{"id":125078,"date":"2021-12-16T10:52:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T15:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=125078"},"modified":"2022-08-05T13:13:30","modified_gmt":"2022-08-05T17:13:30","slug":"nbcs-today-show-features-2-former-ucf-football-players-toy-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/nbcs-today-show-features-2-former-ucf-football-players-toy-drive\/","title":{"rendered":"NBC’s ‘Today’ Show Features 2 Former UCF Football Players’ Toy Drive"},"content":{"rendered":"

UCF alumni Anthony Roberson \u201919<\/strong> and Jordan “JJ”  Johnson \u201919<\/strong> were featured on NBC\u2019s Today <\/em>show<\/a> Thursday as part of the show\u2019s Season of Giving segment. The two former football players created the nonprofit One Kid Orlando in 2017 while students at UCF.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Although Roberson and Johnson no longer live in Orlando, they have returned since graduating to hold drives in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrlando helped us, shaped us, into men,\u201d Roberson says. \u201cAnd we want to shape the next generation as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Today s<\/em>how filmed the One Kid Orlando toy drive held ahead of the UCF men\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n