Childhood obesity is an issue that hits close to home for Russell Shepard.
Roughly one-third of children in Shepard’s hometown of Houston are overweight or obese, according to a September article in the Houston Wellness Examiner. Shepard is passionate about making a difference in these children’s lives.
The sophomore wide receiver is one of the most active LSU football players in community service. Shepard became involved with the Oliver Foundation — an organization in Houston dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles through family and community programs — when he was a junior at Cypress Ridge High School in Houston.
“Childhood obesity is a problem within the Houston area, and we’re trying to get it known nationally and regionally,” Shepard said. “We try to educate parents as well as kids and let them know even though childhood obesity is a problem among our generation, we have to get on it.”
The Oliver Foundation began in 1995 with the goal of combatting childhood obesity, and the organization grew in 2003 when Houston was named the “fattest city in America” by national media.
Shepard said he felt called to volunteer with the Oliver Foundation because he saw firsthand the damage obesity can cause, particularly in children. Shepard speaks to children through the foundation and also leads them in physical activities such as rock climbing and obstacle courses at health fairs.
“I’ve seen how obesity affects people, especially growing up with kids and seeing as they got bigger and bigger and bigger, they were limited in what they could do,” Shepard said. “I see a lot of kids who don’t have the opportunities I have because they [aren’t] active. It caused a lot of problems to a lot of my friends I grew up with.”
Sandy Bristow, special projects manager at the Oliver Foundation, said Shepard is one of the best ambassadors for the program and its cause, even though he spends most of the year in Baton Rouge.
Bristow said Shepard was referred to the Oliver Foundation by his pediatrician, and he was selected for the team board, on which he served as treasurer for several years.
“Russell [has been] such a kind, polite and well-mannered young man since we first met him,” Bristow said. “He did a lot of community service while he served on the board, acted as a mentor to the younger children. We’ve gotten a lot of miles with Russell. Every time we contact him and see if he can do an interview or give us a couple of quotes, he always says, ‘Yes, ma’am.'”
One highlight of Shepard’s involvement with the Oliver Foundation was a health program for the Greensheet Education Foundation in Houston. Bristow said part of the 16-page project involved a question-and-answer section from children in which Shepard participated.
Bristow said Russell’s question was from a child who struggled to incorporate fruits and vegetables into his diet: “I have a hard time eating vegetables. How am I supposed to eat 5-9 servings a day?”
“Think about how fruits and vegetables will contribute to your daily thinking and simply make you feel better,” Shepard responded. “Challenge yourself to add fruits and vegetables to your favorite meals. If your parents cook spaghetti for dinner, throw veggies in the sauce, or for breakfast, have a bowl of cereal and add fruit — be creative.”
Bristow said children are enamored with Shepard when he interacts with them at the Oliver Foundation in Houston.
Another charitable endeavor he participated in was at the University of Houston’s summer theatre program, where Bristow said he and other volunteers spoke to children about eating breakfast, drinking enough water and getting their families involved in physical activity.
“The kids would hang on him and say, ‘I don’t like milk. What can I do?’ and ‘How did you get to be so big and strong?'” Bristow said.
 
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Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]