March 28, 2013 – Chicago Bulls forward Vladimir Radmanovic recently teamed up with International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago to donate more than 25,000 new books for students in the Chicago area.
Vladimir Radmanovic and Randy Brown, Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Bulls, were among those on hand at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center to donate the books and meet local students.
(Michael Prischman Photography LLC)
Radmanovic, Bulls representatives, and Chicago religious leaders visited the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center on Friday, March 22 to donate the books and meet local students. The books will support after school learning opportunities, mentoring and summer learning programs.
“The book donation from Vladimir Radmanovic and the IOCC will give over 25 local schools and community centers the tools to help teach reading to our students,” said Major David Harvey, the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center administrator. “So many times we tell our kids they need to learn how to read to make it in life, but there are no tools for students to take home with them to learn. These books will go into the homes of thousands of kids so they can practice their reading skills and increase their education for future success.”
The donation is part of long-standing efforts that Radmanovic has made throughout his twelve-year career in the NBA to support educational opportunities for underprivileged children in both the United States and his native Serbia.
The books are part of a larger initiative that Radmanovic has undertaken to assist children this spring. He recently announced his continued support for projects to provide assistance to disabled children living in state institutions in his native Serbia. Among the projects he has planned are the shipment of more than 150 wheelchairs and mobility devices for disabled children, the expansion of a vocational training center for disabled youth and young adults and the creation of an occupational therapy program at a rural center for youth in central Serbia.
Radmanovic is the past recipient of the Communitas Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals for his dedication to helping the less fortunate. Over the past five years, he has provided more than $2.4 million in assistance to children in partnership with International Orthodox Christian Charities.