports talk, no filters01:00 Meet Ryan Lavarnway01:38 The cause: Shields and Stripes02:48 The Red Sox, and the message: "You saved my life"03:30 The VA vs. Shields and Stripes, and batting practice in Arizona04:39 Losing your built-in team after sport and service06:15 Do you miss playing? In sport, you know what a win is07:04 What does success look like now?08:36 Checking boxes, The Five Types of Wealth, and Four Thousand Weeks10:40 Parenting, and staying Ryan not just dad or husband15:28 His daughter Blake, and being one and done20:57 What sport gave him and what he hopes it gives his daughter23:49 Coaching now for the Chicago Cubs25:04 World Series, Olympics, Ironman and feeling empty after each one26:57 Mental health, and why athletes don't talk about bad days28:34 Am I enough? Finding the smallest next win29:13 Who am I without baseball?32:58 Making a decision, and The Second Mountain37:56 Why he chose family over playing againAbout Shields and Stripes:Shields and Stripes are a military and first responder support organization providing whole-person care after service. It is a free, three-month recovery program for military members, veterans, and first responders. It starts with three weeks in person and continues with nine weeks of telehealth at home, with families included.Can't donate right now? You can still help for free repost this episode, send it to a veteran or first responder who might need it, and comment so more people see it.About The Giving Game:The Giving Game takes professional athletes out of the game. What's left is the person their story, their struggles, and the cause they'd fight for off the field. Every episode turns that conversation into a real fundraising challenge.We are running a 7-day campaign on our social media all about Shields and Stripes.More from The Giving Game:Website: https://givinggamemedia.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGivingGamePodcastInstagram: @thegivinggamepodcastSubscribe for new episodes every week and share this one it might be someone's reason to keep going.Tags:Ryan Lavarnway, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, World Series Champion, MLB, The Giving Game, Sophie Whitesell, Shields and Stripes, veterans, first responders, military veterans, veteran support, athlete podcast, life after sports, mental health, fatherhood, charity podcastHashtags:#RyanLavarnway #TheGivingGame #SophieWhitesell #ShieldsAndStripes #BostonRedSox #Veterans #FirstResponders #MakeGivingTrendy

Former Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Dave DesRochers joins The Giving Game to talk about The 1st & Goal Project, the charity he founded to help military veterans transition and grow after service.Dave shares why he's dedicated his life after the NFL to our military community, how 1st & Goal is making a real difference for veterans, and how you can get involved. He also gets incredibly raw and real about life, and I open up about the moment I stopped playing the victim and started owning my part.In this episode:– Dave's journey from the Seahawks to serving veterans– Why he founded The 1st & Goal Project and who it helps– How anyone can support our military community– Taking ownership and breaking the "woe is me" cycleLearn more and support The 1st & Goal Project: https://the1standgoalproject.comSubscribe for more conversations with athletes who are changing lives off the field.#MakeGivingTrendy #Veterans #Seahawks

Episode DescriptionWhat happens when the discipline that built a champion becomes the thing that nearly kills him? Danny O'Connor opens up about a 20-year battle with eating disorders, the brutal reality of weight-class sports, and the moment his career nearly ended in an ICU bed hours before a world title fight.Sophia Whitesell leads a deeply honest conversation with Danny about the hidden toll of wrestling and boxing, the dangers of aggressive weight cutting, and why so many men suffer in silence without a community or a language for what they're experiencing. This is not a story about vanity or control - it's about survival, secrecy, shame, and what it takes to rebuild a relationship with food after years of self-destruction.You'll discover:Why Danny says eating disorders in men are vastly misunderstoodHow extreme weight cuts, starvation, dehydration, and laxative abuse shaped his careerThe difference between disordered eating, binge eating, and the full psychological trap of an eating disorderWhy he believes early intervention could save lives in combat sportsHow he rebuilt his life through outpatient treatment, mindfulness, therapy, and relentless self-workSophia also pulls back the curtain on the broader cultural pressure around body image, especially for women, and the two compare how shame around weight can quietly shape identity from childhood into adulthood. The result is a conversation that lands far beyond sports - into parenting, mental health, self-worth, and the way we talk to ourselves and each other.Danny shares what finally changed after years of thinking he could "beat it overnight," why growth is rarely linear, and how he turned pain into purpose through his book, his community, and his foundation supporting adolescent mental health. Essential listening if you care about mental health, combat sports, recovery, body image, or the hidden cost of chasing perfection.Danny O'Connor is a former boxer and author of Weight Class: A Fighter's Life or Death Battle with an Eating Disorder. He is also the founder of the O'Connor Foundation and Bite Like a Man, a community for men navigating eating disorders and recovery.Sophia Whitesell is the host of the show and guides the conversation with empathy, candor, and a strong focus on breaking cycles of shame and silence.

This week on The Giving Game, I sit down with B. Taylor, a former D1 athlete at Mizzou who went on to become a multi-platinum recording artist, decorated U.S. Navy veteran, Goodwill Global Ambassador, and founder of the L1FE Organization and 1 Life Productions Group.We talk about his journey from college athletics to the music industry and military service, and how the discipline and teamwork he learned as an athlete shaped everything that came after. Today, he uses his music and platform to champion veterans, service members, and first responders throughout the United States. Giving back isn't reserved for galas and silent auctions. It's for all of us.#TheGivingGame #MakeGivingTrendy #L1FE #Mizzou #VeteransSupport

Episode 23 is here. 🐾Jess McClain sat down with me to talk about how the #LovePup Foundation changed her life, and why rescuing dogs ended up rescuing her too. We get into what it really looks like behind the scenes of animal rescue, what keeps her going, and how anyone can get involved. No gala tickets required.If you've ever loved a dog, this one's for you. 🐶❤️🎧 Full episode on The Giving Game. Link in bio.#TheGivingGame #LovePup #DogRescue #AdoptDontShop #RescueDogs #GivingBack #Philanthropy #NonprofitPodcast #AnimalRescue #PodcastEpisode

Anthony Trucks’ story is one of resilience, identity, foster care, and turning adversity into purpose. A former NFL player, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and foster care advocate, Anthony opens up about growing up in the foster care system, finding a sense of belonging, rebuilding his identity, and using his platform to create better outcomes for kids facing similar challenges. He also shares why serving on the board of a foster care organization matters so deeply to him and how his own experience continues to shape the work he does today. This episode of The Giving Game is a powerful conversation about foster care, overcoming adversity, second chances, personal growth, and what it means to create a life and legacy that is bigger than your past.

Former NBA point guard C.J. Watson joins The Giving Game to talk about the Quiet Storm Foundation, the family-run nonprofit he co-founded in 2009 with his parents and brother to support underprivileged youth in his hometown of Las Vegas.C.J. walks through the foundation's three core programs: a free summer basketball camp with a parent workshop component, a Black History essay contest each February that sends winning students and their families to Washington, D.C. for a Black History Museum tour and an HBCU tour (a tradition that used to mean flying kids to C.J.'s NBA road games instead), and a twice-monthly out-of-school program built around field trips and health and wellness activities. He shares the deeply personal reason the essay contest matters to him — his grandmother helped desegregate an all-white school in Nashville, and his father's family was threatened over it — and reflects candidly on what still needs to change in how society talks about race, the value of "having the tough conversations," and what allyship looks like in practice.The conversation also covers C.J.'s path from a childhood in Las Vegas's inner city to a 10-year NBA career, his post-retirement pivot into being a children's book author (C.J.'s Big Dream, C.J.'s Big Project, C.J.'s Big Moment, and C.J. and His Magic Socks), and life as a father of three daughters, including his oldest, a Division I volleyball recruit at the University of Pittsburgh. He and Sophie wrap with a broader conversation about the state of youth sports — travel team costs, pay-to-play culture, and why the life lessons sports teach matter more than the scoreboard.If C.J.'s story moved you, you can support the Quiet Storm Foundation using the link below.What We Cover(01:46) What is the Quiet Storm Foundation, and how C.J.'s whole family got involved(03:13) Why empowering youth became C.J.'s mission(04:08) Growing up in the inner city of Las Vegas(05:04) Education first: how C.J.'s parents kept sports in perspective(05:50) From basketball to becoming a children's book author(07:13) The hardest part of transitioning out of a long pro career(08:22) The historical significance of Las Vegas's West Side(09:20) The story behind the Black History essay contest: C.J.'s grandmother and the fight to desegregate a Nashville school(12:06) What needs to change: allyship, tough conversations, and representation in sports(20:35) Fatherhood: raising three daughters and being a "strict dad"(21:31) His oldest daughter's path to a full volleyball scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh(23:50) What makes a good dad, in C.J.'s words(26:08) Learning things the hard way vs. having a strict upbringing(42:13) The state of youth sports: pay-to-play culture, private equity, and losing the fun(45:35) Why the life lessons sports teach matter more than the sport itself(47:44) Where to donate to the Quiet Storm Foundation(48:04) What C.J. wants his legacy to be, outside of basketballSupport the Quiet Storm Foundation👉 Website: quietstormfoundation.org 👉 Instagram: @QS_FoundationOne-time and recurring donations are accepted via credit card, Zelle, and Venmo, and all gifts are tax-deductible.

This is a special two-guest episode. Former professional soccer player Kelyn Rowe joins The Giving Game alongside a very special bonus guest, Erik Rees, founder of the Jessie Rees Foundation (NEGU — Never Ever Give Up), to tell the story behind one of the most moving nonprofits to appear on the show.Erik shares the story of his daughter Jessie, diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor called DIPG at age 11 in 2011. During treatment, Jessie noticed other kids in the hospital who couldn't go home, and asked her parents, "How can we help them?" That question led her to create Joy Jars — 64-ounce jars filled with toys, games, and activities for kids fighting cancer, which she made by hand in the family garage. Jessie passed away 10 months and two days after her diagnosis, but her family chose to continue her mission. The Jessie Rees Foundation has since sent out more than 600,000 Joy Jars to children in all 50 states and 53 countries, alongside programs supporting siblings, financial assistance for families (including $3.5 million distributed through their Hope for the Holidays program), self-care support for mothers, and grief support for bereaved families.Kelyn explains how he got connected to the foundation and created Kelyn's NEGU Crew, a program bringing courageous kids and their families to professional soccer games to be celebrated by the team and the crowd — including the story of David, a young cancer patient from Brazil who Kelyn stayed connected with for years and later saw cancer-free as a high schooler. Kelyn has since passed the torch of hosting NEGU Crew events to current players, while staying involved himself. The conversation also touches on host Sophie's own experience with her son's serious health scare in the hospital, why the foundation intentionally supports the whole family and not just the sick child, and Kelyn's post-soccer life running Vino FC, a community-driven wine business built around in-person tastings rather than shipped subscriptions.If this story moved you, you can support the Jessie Rees Foundation using the link below.This episode includes discussion of childhood cancer, terminal illness, and the loss of a child. If this topic is difficult for you, please take care while listening.What We Cover(00:02:01) Erik shares Jessie's diagnosis and the question that started it all: "How can we help them?"(00:03:53) Jessie's passing and the family's decision to continue her mission(00:05:01) The Jessie Rees Foundation's full range of programs, from diagnosis through bereavement(00:06:06) How Kelyn got connected and created Kelyn's NEGU Crew(00:07:15) What drew Kelyn to this cause over other children's charities(00:08:00) David's story: a young cancer patient turned lasting friendship(00:09:56) Finding families to help while respecting hospital privacy rules(00:13:41) Turning tragedy into purpose: "Jessie is living on through this"(00:15:53) Sophie shares her own family's hospital experience(00:43:25) Life after pro soccer: corporate insurance broker by day(00:44:09) Vino FC: Kelyn's community-driven, pickup-only wine business(00:59:02) Advice for anyone who feels discouraged when their giving isn't immediately appreciated(01:01:43) Where to donate and get involved with the Jessie Rees FoundationSupport the Jessie Rees Foundation👉 Website: NEGU.orgCommunity members can also volunteer at Joy Jar stuffing events or cheer on courageous kids at sporting events near them.

Former NFL running back Terron Ward joins The Giving Game to talk about the Wardboy Project, the foundation he co-founded with his brother to support underprivileged youth in the East Bay Area — the pocket of cities east of Oakland including Antioch, Pittsburg, Concord, and Brentwood that Terron and his brother call home.Terron breaks down the foundation's three main pillars: DRAW, a mentorship program pairing middle schoolers with dedicated mentors for weekly check-ins, tutoring, and guidance; the TK Scholarship Program, named in memory of Terrence Kelly, a standout De La Salle student-athlete and family friend who was shot and killed in 2004 before he could start college, which now covers private school tuition for kids who couldn't otherwise afford it; and the Bay Area Skills Academy, a free annual football camp that just wrapped its tenth year with roughly 200 kids in attendance. The foundation also recently held its first Student Athlete Summit, a full day of programming with 20 speakers ranging from college coaches to financial experts covering everything a student-athlete needs to know, including NIL.The conversation moves into the harder-to-talk-about parts of life after football: the identity crisis that hits when the structure of a 20-year athletic regimen disappears overnight, why confidence-building is one of the most important things a coach or mentor can give a kid, and how coaching philosophy has shifted away from the "screaming coach" model of Terron's father's era. Terron also shares a piece of advice from an unexpected source — a billionaire he met at a bar who told him to stop chasing his dreams and start chasing his talents — and reflects on fatherhood, raising two daughters, and why he believes real growth is never linear.If Terron's story moved you, you can support the Wardboy Project using the link below.What We Cover(00:02:19) What the Wardboy Project is, and why Terron and his brother started it(00:03:44) Inside the DRAW mentorship program for middle schoolers(00:04:43) The TK Scholarship Program, named for Terrence Kelly(00:05:37) The Bay Area Skills Academy: 10 years of free football camps(00:06:08) The foundation's first Student Athlete Summit(00:09:11) The identity crisis that hits after leaving pro sports(00:11:28) His father's coaching legacy and the "domino effect" of mentorship(00:13:52) Why instilling confidence is top of the list for coaching kids(00:15:12) How coaching philosophy has changed since his father's era(00:32:03) "Chase your talents, not your dreams": advice from a chance encounter(00:36:21) Why Terron has always been process-oriented, not just goal-oriented(00:38:26) Fatherhood and raising two daughters(01:00:39) Why "they're famous, they can't have money problems" is a myth(01:04:11) How to support the Wardboy Project without giving money(01:03:36) Where to donate and follow the Wardboy ProjectSupport the Wardboy Project👉 Website: wardboyproject.org 👉 Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: @wardboyprojectCan't give financially? The Wardboy Project is always looking for mentors and event volunteers — or connections to others who might be able to support the mission.