Kareem Martin

Once a Yellow Jacket, always a Yellow Jacket!  Roanoke Rapids High School graduate (Class of 2010) and former UNC football player Kareem Martin handed out more than 200 backpacks full of school supplies Saturday morning to Roanoke Rapids students.  Martin said this was a dream come true for him.  

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while to help my community.  I know school supplies can be expensive for families and this is a way I can help lots of families at once,” said Martin.  

He purchased the backpacks and supplies and had them shipped earlier this week to Roanoke Rapids High School.  Martin who was former DECA (Marketing) student himself, solicited help from the current DECA class to organize the backpacks and plan Saturday's event.   

Students were eager to have their photo taken with him, get an autograph, and talk about sports.  Each student also got some New York Giants swag.  

Martin, a 2013 graduate of UNC, was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round in the 2014 draft. After 4 years with the Cardinals, he was signed as a free agent by the New York Giants in March.