The Big John Manumaleuna Foundation seeks to use the unique perspective of Samoan and Polynesian cultures to promote education and a healthy lifestyle through sports. The Foundation is committed to running unique sports camps aimed at helping high risk youth break the cycle of poverty and strive for higher education.

Through volunteers, coaches, current and past NFL players, the Foundation will seek to educate parents and kids alike on things like SAT’s, ACT’s, scholarships, grades and the importance of higher education. The Foundation has chosen Las Vegas, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Samoa for its 2008 camps. These locations were chosen because they have a large Polynesian culture.

The precursor to the Big John Foundation was the Samoan Athletes in Action founded in 1977 by Frank Manumaleuna’s brother “Big John,” while Frank was still playing at San Jose State. Big John’s vision was to provide positive, strong, healthy, educated, articulate role models for youth that live in high risk, dangerous areas. The Samoan Athletes in Action originally focused on the South Bay area of Los Angeles where its camps are free and open to youth from all schools.

It was important to Big John that the camps be free to the youth while at the same time providing top tier skills training and life skills lessons. Big John encouraged kids to rise above the circumstances of their childhood through education and respect for country, family, self and others. Frank helped Big John organize Samoan Athletes in Action and Frank ran the athletic skills training portions of those camps. With the tragic and untimely death of Big John in the 1980’s, the Samoan Athletes in Action dream was carried on by James and Harry Foisia, and Frank Manumaleuna.

In 2002, in memory of his late brother and in recognition of the enormous benefit that the Samoan Athletes in Action provided for Polynesian youth and all youth of the South Bay area of Los Angeles, Frank Manumaleuna determined to resurrect the Samoan Athletes in Action as the Big John Manumaleuna Foundation. Frank organized and ran a 2002 Samoan Athletes in Action 25th year anniversary in Carson, California, and became inspired to apply for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status with the IRS. The 25th year anniversary included a charity golf tournament, a dinner and banquet, and a football camp at Scott Park in Carson, California. Over 200 youth of all races participated in the highly successful camp which was underwritten by the city of Carson.

Frank has recently secured 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the IRS for The Big John Foundation. 2005 will be the first full year and schedule for the Foundation. The Big John Foundation plans to organize and participate in 6 athletic and educational youth camps throughout the western United States and the Pacific Islands. The express purpose of this agenda is to provide access for Polynesian youth and at risk youth of all races to (1) skilled athletic training, (2) guidance regarding the process of applying for college and securing scholarships, and (3) role models who will instill and preach the importance of honoring and respecting country, parents, hard work and dedication.