That's why it's so important to Boldin that his foundation be a family affair. His parents, siblings and everyone in between are involved in some fashion with planning events, fundraisers and the scholarships. It's just what the family does.

"You want people with the same heart as you," Boldin said. "A lot of people work for foundations so they can get paid. My foundation is a little different in that nobody gets paid. Everybody does it out of the kindness of their heart.

"I do it to show my kids, especially with my oldest son. He's 11 and has a pretty good understanding of what we do and why we do it. We let him know that everybody isn't as privileged as he is. I know I wasn't. But because you have that life, you're obligated to help others. There are a lot of people out there suffering and a lot of people out there in need."

Everything Boldin does with his foundation is hands-on. He wants those he touches to know his face more so than his name.

One small illustration of that dedication is how Boldin goes about selecting students for his Q81 Foundation Scholarship Award. Instead of delegating someone else to look over the hundreds of essays that are submitted for the $10,000 grant, Boldin and his wife, Dionne, read every last one.

"That's what it's for. You want to hear the stories yourself," Boldin said. "It's easy to have somebody else read them, but I like to hear exactly what kids are going through because I can relate. Some of those stories are heartbreaking. And for me, if I could, I'd send every kid who reaches out to college."

Celene Bolanos grew up in the Bay Area as a casual 49ers fan. Her brother and father were more passionate supporters of the team, but she enjoyed watching San Francisco play on Sundays.

As a senior in 2014 at Aragon High School in San Mateo, Calif., Bolanos received an acceptance letter from UC-Berkeley – her dream college. She didn't know how she would pay for her education with so many expenses in addition to tuition like food, housing and books.