John Calipari to Receive Jefferson Award for Public Service in Sports

Kentucky head coach John Calipari will receive the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service in Sports by Multiplying Good on Nov. 2.

Those receiving the Jefferson Award are empowered to do more, while their stories of extraordinary public service inspire others to action. It is an award that underscores impact.

“I am humbled to be recognized in this way,” Calipari said. “As I look back at my career in basketball and serving the community, things like this will matter to me more than any other award or recognition.”

Multiplying Good is the world’s most foremost and highly celebrated organization focused on and honoring public service. They have honored our country’s most significant trailblazers and changemakers and each year recipients are honored at the Jefferson Award Ceremony in New York and Washington, D.C.

Other recipients of the Jefferson Award include Arthur Ashe, Tom Brokaw, Larry Fitzgerald, Betty Ford, John Glenn, Bob Hope, Steve Jobs, Shaquille O’Neal, General Colin Powell, John D. Rockefeller and Oprah Winfrey. Calipari is the first men’s college basketball coach to receive the honor.

Calipari’s way of giving is founded in his three principles of charitable work. Everything he does must meet one of three criteria: draw attention to a cause, provide immediate needs or generate lasting impact. Much of what he does remains private, but these are a few public initiatives he’s been involved with:

Five telethons – Along with his teams, he’s raised more than $12 million with the American Red Cross to assist aid for the 2010 Haitian earthquake, 2012 Superstorm Sandy, 2017 Hurricane Harvey, 2021 tornadoes in western Kentucky and 2022 flooding in eastern Kentucky
In 2012, launched The Calipari Foundation, which has worked with several key partners over the years, including partnering with his Fantasy Camp experience which has generated millions of dollars and includes matching funds for more than 30 charities since its inception
In 2019, when Lexington federal workers were without pay due to a government shutdown, he and his wife assisted those families with financial help and grocery gift cards. He said at the time that nothing was more fulfilling than meeting the families who were being helped
During the COVID-19 pandemic when students were learning remotely, he partnered with Fayette County Public Schools and its breakfast program to help families in need by delivering meals to participating schools and sometimes directly to families at their home

The second-winningest coach in program history has a 365-101 record at Kentucky with four Final Four appearances, six Southeastern Conference regular-season championships and six league tournament titles.

Calipari is one of just two coaches to win Naismith Coach of the Year three times and, with an 810-241 on-court record, he ranks among the top 10 in all-time Division I victories.