On Sunday, the Sacramento Kings Foundation and the South Sacramento Christian Center will announce a special donation of the Kings global court used during the 2017-18 NBA season in Golden 1 Center to the Simmons Community Center as part of their Revive Cal Skate Initiative.
The partnership between the Sacramento Kings and the Simmons Center began with the Kings and Queens Rise Youth Forum after the death of Stephon Clark and continued with the Kings and Queens Rise Co-ed Basketball League which ran through the summer.
The donation of the basketball court is an extension of the Kings commitment to creating safe spaces for youth living in underserved communities to come together to play, learn and thrive.
“We deeply believe in using basketball as an agent of change and value our ongoing partnership with the South Sacramento Christian Center to ensure that all youth have a safe space to thrive,” said Sacramento Kings Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis. “Investing in our youth through basketball promotes teamwork, creates friendships and instills an active, healthy lifestyle.”
“Youth in our community deserve to have access to high-quality youth development and recreation facilities,” said Les Simmons, Pastor of South Sacramento Christian Center. “We are thrilled about the Kings donation, which we accept as a testament to the commitment they made to invest in communities beyond those that surround Golden 1 Center.”
South Sacramento Christian Center operates the Simmons Community Center, a youth-focused center located in the facility formerly known as Cal Skate, which has a rich history as a community gathering space for youth and their families. After four decades of use, the South Sacramento Christian Center is in the midst of a fundraising initiative to renovate the building for a new generation.