I have had the chance to work with some incredible people during my time at Steiner Sports and I can easily say that one of my favorite people of all-time is New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, a long-time exclusive athlete of the company and one of the best people in football. In the most recent episode of The Hook-Up I helped Victor go back to his roots in Paterson, New Jersey to support the Boys & Girls Club he attended as a kid. Victor's upbringing was not easy, but visiting the Boys & Girls Club everyday had a tremendous impact on him by laying a foundation of values that helped clear a path for a successful NFL career.
Victor always vowed to give back to the organization and in this episode (airing tonight at 11pm on YES Network), you'll get to see how we helped revitalize the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) program of not just the clubhouse in his hometown, but two other clubhouses with the incredible help of Sony Electronics and Victor's Giants teammate Prince Amukamara. STEM is an initiative close to Victor's heart that focuses on bringing Science, Technology, Engineering & Math to children through hands-on learning.
Victor surprised the kids at the Paterson & Passaic club with $25,000 worth of electronics. Then, he visited the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club's Columbus Clubhouse, surprising them with $25,000 worth of equipment to launch a new photography program, supporting their STEM initiatives. While at the clubs, he spoke to the kids about how important the Boys & Girls Clubs are to local communities.
Prince accompanied me to the Boys & Girls Club of Mt. Vernon, New York, where he spent time with the kids and spoke to them about the importance of their education and the power of finding positive influences in their lives. Sony Electronics was on hand to present a $20,000 check to the club's directors, which will be used to fund their STEM program for 2016!
Be sure to watch the show on YES Network when it debuts tonight at 11pm ET and stay-tuned for a special announcement about an online auction to benefit the Victor Cruz Foundation's support of the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club's Navy Yard Clubhouse.
Additional air times (all times ET):
- Saturday, October 3rd – 4:00pm
- Sunday, October 4th – 7:30pm
- Thursday, October 8th - 9:00pm
- Saturday, October 10th - 6:30pm
- Sunday, October 11th - 7:00pm
- Tuesday, October 13th - 8:00pm
- Friday, October 16th - 7:00pm
- Saturday, October 17th - 10:30pm
- Sunday, October 18th - 7:30pm
