December 2021 Newsletter

Matthew McConaughey Named Philanthropist of the Year

We’d like to congratulate our just keep livin Foundation Founder Matthew McConaughey for being named Philanthropist of the Year by The Hollywood Reporter!

It’s a privilege to help bring Matthew’s passion and vision to life through our afterschool fitness and wellness programs. Whether Matthew is hopping on a plane to come comfort our students as they grieve the loss of their beloved teacher, or jumping into action after a natural disaster to help your fellow Texans in their time of need, he’s an inspiration to us all.

Thank you to The Hollywood Reporter for your support of our foundation.

Check Out the Full Article

JKL Students Give Back for the Holidays

We’re proud of our #jklivin students from East Austin College Prep for getting into the holiday spirit early this year. Just in time for Thanksgiving, they passed out free turkeys to their fellow students and their families!

Thank you Meta (formerly Facebook) for donating 300 turkeys to help make our Austin community’s “turkey day” a little happier. To make things even more special (and delicious), we added recipe cards to the turkeys that featured our very own Camila McConaughey’s recipe for Sweet Potatoes with Brussel Sprouts and Craisins. Check out the recipe below to try it for yourself!

Full recipe by Women of Today »

A Beautiful Day at the MJ&M Fashion Show

MJ&M 2021 Fashion Committee with Featured Designer Andrea Lieberman/A.L.C.

Friday, November 12th was an incredible day in Austin, TX filled with fun, fashion, and giving back.

The Mack, Jack & McConaughey (MJ&M) 2021 Fashion Show and Luncheon was presented in partnership with Neiman Marcus featuring designer Andrea Lieberman of A.L.C. It was a stellar runway show with A.L.C.’s stunning Fall and Holiday Collection looks coming down the runway followed by an outdoor luncheon and silent auction.

There was even a Neiman Marcus-presented A.L.C. pop up shop set up so guests could shop for a cause, with 10% of sales being donated to MJ&M. Kendra Scott, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Tito’s Handmade Vodka offered special touches at the event, and Clarins shared the glam with our guests. MJ&M is the joint fundraising effort of Matthew McConaughey, recording artist Jack Ingram, and coaching legend Mack Brown.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event for helping MJ&M #EmpowerKids!

BSSJ GETS CREATIVE WITH PAINTS

Our JKL students at The Brooklyn School for Social Justice in New York created beautiful masterpieces during JKL programming during November.

They tied in our November quote of the month of just finish- the students finished and created a painting that showed no matter where your road may take you, always continue on your path.

JKL Co-Founder Camila Alves McConaughey Wants Kids to “Just Try One Bite”

The healthy eating advocate and founder of Women of Today will release her first book, Just Try One Bite, with co-author Adam Mansbach.

The book features a funny role reversal in which picky-eater parents are confronted by their children. Camila writes from experience, as a mom herself to Levi (13), Vida (11), and Livingston (8). “When you get older, it gets harder to kick bad habits,” adds Alves McConaughey.

“Just Try One Bite is a fun way to teach those healthy habits early on.” Just Try One Bite will hit shelves on March 22, and is available for pre-order now.

Camila’s Tips: Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Craisins

Looking for a yummy holiday side dish that will impress guests and isn’t too hard to make?

Then you must try our recipe for these Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Craisins … It combines two of our all-time favorite holiday veggie sides: sweet potatoes + Brussels sprouts. It’s a really easy dish to make and takes only about 10 minutes to prep the entire thing (giving you more time to cook everything else!).

Ingredients
• 2 lbs frozen Brussels sprouts
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 1.5 tbsp real maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup craisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

FOR THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS:
In one dark cookie sheet or baking pan combine the Brussel sprouts, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Toss to coat and place on one side of the oven, turning every 10 minutes or as needed. Roast for 45-60 minutes until browned and tender.

FOR THE SWEET POTATOES:
In a ceramic baking combine the cubed sweet potatoes, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Toss to coat and place on the other side of the oven, turning every 10 minutes or as needed. Roast until tender and golden brown, 45-50 minutes.

Assemble
In a serving dish, combine the cooked Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, and add the craisins. This can be served immediately or made a head and reheated.

– Enjoy! Beijos Camila