Morlon Greenwood stands with two MVPs from the Morlon Greenwood Foundation’s free youth football camp at Cimarron Memorial High School

Wellness in Giving

Las Vegas Charities That Heal Beyond the Holidays

BY ERIKA LUREN, RN, BSN, MA, MS, NP, FOUNDER OF ROLLING WELLNESS TELEMEDICINE

As the holiday season approaches, giving back takes on new meaning in Las Vegas, a city known for its glittering lights and big stages but also home to quiet acts of service that change lives. Three local leaders — former NFL linebacker Morlon Greenwood of the Morlon Greenwood Foundation, Troy Roques of Vegas for Athletes and Kate McLaughlin, executive director of Girls on the Run Las Vegas — have turned their personal journeys into powerful missions. Through athletics, mentorship and wellness-focused programs, they are shaping futures for kids and young women who might otherwise go unseen. Their stories remind us that true holiday giving isn’t just about gifts — it’s about investing in health, hope, confidence and the next generation.

Innovation is the physical manifestation of thought, garnered through experience and fortified through the passion fueling the work of a touched individual. These three charities were founded on such principles, with each journey unique to its creator — from humble beginnings in Jamaica for Greenwood to a family legacy with Roques and a schoolteacher’s mission inspiring executives like McLaughlin.

From Gridiron Glory to Guiding Light: The Legacy of Morlon Greenwood

Greenwood stood among the elite of athletes, kicking around a soccer ball with his bare feet, whirling the Jamaican dust. When he wasn’t playing soccer, he was sprinting the track, letting the humdrum of the wind pass his ears and whisper the future that lay before him. Greenwood’s story is one of the American dream — spurred by the ardent encouragement of his father, the guiding love of his mother and a precocious sense of duty to his 12 siblings. His childhood reverie blossomed into a life as an NFL linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and later a UFL player for the Omaha Nighthawks. Dedication to the game became the catalyst for uplifting his immigrant family, but along the path to reaching his own potential, Greenwood discovered a greater purpose, one rooted in altruism and faith.

In 2015, he founded the Morlon Greenwood Foundation, a charity devoted to offering education and mentorship to disadvantaged youth. The program instills sportsmanship, leadership, social responsibility and the pursuit of personal potential — values passed down by the most influential man in his life, his father.

“He taught me to focus on my education and to believe in myself. His motto was, ‘Do your best at any contest and God will do the rest.’ This resonates with me to this day,” Greenwood said.

That motto became the force that drove his focus on sports and academics after arriving in New York City at age 11. As a high school sophomore, he caught the eye of Coach Russ Cellan, who redirected him from wrestling to football — a pivot that earned Morlon a scholarship to Syracuse University. There, he started 48 consecutive games while earning a degree in physical therapy before going on to dominate the NFL for 11 years. Yet, as Morlon often says, “that was only the first half” of his success story.

The second chapter is built on giving back. Since its inception, the Morlon Greenwood Foundation has served thousands of students, offering free symposiums, leadership camps and mentorship opportunities guided by former NFL players, celebrities and community leaders.

“It is very impactful for youth to hear a public figure talk about struggles they’ve lived through,” Greenwood reflected. “We’ve seen this ignite a spark within them to start their own journey.”

Today, the Morlon Greenwood Foundation doesn’t just teach kids to chase goals; it helps them see themselves as leaders, equipped with resilience and vision. The foundation has become a living tribute to the wisdom of Greenwood’s late father, carrying forward his belief that education, discipline and faith can transform lives. Through the foundation, Greenwood is proving that true greatness lies not in the tackles made on the field, but in the futures shaped beyond it.

Saving Young Lives: Troy Roques and the Mission of Vegas for Athletes

“For young athletes struck by this silent condition, the survival rate is only 10%, and too often, the first symptom is death,” Roques shared.

As executive director of Vegas for Athletes, Roques has turned urgency into action, championing youth screenings for the hidden threat of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Since its birth in 2024, Vegas for Athletes has stood as more than a fitness-focused charity; it has become a guardian of life itself, catching what might have been lost and transforming tragedy into prevention.

Roques spearheaded this initiative in line with his athletic acumen as a former high school football player, grounded in his Marine Corps sense of duty and guided by his family legacy.

“My family was one of the early pioneers of the NIL (name, image, likeness) movement through lobbying with the National College Players Association (NCPA) in 2012 for players’ rights,” Roques stated.

Thanks to the advocacy of his cousin, Ryan Roques, a former UCLA football player, the movement to secure fair monetary compensation for college athletes, whose names and likenesses were used for profit by corporate entities, gained significant momentum. The original intent of passing such policies was to empower college athletes to profit fairly from their personal brand, protect their rights under state and federal law, and give them entrepreneurial opportunities while they forged ahead in schooling and athletics for their university.

Roques’ fire was stoked not only by the legacy of athletic blood running through his veins but also by the steady rhythm of family — his mother, a pastor who led with faith, and his grandparents, the immovable rock on which the family stood. From them came the creed: “We will find a way.” It was a mantra that shaped him and his 12 male cousins, a guiding hand keeping them from straying too far. Yet as the eldest, Roques carried more than just their shared heritage; he bore the mantle of a big brother, protector and example. In that role, he felt called to shield them, to carve a path of good works and to show that strength lies not only in muscle but in the choices a man makes.

“It’s hard to look back on my life before this,” Roques said, once a bodyguard to the Maloof family and a familiar face among celebrities and athletes. “Now, it’s about honoring youth athletes — those we’ve lost to sudden cardiac arrest and those we can still protect.”

SCA strikes ages 12–25 without bias, he explained, noting that in Las Vegas alone, four student athletes have died in just two years. Through screenings of more than 1,000 kids, his team has uncovered a 3% abnormality rate — proof of lives potentially saved.

Girls on the Run Las Vegas: Building Confidence, One Step at a Time

Amid the city’s bustling entertainment scene, a different kind of spotlight shines on the next generation of young women finding their stride through Girls on the Run Las Vegas. This local chapter of a national nonprofit is led by Kate McLaughlin, executive director, whose own journey from discouraged young athlete to passionate leader has given her a deeply personal connection to the mission.

Girls on the Run began in 1996 in North Carolina, founded by triathlete and teacher Molly Barker. The Las Vegas chapter was launched in 2011 by Stephanie Lasure and now serves schools and communities across Clark County as one of 166 councils in the U.S. and Canada. Its mission is simple yet profound: to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident through a curriculum that blends movement with mindset.
For McLaughlin, the work is personal.

“As a kid, I wasn’t a standout athlete. My sisters won trophies while I collected participation ribbons. But as a new mom, I discovered recreational running and it made me feel strong.”

That discovery led her to volunteer with Girls on the Run in 2012, eventually stepping into leadership in 2020.

The program serves third- through eighth-graders, combining 10 weeks of lessons on confidence, decision-making and resilience with physical activity that builds toward a capstone 5K Celebration Run. With just five staff members, Girls on the Run Las Vegas relies on more than 125 volunteer coaches each season and over 100 event-day volunteers, ensuring that every girl can participate regardless of financial circumstances.

The impact is clear. Teachers report girls using Girls on the Run skills in classrooms; parents notice newfound confidence. Moments like one recent 5K — where a girl who had finished returned to hold her friend’s hand across the finish line — show the program’s heart.

“That’s what it’s all about,” McLaughlin reflected.

As Las Vegas youth face pressures from social media, school safety concerns and the lingering effects of COVID-19, programs like Girls on the Run are more essential than ever. And as McLaughlin put it, “We may not know who these girls will grow up to be, but we know we’re making it more likely they’ll become their best selves.”

Greenwood carries his father’s legacy through mentorship and education. Roques turns family faith and athletic roots into life-saving advocacy for young athletes. McLaughlin transforms her own journey into a movement that helps girls discover confidence with every stride.

Their work shows that true brilliance is measured in lives saved, futures shaped and children empowered. Giving with wellness in mind reminds us that the greatest gift we can offer is a better future.

Giving Back

Morlon Greenwood Foundation
Each December, the Morlon Greenwood Foundation hosts its Annual Toy Giveaway at Sportsman Royal Manor (5600 Boulder Highway). This year marks the fifth celebration, in partnership with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Supporters can help by donating, volunteering or simply spreading the word to bring joy to children in need.
mg52.org
admin@mg52.org
702-907-2556

Vegas for Athletes
This holiday season, Vegas for Athletes brought heart health to the spotlight with free youth cardiac screenings. In early November, at T-Mobile Arena, they screen 500 athletes during the Hall of Fame Classic basketball series, gifting each participant tickets to the game. Looking ahead, their signature VFA Summer Games — an Olympic-style competition with 14 sports and 5,000 youth participants — will light up the Thomas & Mack Center in June 2026. It’s competition with a cause, proving that giving back can be as exciting as the games themselves.
vegasforathletes.org
info@vegasforathletes.org
702-683-0899

Girls on the Run Las Vegas
On Dec. 6 at UNLV, Girls on the Run hosts its Fall 5K Celebration, where hundreds of girls cross the finish line hand in hand with their mentors. Volunteers are needed to cheer, coach and support. For those looking to give, their 2025 Giving Season Match Campaign doubles every donation, fueling programs that help third- through eighth-grade girls in Clark County build confidence, resilience and strength.
girlsontherunlv.org/5k
girlsontherunlv.org/donate
702-637-3055