Ever since he was a young child, Jermain Defoe travelled to the Caribbean island of St Lucia to visit his grandparents.
Although regarded as a beautiful holiday destination, less well known are the issues of poverty and homelessness in St Lucia. But these problems struck Defoe, who decided to work to alleviate them.
In 2013, the Premier League legend launched the Jermain Defoe Foundation to help homeless and abused children on St Lucia, with the aim of building only the second children's home on the island.
"As a family we decided to launch the JDF to raise funds and to try to build another children's home to get the kids in there and try to get them back in employment," Defoe explained.
To raise money for the Foundation, Defoe, who has 158 Premier League goals, including 15 for Sunderland last season, last week held a football tournament in Romford, Essex, that was attended by 32 teams and their families.
"It's just as important as your own career and playing," said Defoe at the tournament. "The feeling you get when you see the kids smiling and doing what they love doing, it's special.
"If you can change one life, it's amazing, but if you can change many then it's a blessing."