[Foxsports.com]These athletes are making a difference - Deke

Dan Weil / Special to FOXSports.com

Athletes' bad deeds get plenty of publicity — from Michael Jordan's gambling problems to Terrell Owens' recent antics. But the good works of many athletes receive a lot less attention.

"My observation is that athletes are far more charitable than what's publicized," said Richard Lapchick, director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. "I'm impressed with their efforts. Many have their own foundations, and the fact that many of them grew up economically deprived gives them sensitivity to the issue of need."

Here are 10 of the most generous athletes:

1. Dikembe Mutombo, Houston Rockets

Dikembe Mutombo has made some major donations to help his native Congo. (Catherine Steenkeste / Getty Images)

Mutombo has donated an astounding $15 million to build a hospital in his native Congo. The hospital, named after Mutombo's mother, is about 75 percent complete, and the gentle giant is trying to raise another $2 million by the end of the year. He also has donated $150,000 to help underprivileged children in South Africa.

What makes Mutombo so committed to helping the poor in his native land? In many ways, he is honoring his father. "I was raised in poverty — so poor," Mutombo said. "My dad made only $37 a month. But he was so strong that he raised 10 children and taught us everything right. My father did so much for me that I want to have an impact on other people's lives."

Helping others can turn into a chain reaction, Mutombo pointed out. "Maybe you can contribute to someone else's life, and they in turn can make a difference in so many others' lives," he said. "We're here to help others help themselves."

2. Lance Armstrong

As a cancer survivor, the seven-time Tour de France winner has shown a deep commitment to help others afflicted with the disease. The Lance Armstrong Foundation spent $13.7 million last year on education, advocacy, public health and research programs related to cancer.

The foundation recently joined with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address issues faced by the growing number of cancer survivors. The joint venture has a national action plan, which specifies ways the public health community can better address issues faced by cancer survivors.

The plan aims to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors, including a focus on preventing secondary cancers and recurrence of cancer; promoting appropriate management following treatment to ensure the longest possible healthy life for cancer survivors and minimizing pain, disability and psychological distress for survivors.

3. Tiger Woods

Golf's shining star has gone to great lengths to help children through the Tiger Woods Foundation, which spent $1.5 million helping kids in 2003 (the latest year for which spending figures are available).

The foundation's work includes the Tiger Woods Learning Center, a 35,000-square-foot, education facility scheduled to open in Anaheim, Calif. early next year. The center will offer after-school programs in science, math and language arts. The $25 million facility will house seven classrooms, a computer lab, a student lounge and a 200-seat auditorium.

In the third quarter of this year, Tiger's foundation gave out almost 30 grants to non-profit organizations around the country, including the Community Resource Center in Nashville, Tenn. and the Page Ahead Children's Literacy Program in Seattle.

4. Vince Carter, New Jersey Nets

The high-flying Carter donated $2.5 million for the design and construction of a new gym at his alma mater, Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Fla. Through his Embassy of Hope Foundation, founded in 1998, Carter has helped huge numbers of people in need.

Among the good deeds performed by the foundation were donating money to the Wings of Hope Foundation for abused, neglected and abandoned children in Central Florida; giving money to the Kiwanis Club of Daytona Beach for a first day of school outfit for underprivileged kids and providing Toronto Raptors tickets to Canadian children doing well in school (Carter used to play in Toronto).

5. Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins

Lemieux, who overcame a battle with Hodgkin's disease, established the Mario Lemieux Foundation in 1993 to fight cancer. The foundation spent $997,000 on its mission in 2003. The foundation spends most of its money to fund promising medical research projects. The foundation gave $5 million to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to establish the Mario Lemieux Centers for Patient Care and Research in 2001.

The foundation also established the Austin Lemieux Neonatal Research Project, in honor of Mario and Nathalie Lemieux's healthy son who was born prematurely. This grant supports research in the division of neonatology and developmental biology at the Magee-Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

6. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

Derek Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation has been working to keep kids off drugs and alcohol. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)

Jeter founded his Turn 2 Foundation in 1996 to encourage kids to stay away from drugs and alcohol, adopt healthy lifestyles and focus on academics and leadership development. The foundation spent $742,000 on programs in 2003.

Since it was created, it has awarded more than $5 million in grants for signature Turn 2 programs along with existing substance-abuse prevention and treatment programs, which reach thousands of children in the New York City area and Western Michigan — where Jeter was raised.

The foundation's after-school program in New York City allows almost 400 kids to participate in cultural arts, physical fitness and educational enrichment programs.

7. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

Manning's PeyBack foundation focuses on assisting programs that help underprivileged children. It has donated more than $900,000 to programs and events in Indiana, Tennessee and Louisiana since its 1999 inception.

One of the programs is Peyton's Pals, which offers monthly outings and activities for abused and neglected kids with Court Appointed Special Advocates. In June, Manning took 20 of the kids in the program on a four-day Disney cruise.

Last December, Manning's foundation treated the entire student body at Desire Street Academy in New Orleans to holiday gifts, including a shopping spree at Barnes & Noble, where each student was allowed to buy $20 in books.

8. Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat center

Mourning's foundation, Alonzo Mourning Charities, assists underprivileged children and their families. It spent $716,000 in 2003. The foundation helps finance 100 Black Men of South Florida, which provides educational and economic assistance for all minorities.

Alonzo Mourning Charities also gives financial support to Children's Home Society of Florida in Miami, which serves abused, abandoned and neglected children, including those suffering from HIV and developmental disabilities. The foundation also delivers complete Thanksgiving meals to 333 families in South Florida communities.

9. Jeff Gordon, NASCAR

Through his Jeff Gordon Foundation, he assists children with serious illnesses and their families. The foundation spent $574,000 in 2003.

The foundation's beneficiaries include the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Marrow Foundation, Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital at NorthEast Medical Center in Concord, N.C., which is scheduled to open late next year.

10. Derrick Brooks, linebacker Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Derrick Brooks enjoys taking underprivileged kids on trips around the world. (Robert Laberge / Getty Images)

Brooks started a program in 1996 to give free Bucs tickets to disadvantaged children to encourage academic achievement. That turned into the Brooks Bunch, a group of 14- to 18-year-old students from Tampa-area Boys & Girls Clubs, whom Brooks takes on trips around the world each year. He helped finance two trips for the kids to South Africa. His foundation, Derrick Brooks Charities, spent $123,000 in 2003.

Brooks began the travel program after a child at one of the clubs couldn't understand how he could get back to Tampa so quickly from away games. "She was 10 years old and didn't know what an airplane was," Brooks said. "I wanted to give them that experience." It started as a one-day trip to Fort Lauderdale and grew from there.

And what does Brooks get out of it? "The smiles on kids' faces and to see them go out in this community and be driving forces for others," he said. "I like to see kids take effort and change the world they live in. To see them help other people change their lives, that's when I know the message is being passed."

Dan Weil is a frequent FOXSports.com contributor, and can be reached at his e-mail address: dancweil@aol.com

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