Chef Big Dave has always had a heart for helping others. When the family's several restaurants were open in the upstate of South Carolina, the father of four always made sure to use his gift to give back. His children recall seeing him invite countless individuals walking on the streets in out of the cold for a hot plate on the house. The family also would take pans of food to the local shelter for the holidays, where the Jones children would sing Christmas carols. In 2017, when Jones’ only son, DJ Jones, was drafted into the NFL, he saw a chance to help make a difference in the community. Charity being a huge passion of the family, the chef and his son came up with the perfect business model to help fund the foundation. DJ Jones would then be placed on the label of the family’s secret recipe of bbq sauces to allow a percentage of sales to go to the DJ Jones Foundation.  The foundation was founded to help empower inner city kids and help them overcome adversity and homelessness through sports.  Not always being so fortunate themselves, the Jones family fell on hard times in the past years as well. DJ Jones admits that playing sports helped keep his mind occupied from some of the struggles at home. One of those struggles include when the economy fell in 2008 and the family had to close their Clemson restaurant and move back to Greenville, SC. The DJ Jones foundation aims to use funding to provide programs for inner city kids, such as the DJ Jones annual football camp, the annual toy and food drive. One of the future goals the Jones family foresees for the foundation is to provide scholarship to children in unusual circumstances.

 

Defensive Tackle for SF 49ers

DJ. Jones, son of “Big Dave” Jones, has played defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49er’s NFL Football team since the 2017 football season. The mission of the foundation is to help under-served communities, including homeless and foster care children, to overcome adversity by teaching them leadership, discipline, and healthy lifestyle skills in a safe and fun environment. D. J. attended Wren (South Carolina) High School, and Ole Miss. He was drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.