Cal Bears football star Elijah Hicks is one of the best defensive players in the Pac-12 and expects to be drafted in the NFL – but his most impressive achievement has come off the field.
Hicks, who's started 38 games for the Bears since stepping onto the UC Berkeley campus in 2017, is passionate about more than just football.
The 24-year-old has created a nonprofit which is helping college students struggling with poverty.
Hicks established the "Intercept Poverty Foundation" to help low-income students overcome financial roadblocks. The organization provides grants to financially challenged students at UC Berkeley and other universities.
“If I'm not playing football, I'm pretty much working on this,” Hicks told KCBS Radio's "Bay Current." on Monday. "The way my brain is wired I'm always thinking about people who come from similar environments or going through similar things I was going through."
Hicks grew up in Long Beach, where he went through financial struggles similar to hardships other students are dealing with.
"It's always on my mind, how can I bring light to the issue of financial barriers in college and poverty in general," he said. The organization is partnering with Scholarship America to give out grants of up to $700 to deserving students – at a time with even more financial barriers because of COVID-19.
To learn more information about the foundation, visit its website or email Hicks at elijahhicks123@berkeley.edu.
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