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LeBron James Receives December NBA Cares Community Assist Award

NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2018 – Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has received the December NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente in recognition of his continuing work to create positive, long-lasting change in his hometown of Akron and throughout Northeast Ohio, the NBA announced on Wednesday. The award recognizes an NBA player each month who best reflects the passion that the league and its players share for giving back to their communities.

Kaiser Permanente and the NBA are honoring James for providing resources and opportunities to improve the lives of children and families through education in Akron and the greater Cleveland area. During the holidays, he announced the creation of the I PROMISE School, a new Akron Public School opening in the fall of 2018 inspired by the LeBron James Family Foundation’s I Promise program. The school will focus on educating children academically, socially and emotionally, while providing comprehensive support and resources to each child’s family, and serve as James’ vehicle for creating change in his hometown through the power of education.

In December, James expanded on his Foundation’s year-round support by surprising families of future I PROMISE School students with convenient access to critical healthcare services and other medical resources through a partnership with Crystal Clinic. James also hosted hundreds of his students for a private trip to the North Pole on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Polar Express, a continuation of the I PROMISE program’s monthly experiential learning opportunities that he provides for every class of his students throughout the school year. Additionally, he donated thousands of toys to kindergarteners and first- and second-graders across the Akron Public School system, and joined his teammates for the Cavaliers’ annual visit to Cleveland Clinic Children’s to spread holiday cheer to young patients and their families.

“To be able to support and create opportunities for the kids in Akron who are in danger of falling through the cracks means everything to me because I was one of those kids,” said James. “I’m proud and excited to create a school and provide resources that will help these students earn an education that will change their lives and give them a better future.”

Before the Cavaliers’ home game against the Miami Heat tonight, NBA Cares Ambassador Bob Lanier will present the award to James during an on-court ceremony. In addition, Kaiser Permanente and the NBA will donate $10,000 to the LeBron James Family Foundation.

The NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente honors the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson, who improved the community piece by piece. To learn more, please visit https://www.nba.com/communityassist/.

About The LeBron James Family Foundation
Recognizing the life-changing importance of education, The LeBron James Family Foundation invests its time, resources and attention in the kids of James’ hometown in Akron, Ohio. Through its I PROMISE program, the foundation serves more than 1,200 Akron-area students by providing them with the programs, support and mentors they need for success in school and beyond. In 2015, James partnered with The University of Akron to guarantee four-year college scholarships to all eligible students who graduate from high school and complete the criteria in the classroom and in the community. In 2018, all of the Foundation’s interventions and research-based incentives, along with its “We Are Family” philosophy – will be implemented into a brand new Akron Public School, the I Promise School, dedicated to giving Akron’s most challenged students and their families the resources and wraparound supports needed on the path to a better future.