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Growing up in Brazil, Camila McConaughey was aware that her family didn't have a lot - but it was enough to share.
She was taught that giving back was a normal part of daily life, not something done once or twice a year.
"We were surrounded by poverty everywhere," she remembers. "But it didn't matter how much you had. You always found ways to help other people. I remember being kids and gathering clothes from everybody in our apartment building to donate to the elders. It was part of how I was raised."
Now, the mom, businesswoman and wife of actor Matthew McConaughey is raising her three children - Levi, 10; Vida, 8; and Livingston, 5 - the same way: to treat everyone with respect and help those less fortunate. The 36-year-old gives back not only through the Just Keep Livin Foundation (JKL), which she runs with her husband, but through her entrepreneurial endeavors as well.
It's hard to believe, but McConaughey says that, as a child, she was an "ugly duck" who was constantly teased for her curly hair and skinny frame. When she announced her plans to one day move to the United States and become a famous model, she was mocked. But she didn't let it faze her, she recalls, and made sure to always be kind.
Eventually, she proved her naysayers wrong. After moving to Los Angeles at 15 to live with relatives, McConaughey worked tirelessly to follow her dream, cleaning houses by day and taking English classes at night. By 19, she had saved enough to pursue her career seriously and go on daily casting calls. Before long, her first professional modeling gig for Jockey landed her a billboard in Times Square. In 2010, she was named host of Bravo's reality competition series "Shear Genius" and later became the face of Macy's clothing label I.N.C. Concepts.
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Along the way, she met future husband Matthew at an LA nightclub. In addition to great looks and red-hot careers, they shared the same values - including a love of giving back. JKL, a nonprofit that supports after- school fitness and wellness programs for teenagers nationwide, was initially her husband's concept. But it's a cause both he and McConaughey have devoted themselves to for more than a decade.
"It was his idea, but we've been doing it together since the beginning," she explains. "The minute I met the kids, I was like, 'That's it. I'm in.' It's now been 10 years."
The name of the foundation has special meaning for the Oscar-winning actor, according to the nonprofit's website. When he was in his early 20s and filming the cult classic movie "Dazed and Confused," which helped propel him to fame, Matthew was struggling with the recent passing of his father, Jim. He stumbled upon a saying - "Just keep livin," or "J.K. livin" - that helped him stay positive during that turbulent time. It's been a personal motto and a way of life for him ever since.
"When Matthew established his foundation, naming it 'Just Keep Livin' was a natural fit," according to the website. "It captured so many aspects of health and well-being and applies to all facets of life. He included his father, 'Pop,' on the logo in remembrance of the saying's origin."
Of the decision to focus on high school kids, McConaughey says: "It's the last stage where a child, a teenager, if they don't change the trouble they're in at that age... then it becomes a real-life situation that can affect the rest of their lives. It's amazing the difference we've been able to make."
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She recalls one particularly moving story from when she and the organization brought a group of kids to visit a lake in Austin.
"This kid," she says. "It was his first time leaving his neighborhood. And, at one point, he kind of stopped, but the group kept going. The coach went over to see if he was OK. And the boy was just enamored with the body of water. He was like, 'I never knew that this existed.' He was 10 minutes from his home. He ended up graduating and joined the navy. That one field trip showed him there was more out there than he ever thought."
Today, JKL serves more than 2,500 kids in 33 schools across the country, teaching them about nutrition, wellness, fitness, art and community service.
"We hold them accountable," McConaughey explains. "They have to give back to the community. We help them, but then it's their job to give back. It gives them ownership. Some of them don't think they can help because they have so little to give, but we teach them. It's about helping young men and women become great adults."
She and Matthew, who turns 49 this month, involve their children in the nonprofit often, she says: "They know all about it. It's a family affair."
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McConaughey, who splits her time between LA and Austin, also gives back in the form of her lifestyle website, Women of Today, where she shares recipes, health and fitness ideas, home and crafting tips, and stories about women who inspire others.
"We are building such a beautiful community on the site," she says.
She's also a partner in Yummy Spoonfuls, an organic food brand for toddlers.
"I have three kids, and I've done their baby food from scratch," she says. "Livingston, my youngest, was just starting on solids, and we were living in the middle of nowhere, on location in Calgary. It was so crazy to me that I couldn't go to the store and pick up a pure form of kids food."
She ended up meeting her business partner, Agatha Achindu, who shared her same beliefs. They teamed up and took it from there. Their goal is to provide the best quality food to nourish growing kids, and the company gives back through charity initiatives, like donating baby food to Feeding America. This fall, they will be on shelves at Walmart.
Coming up soon is McConaughey's favorite time of year: the holidays.
"It all starts at Thanksgiving," she says. "Last year, we spent Thanksgiving in Miami, so I did a tropical- themed table."
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At Christmastime, charity is a family tradition and "a constant thing" for her kids, she says. She leads them in giving back the same way she did as a child, by donating some of their toys and purchasing new items to send to children in Brazil.
Between the nonprofit, her website and her food brand, how does the mom of three do it all?
"I have a huge calendar on my office wall. Like, huge," she says. "And everyone in the family has a color. Everybody we work with has a color. I do two months ahead at a time. So I'm always looking at that. It's a simple idea, but it's so helpful."
But such a method won't help anyone if they don't have their priorities straight, she says.
"The main thing is to have your priorities in order. What's the most important thing for you? For me, my family comes first no matter what. So, even if I'm working or there's a lot going on, I know my No. 1 priority is my family. Whatever they need, I'm going to make sure they have it and make sure I'm there. Once you have your priorities in order, it makes life less stressful and easier to navigate."
After that, it all boils down to one thing, McConaughey says: "I try to do everything in my life with a purpose. When you have your purpose, it becomes such a joy to do your work." O
