Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy’s jersey number 1 isn’t just a random figure. It’s a mission born from the bond between Worthy and his mother, Nicky Jones, built on resilience, love, and giving back. What started as a small effort to uplift single mothers and local kids has found its biggest stage yet.

According to Rachel Segobia, executive director of The Single Mom KC, the city has “over 61,000 single mothers raising more than 115,000 children.”

And Worthy’s foundation, The Worthy 1s, has turned its focus toward helping Kansas City’s massive community of single mothers. Already active in Austin and his hometown, Fresno, they are now expanding to Kansas City with its eight programs. These include Back2School Grants, financial empowerment workshops, and Youth R.I.S.E. mentorship.

They will also host sports camps, community brunches, and winter coat drives, followed by the Worthy Spotlight program. But do you know that this entire mission comes straight from Worthy’s own journey?

He and his mother, Nicky Jones, know exactly what life in a single-parent household feels like. Jones raised Worthy on her own, fighting through long nights and tougher days to keep their little family together.

“I was a young single mom starting out with Xavier, and there’s a lot of struggles that come with that,” Jones said. “I was just talking with someone about the struggles, trying to keep food on the table, a roof over your head, the lights on.”

Worthy still remembers what those nights felt like.

“The power company shut off our lights for about two months. I knew what struggle looked like.”

And that’s exactly why he’s determined to make sure fewer moms face those same battles. For him, it’s personal.

Xavier Worthy’s foundation hosted a ‘walk’ with a dedicated mission

Last month, on October 18th, Worthy and his foundation teamed up with The Single Mom KC for their Awareness Walk. The Walk for TSMKC wasn’t just another event in the City of Fountains. It was a family-friendly movement built on one powerful idea: that no single mother should ever walk alone.

A few days later, his mom, Nicky Jones, opened up about what drives this mission.

“We were going to start one to help families that look like ours… So the ‘Worthy 1’s’ are really those single mothers, those children that need that extra support, and that’s us. That’s where we come in. That’s where our partners, sponsors, and volunteers come in.”

By fostering community, providing resources, and instilling a strong sense of purpose, The Worthy 1 supports single mothers in creating more stable futures across all aspects of their well-being. Additionally, to keep kids inspired, they even host free football camps, showing that empowerment comes in many forms.

Worthy knows how powerful one example can be. Growing up, his idol was DeSean Jackson. Meeting him, Worthy says, changed his life. Now, he’s paying that forward. He hosted a free camp for 400 kids at Edison High School back in July.

“You never know who’s going to be the next me, or who needs those words of encouragement,” Worthy said. “I just want to be that spark for them.”

For many, that spark has already turned into light. Off the field, The Worthy 1 keeps proving who the real MVP is – the single mothers.