COLUMBUS, Ohio — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was recognized for his leadership and charitable work in Appalachian Ohio during the Appalachian Heritage Awards Luncheon at the Ohio Statehouse in December.
Burrow, who grew up in The Plains in Athens County, received the Sam Jones Model Citizen Award from Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area and Heritage Ohio. The annual event honors individuals and organizations contributing to the preservation, culture, and well‑being of the Appalachian region.
The Sam Jones Award is named for Glouster native Sam Jones, who has operated what is considered the oldest gym in America for six decades. Jones has long provided a safe space for local youth and has raised nearly $1 million for books in one of Ohio’s poorest school districts. His “Boxing for Books” program marked its 50th anniversary this year.
Burrow was selected for the award in recognition of the national attention he brought to food insecurity in his hometown after winning the Heisman Trophy in 2019. His remarks during the ceremony sparked hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to the Athens County Food Pantry within days. He later established the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund and the Joe Burrow Foundation, which support children in need and expand mental‑health resources for underserved youth in Appalachian Ohio, Cincinnati, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Burrow has said that “success means nothing if it doesn’t serve others,” a message organizers said reflects the spirit of the award.
Other honorees at the luncheon included the Underground Railroad Exhibit at Farmers Castle Museum in Belpre; Sam Miller of the Buckeye Hills Regional Council; the Old Burying Ground Restoration in Highland County; Pike Heritage Museum in Waverly; musician Steve Free of Scioto County; the Artist Colony of Zanesville; Hidden Hills Orchard in Washington County; and Ohio Hills Health Center in Belmont County.