There was more to Joe Burrow's Heisman trophy speech than thanking his coaches, his teammates, his family and LSU fans.
Joe Burrow used his moment in the spotlight to shine that light on hunger in his hometown.
"Coming from Southeast Ohio, it's a very impoverished area," Burrow said, in an emotional address during which he frequently brushed away tears. "The poverty rate is almost two times the national average, and there's so many people there that don't have a lot.
"I'm up here for all those kids in Athens and in Athens County that go home to not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school," he continued. "And you guys can be up here too."
Fans started donating to a food pantry in Athens County ... and the total is over $250 thousand dollars so far.
It's a staggering amount but the pantry vows to make the best use of these funds:
This is very new to us. We have never received an outpouring of financial support of this magnitude. We seek to be careful and deliberate in making these decisions, as the opportunities to further address food insecurity and hunger are numerous and the possibilities are nearly endless.
Joe Burrow is being hailed not only as a football hero, but as a hero to the hungry in his hometown.