INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II is living up to his team's nomination of Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, an award highlighting his off-the-field accomplishments.
Moore spent his bye week in his hometown of Valdosta, Georgia, giving back to two big families in a big way.
There are 11 children in one of the families and in the other there are six children. They were all invited to join Moore and his family for dinner at Cheddars.
The dinner was extra special for one of the families who Moore said had never gone out to a restaurant together before.
When dinner was done, Moore presented the families with the biggest surprise yet.
Gifts were brought out for each member of the families including bunk beds, toys, clothing, bicycles and food.
It was a special night that came only a few days after Moore found out his team nominated him for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. The award recognizes one player from each NFL team for both performance on the field and community service efforts and leadership off the field.
On Monday, Moore was at it again, giving the gift of warmth to 250 east side kids.
Moore teamed up with Old Navy to distribute coats and Colts SWAG at the Ross Foundation Community Center.
Guests were also treated to Hot Box pizza as Moore interacted with the students.
In his time in Indianapolis, Moore II has been especially outspoken about raising awareness for Indiana kids battling childhood illnesses. He formed a special bond with "Mighty" Mason Garvey, who died in June of 2020 at 9 years old after a fight with Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer.
Moore II has used his platform to raise money for research and education on childhood illnesses. Just this year, he has played an integral role in a number of community outreach efforts:
- Joined the board for the George4Foundation, which supports individuals with special needs
- Participated in the "Tee Off for Tyler" event, which raised more than $13,000 for the Tyler Trent Foundation
- Served as a board member for A Kid Again, which takes kids living with life-threatening conditions on fun-filled adventures
- Collaborated with The Shop Indy to help raise more than $6,000 for the Mighty Mason Fund through special T-shirt sales
- Helped build a playground at an IPS elementary school for Colts Community Tuesday
Moore II has also been a vocal supporter of mental health awareness and the Colts' Kicking the Stigma initiative.