Jones & Swanson and its Marietta personal injury lawyers believe in community outreach. That belief drove the team to spearhead its Community Service Scholarship, valued at $2,500. This year, the scholarship goes to Cana Brooks in recognition of her astonishing dedication to community betterment.
Cana Brooks currently attends Howard University in Washington, DC, where she’s pursuing a Leisure Studies major with a Sports Management concentration in addition to minors in History and Sports Administration.
Though she is only a junior in college, she’s developed Cana Cares, an outreach program designed to offer support to new parents, school-age children, people experiencing homelessness, and anyone who might benefit from her support. Jones & Swanson admires her dedication and determination to do good.
Cana Cares, an Outlet for Service
According to Cana Brooks, community service is who she is. Her dedication to the people in the world around her drove her to look beyond the volunteer opportunities normally available to today’s high school and college students.
Instead, she founded her own organization, Cana Cares, to conduct outreach individualized to her community’s needs.
Since founding Cana Cares, Brooks has:
- Hosted a GoFundMe that raised $1,300 for youth experiencing homelessness in her community
- Organized food and clothing drives
- Collected school supplies on behalf of in-need families
- Overseen baby blanket crafting events, donating those blankets to new families
- Raised money on behalf of St. Jude
- Provided gifts to foster children
- Overseen monthly service projects that put young people in charge of community betterment
Her goal, in addition to ensuring everyday people have the tools they need to address their physical and mental needs, is to ensure that no one feels like they’re alone.
Community service, to Brooks, is about more than offering people things they need. It’s also about ensuring people know that there are others in the world who are looking out for them.
Cana Cares is Set to Grow
Brooks emphasizes that Cana Cares has done more than help the communities around her. It’s also driven her to become a compassionate and courageous leader. She notes that she has the skills to mobilize community partners and get them engaged in her projects.
Her leadership position has also made it easier for her to speak with passion and purpose about projects close to her heart. She is gracious when citing the roots of these skills, noting that in addition to Cana Cares, she can thank her experience as a marching band clarinetist for teaching her the discipline she’s needed to pursue her outreach goals.
Brooks intends to turn these skills back on Cana Cares, growing it so it can better serve a broader audience. She intends to pursue 501(c)(3) status and hopes to reach more youth through sports-based mentorship programs.
She also hopes to partner with professional athletes to improve Cana Cares’ reach.
Finding Grounds for Outreach Through Sports
Sports have been part of Cana’s life for as long as she’s been able to play. Cana Cares has allowed her to forge a bridge between compassion and competition, driving community betterment by consistently caring for the people around her.
When asked about how sports have given her a unique perspective on outreach, she said, “A winning season isn’t just about the trophies, it’s about the lives we uplift along the way.”
Getting to Know Cana Brooks
Brooks has channeled her passion for sports while pursuing her college degree at Howard University. She is majoring in Leisure Studies with a Sports Management concentration.
She’s also pursuing minors in Sports Administration and History. She intends to use her understanding of athletics history to craft a platform for equity and mental wellness.
How does Brooks plan on getting this done? She believes it’s possible to create inclusive spaces for young athletes and to break down the systemic barriers that make it harder for certain demographics to participate in life-changing sports.
Brooks specifically hopes that she can leverage her education to transform the sports industry into “a force for holistic community well-being.”
What to Expect From Cana Brooks in the Future
When she graduates, Brooks hopes to pursue a career as the founder of a sports nonprofit or a Director of Community Engagement.
She believes that these positions will make it possible for her to forge a space in the sports industry where competition and compassion coexist.
She specifically hopes to use her career to create equitable environments that benefit young athletes from underserved backgrounds.
She wants the space that she creates to help these young athletes thrive professionally and personally, ensuring that high-performance sports can have a meaningful impact on the communities that they reach.
Learn More About the Jones & Swanson Community Service Scholarship
Jones & Swanson began offering its Community Service Scholarship to recognize the contributions young people like Cana Brooks have made to the communities around them.
The scholarship promises $2,500 to an undergraduate or graduate student who can demonstrate a transformative commitment to communities in need.
Students can revisit the scholarship’s terms and conditions page for updates to its qualifying criteria as well as the submission deadline for next year’s Community Service Scholarship. The team will begin accepting applications in November 2025.
Jones & Swanson looks forward to providing ambitious and compassionate students with the financial support they need to pursue their goals for years to come.
Three Cheers for Cana Brooks!
Cana Brooks is a stunning example of what today’s young people can do when they put their minds to community betterment. Brooks, in particular, has gone above and beyond, ensuring that Cana Cares can better the lives of anyone in need of financial and personal assistance.
The team with Jones & Swanson hopes that the financial support from the Community Service Scholarship can ease Brooks’ mind as she continues through her academic career and continues to grow Cana Cares.
Future applicants interested in the Community Service Scholarship can look to her incredible example when submitting their applications.
Categories: Firm News
