Growing up in a family where philanthropy was a way of life, Wallace has shown a willingness to put others ahead of himself. That’s one reason why he started Caedan Cares, his foundation whose mission is to empower young people, uplift families and build stronger communities.
The latest example came with his choice for the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative: the Heading Home program, a local non-profit that aims to end homelessness in Eastern Massachusetts by providing a supported pathway to self-sufficiency that begins with a home, together with critical services such as life skills, financial literacy and job training. Wallace thought it was the perfect group to form an alliance with.
“Me and my dad have been doing work in the community and been working as a pair with Heading Home for a while now, so we thought it would be a good idea to reach out there and try to help as much as we could,” Wallace said of his choice for My Cause My Cleats.
It’s a program that the second-year guard has plenty of experience with. Earlier in the season he enlisted the help of his father, Dr. Charles Wallace II, to help a single mother move into a new apartment. It was part of the program’s “Up & Out Move,” which facilitated the transition for a 32-year-old mother of two, a 7-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son.
“It was super rewarding to be able to help someone out, especially at this time of year knowing it’s getting cold, and she has kids and there’s so much going on with the government shutdown,” Wallace said with a smile. “I just want to put as much love out there as we can and to being able to house those guys was really important to me and my family.”
For Wallace, the idea of giving back is second nature. Ever since he could remember, he watched his grandmother, Joyce Wallace, offer whatever she could to help those around her in her hometown of Gray Court, South Carolina. Whether it was through her gardens where neighbors often came to pick their own fruits and vegetables, or other acts of kindness, she left an indelible mark on her grandson.
“I’m sure there’s a reason I enjoy giving back so much, it could be religious based, but I’ve just grown up with it,” Wallace said. “It’s ingrained in my family. My grandma gave back a lot when she was still around and it’s really all I’ve known my entire life. She would go around helping people and I’m sure my dad got that from her, so it just makes sense that I was impacted the same way. It’s just been ingrained in my family – giving back.”
