C.J. Luckey

C.J. Luckey believes that the best way to strengthen a community is to invest in the people who live there. As a hip hop artist, motivational speaker, and Executive Director of C.A.P.S., Celebrating All Persevering Students, C.J. has dedicated his work to encouraging and inspiring the next generation across the Concho Valley.

For C.J., giving back begins with a lesson he learned from his mother. She often reminded him that you cannot sweep around someone else’s front door until you have swept around your own. In other words, take care of your family and the community around you. C.J. carries that wisdom with him as he uses the gifts and influence God has given him to invest in people of all ages.

Through his nonprofit organization C.A.P.S., C.J. spends time on school campuses throughout the community, supporting students from elementary school all the way through college. His mission is simple but powerful: to encourage, empower, and inspire students and educators both inside and outside the classroom. By showing up, speaking life into young people, and reminding them of their value and potential, C.J. helps shape the future of our community one student at a time.

When asked what it means to be named a Community Champion, C.J. says he does not think of a champion as someone who wins. Instead, he thinks of an advocate and a protector. An advocate is someone who speaks up for those who may feel voiceless. A protector is someone who stands for what is right and just. One of the scriptures that guides his life is Micah 6:8, which calls us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

C.J.’s approach to service is also shaped by the example Jesus gave when He washed the disciples’ feet. While C.J. jokes that he is not literally washing anyone’s feet, he takes the message of humility and service to heart. His parents also taught him an important lesson that continues to guide his life: leave people and places better than you found them. For C.J., legacy is not about how much you accomplish, but about how many people you serve.

His connection to San Angelo also comes with a bit of humor. When he first met his wife in Kansas while they were both playing college basketball, she told him she was from San Angelo. Growing up in Dallas, C.J. had never heard of the town and assumed it must be somewhere in California. After all, there is San Francisco, San Diego, and San Jose. He admits the logic seemed pretty solid at the time. When she told him San Angelo was actually in Texas, he did not believe her. Today, that same place he once questioned is proudly the community he serves and calls home.

As part of the Meals For The Elderly Community Champions program, C.J. will participate in a ride along with one of our volunteer delivery routes during March for Meals. This experience allows champions to see firsthand the impact of a daily meal delivery and the meaningful connections that volunteers build with the seniors they serve.

Meals For The Elderly is grateful for C.J.’s heart for investing in people and for his willingness to serve as an ambassador for our mission of neighbors helping neighbors.