Charity begins at home and that's certainly the case for LeBron James. The Los Angeles Lakers basketball star, who is also known by his aptly fitting nickname King James, has his own foundation that serves his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
The mission of the LeBron James Family Foundation is to invest its time, resources, and attention in the kids of Akron. It helps more than 1,500 youngsters in the area by providing them with the programmes, support, and mentors they need to succeed in school and beyond.
LeBron says: "Any chance I get, you'll hear me say it loud and proud: I'm just a kid from Akron. And I say that because of the roots, the support, and the love my city has always given me. From my earliest days growing up in those streets, the community wrapped its arms around me. My mom and I had our challenges, but the people I was lucky to have around me would not let me fail.
"I want to do everything I can to be for my kids in Akron coming up behind me, who have incredible futures ahead of them."
One of the foundation's greatest achievements is its I PROMISE School, which opened in 2018 and helps vulnerable children by giving them free tuition, uniforms, bicycles, meals, and food pantries for their families.
His latest project that was announced in December 2020 and named after Akron's area code is House Three Thirty, a multi-purpose hub that will provide job training for skilled workers, financial advice for families as well as a community centre with amenities including an ice cream parlour, a coffee bar and lounge, and retail space.
LeBron also used his foundation to generate more than £30million for his After-School All-Stars scheme, as well as supporting other charities like The Boys and Girls Club of America and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, which both received over £2million.
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