UCF alumni Anthony Roberson ’19 and Jordan “JJ” Johnson ’19 were featured on NBC’s Today show Thursday as part of the show’s Season of Giving segment. The two former football players created the nonprofit One Kid Orlando in 2017 while students at UCF.
The show highlighted how the two bonded off the field, and with support from the community and the UCF fan base, have held a series of holiday toy drives to help local youth. The group benefitted more than 400 children last year, distributing gifts through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.
Although Roberson and Johnson no longer live in Orlando, they have returned since graduating to hold drives in the area.
“Orlando helped us, shaped us, into men,” Roberson says. “And we want to shape the next generation as well.”
The Today show filmed the One Kid Orlando toy drive held ahead of the UCF men’s basketball game at Addition Financial Arena on Dec.11. The show sent Santa to surprise Roberson and Johnson with a donation of 500 toys and books from Amazon.
