Arizona DB Genesis Smith starts foundation to give back

Except Arizona’s sophomore defensive back was always a helper. Now he’s using his growing platform to quarterback the Genesis Smith Foundation.

The first building block for the nonprofit Genesis Smith Foundation: “Christmas Cats,” an initiative to donate gifts to Tucson and Phoenix area families during the holidays. Family nominations and monetary donations can be made through Genesis Smith Foundation Instagram page (@genesissmithfdn) or Christmas Cat website.

In the following weeks, the Genesis Smith Foundation will select families and create an “Amazon Wish List,” which will be revealed on Friday, November 29.

The genesis of Smith’s foundation and generosity during the holiday season is the “One Last Chance” foundation, founded by his late grandmother, Tonia, who “was really big in the Phoenix area,” said Smith, a Chandler native and Hamilton High School product. .

“She had a lot of food centers where she stored the food and we would go out and give food out after church at Christmas time and Thanksgiving,” Smith said. “Growing up, we would go out and drop off turkeys. Most of the time we’d go out to church and then go out to give food at Christmas time. It’s always been our tradition.”

Added Smith: “We’re a tight-knit family and we always gave back. That’s what she was known for.”

Most of the food donated by One Last Chance was non-perishable items, canned goods, pre-packaged meals or turkeys. Chipotle donated burritos to Smith’s grandmother to give to the less fortunate in Phoenix.

“People wanted to donate a lot of stuff,” Smith said.

Helping her grandmother make a difference in the valley during the holiday season are some of Smith’s favorite childhood memories.

“Just the conversations we had while we were doing it,” Smith said. “She would sometimes yell at me because I would mess up the meals. She would always yell at me and get on me, but we always used to laugh together all the time. Those are some good memories.”

Since Smith was “always around it, always helping her and giving back, I feel at this point in my life it’s a good time to start my own,” especially now that he’s a player on the rise for the Wildcats.

In his second season with the program, Smith is fifth on the team in tackles (39) and is tied with redshirt freshman free safety Jack Luttrell for the most interceptions (two) by a Wildcat this season; Smith also has a forced fumble. Due to injuries in Arizona’s defensive secondary, including nickel back Treydan Stukes and free safety Gunner Maldonado with season-ending injuries, Smith has started at three different positions this season.

Once a backup defensive back and dollar package contributor, the 6-2, 203-pound Smith was thrust into a leadership role for Arizona’s defense.

“Genesis, he was the little brother behind Stukes and Gunner. Now he’s got to show up,” Arizona defensive coordinator Duane Akina said last month. “They went to college, (Smith) is the big brother in the house now.”

Earlier this season, Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said Smith “has this incredible energy and big smile.”

“He’s a super engaging young man,” Brennan said.

Smith’s persona was aided by some of his teammates, like Maldonado and wide receiver Malachi Riley, and the UA football program, including Tobruk Blaine, the director of player development. Smith’s parents are also “super proud and helpful with the process,” he said.

“A lot of people want to jump on board and help me while I go out and drop off some gifts,” Smith said. “Some of my teammates have also talked about dropping off some gifts.”

Smith doesn’t want Christmas Cats to be a one-and-done campaign. He wants to make it a holiday tradition with his foundation and eventually give back in ways other than just the holiday season.

“I definitely want to carry this through the rest of my career and make it as big as it can be,” he said. “Doing as much as I can every year in my spare time to make things and give back to my community, soccer camps and things like that.”

Although Smith grew up in Chandler, he strives to make an impact in Tucson, his home away from home.

“Just being here, driving through it every day and seeing people who are less fortunate out there, it makes me want to send some respect and go out there and help them,” Smith said.

For more information or to nominate a family or make a donation, visit “Christmas Cats” website at beacons.ai/christmascats.az.