Babineaux pushes spotlight to serving others

Since his rookie year in 2005, Babineaux has spent nearly every Tuesday – the Falcons’ off-day – at some obscure charity, usually involving children. More than 50 Atlanta groups have been helped by these appearances, or from the $40,000 in prime Georgia Dome game tickets.

His beneficiaries include the blind, visually impaired, deaf, mentally challenged, low-income, shoeless and homeless; refugees, foster children and troubled kids at risk for dropping out of school; the medically fragile or terminally ill; organ transplant recipients or those in wait for the same; senior and disabled veterans; and victims of natural disasters and AIDS.

The spotlight on pro athletes can reveal an untold story, like these kids’.

But that spotlight is fickle. It can also miss the full story, like his own.

Easter Seals took a hard look at Babineaux’s offer of help. The organization knew about his arrests, for animal cruelty in 2007 -- a charge that was dismissed -- and for felony marijuana possession in 2009, almost exactly a year before his appearance Tuesday at their Head Start program.

After his guilty plea, the drug charge was reduced to three misdemeanors. Babineaux is serving a one-year probation and sat out the first game of this season, an overtime loss to Pittsburgh.

Freed from his lawyer’s advice to stay silent, Babineaux now can point out that his car’s passenger, who was from California, had a medical prescription for the 40 grams of marijuana he was carrying.

The full story matters where he serves.

“We weighed things – the attention he could help bring Easter Seals by being the person he is and what was in the past,” said Norma Center, the development coordinator for Easter Seals of North Georgia, which runs the Head Start program at Brookvalley Child Development Center in northeast Atlanta.

Both Babineaux and the Head Start kids tackle misperceptions. The preschoolers come from lower-income families, some with learning disabilities.

These Head Start kids are hoping to one day to enter public school “just like everyone else,” Center said.

Making Babineaux this year’s Easter Seals Ambassador puts the message of acceptance on a big (6-foot-2, 300 pound) billboard.

“It’s one thing to be marked. It’s another to be marked for the rest of your life,” Center said. “We don’t want that for any of our children, either. We want them to move ahead and feel accepted by everyone.”

Another misperception is that Babineaux does good works because Falcons owner Arthur Blank requires players to give back. For Babineaux,volunteering has always been a habit, part of his identity, even before football.

In his home in Port Arthur, Texas, giving back was drilled into him, especially after his father died when Babineaux was in elementary school.

While Barbara Babineaux worked as a service order writer for the telephone company, she arranged a safe, free afterschool stop for her five kids under 13: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, across the street from his school.

From painting the parking lot lines to washing windows, the Babineaux kids helped “with any little thing needed to be done,” his mother said.

Another motivation was on their backs. Elzina Babineaux, his dad’s mom, was a beautician whose clients donated hand-me-downs to her fatherless grandchildren.

“But we never knew who the people were who gave the clothes,” said Barbara Babineaux. “And we learned that you never know who really needs help. ... Whatever it takes to make a difference in other people’s lives, we will do it.”

Babineaux, now a father of two children under age 4, said his mother’s influence has been the biggest engine for his volunteering: “She made me realize what I wanted to do and be at a young age.”

As a volunteer, football player or person, Babineaux never intended people to see him as perfect.

As a rookie, Babineaux started volunteering in Atlanta alongside then-starter Rod Coleman, his mentor on and off the field.

Coleman had once been arrested for a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. He had also wrecked his car and the sheriff’s report said alcohol was involved, though he was never charged. Coleman lasted 10 NFL seasons and now runs a day care center.

“He is an easygoing person who learned from his situation just like I have,” Babineaux said. “He moved on with his life and continues to do what he loves and give back.”

Babineaux never considered cutting back his community work in Atlanta, which is in addition to his family foundation that serves people with lupus.

“I try to live a perfect life, but it’s rare that we all live perfect lives,” he said. “I’m human like everyone. Just because I have a job title of an NFL player doesn’t mean I’m perfect. I can relate to a lot of other people who do [similar] things and learn from it and do better and do right and live life without any regrets.”

This season’s statistics (23 tackles, 3 sacks, two forced fumbles, 1 interception) don’t reveal Babineaux’s full story. After a standout season in 2009 (47 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles), he’s seen more double-teams.

“I wish my sack numbers were up, but I’m just thinking I get more attention than last year,” he said. “But I’m enjoying the ride. The sky’s the limit for us.”

When the Falcons play Sunday, Babineaux’s brother Jordan will be playing for the Seattle Seahawks. The brothers, born 10 months apart, always trade the same advice: “Make a play that will make a difference.”

The spotlight always notices that moment on the field, even if it misses so much else.