GREEN BAY – Running back Aaron Jones was presented with the 2022 community service award at the Packers' annual Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce "Welcome Back Luncheon" on Wednesday in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Jones previously was the Packers' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2021 and the NFL Salute to Service Award in 2018.
A fifth-round pick in 2017, Jones has been active in charitable efforts in both the local Green Bay community and his hometown of El Paso, Texas.
"I want to thank the community of Green Bay for welcoming me with open arms and making this a second home for me," said Jones during his acceptance speech. "My foundation is based off serving the youth. They are our future. I just want to be a resource for them to even the playing field."
Having grown up with two parents in the U.S. Army, Jones has been a big part of the Packers' Salute to Service efforts, from sending videos to veterans to speaking to youth at military academies and taking part in events like the team's Huddle for Heroes aimed at honoring veterans.
Jones also has been involved with numerous programs and charities that benefit kids, including the Boys & Girls Club in both Green Bay and Milwaukee.
Jones and his twin brother, Alvin, took their community involvement to the next level in the last year by launching the A&A All the Way Foundation. The A&A All the Way Foundation is dedicated to making an impact in the lives of children through charitable giving and action, and it executes events that inspire, educate and promote unity and diversity across multiple communities.
Green Bay Packers player, coaches and staff members joined the Greater Green Bay Chamber at the annual Welcome Back Packers Luncheon on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022.
Through the Foundation, Jones has hosted turkey giveaways for needy families in both El Paso and Green Bay, run football camps for kids and given bikes away to students. He has also extended his Yards for Shoes campaign, which donates a pair of shoes to children at Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Wisconsin for every rushing yard he gains this season up to 1,000 yards.
The Foundation also includes the Freedom Is Campaign, which just launched in 2021 and focuses on honoring military families each month by raising funds to provide joy-filled experiences to children who have parents serving in the military, such as a trip to the zoo or a family movie night.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce awarded a community service recipient since Blake Martinez was honored in 2019.
