Dolphins' Jalean Phillips touched by visits to women's and children's shelter
Jaelan Phillips would try to arrive at Lotus House around 3 or 4 p.m. on his day off.
"When the kids were getting off school," Phillips said Thursday.
The kids are there because they're homeless. They're often there because their mom is a single parent and the family has encountered trauma.
As the largest homeless shelter for women and children in the country, Lotus House in Miami is there to help women and children heal, learn, grow and blossom.
And Phillips, a Dolphins rookie, wanted to help, too.
"The Lotus House in particular was extremely profound for me," said Phillips, who on Thursday was named winner of the Nat Moore Community Service Award.
"I really do believe that the kids are the future. Kids are extremely impressionable and they see a lot on a day-to-day basis. And so I feel like if I can come in there and give them some motivation ... give them some kind words. Do everything I can for them, I really do believe that makes a bigger impact. I think that for me it really hits home when I hang out with the kids. When I see the kids, that's what tugs at my heart strings."
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Phillips didn't just toss a football around with them. They talked. They played games. They did arts and crafts. It was just one of the many community service venues Phillips encountered this season, but this one stood out.
"There's a little nail studio that the little girls are able to use," Phillips said. 'It's just an incredible place. And the people who put everything on are incredible."
Donate to Lotus House, Miami-based women's and children's shelter
Phillips was the 18th overall pick of the last NFL Draft. Phillips is 6-foot-5, 266 pounds. He only 22 years old, but he's very mature.
"I want to make an impact in the community, on and off the field," Phillips said. "Entering the NFL, I knew my ability to do more increased and that the platform I had would give me the ability to really spread that philanthropic mindset that I have. So I've been trying to do as much as I can for the community. It's extremely important for me to give back and make an impact on this community."
On Thursday, Phillips spoke about having a slower start to his NFL career than he would have liked. But having also experienced some success.
Phillips is second on the Dolphins with 8.5 sacks. He had a streak of five games with at least a half-sack, though he hasn't recorded one in the last three contests.
"I think there was a lot of growth," Phillips said. "But I still have a ton to improve on. Obviously we're not happy with the results of the season."
Phillips said he wants to further gain the trust of his coaches in 2022. He'd like to show them he can be trusted to handle more downs of responsibility.
It's clear that the Dolphins organization trusts Phillips to represent the organization in a first-class manner. He's already making a huge impact on the community.
Phillips said he learned a lot about himself when he signed with UCLA as the No. 1 recruit in the nation, and ultimately transferred to the University of Miami.
“I think that’s really taught me a lot about how I want to carry myself and what impact I want to have on this world," he said. "So for me, just understanding that it’s way bigger than myself and it’s bigger than any on-the-field or off-the-field accomplishment I can do.
"I need to be able to make – I don’t want to say global impact – but just in regards of doing more than what’s necessary and just going out there and every day trying to better myself and the people around me.”
Sunday's game
Patriots at Dolphins
4:25 p.m., CBS
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins rookie Jaelan Phillips making impact on and off the field
