Basketball legend and philanthropist Earvin “Magic” Johnson is lending a helping hand to Chicago’s underemployed youth.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ Hall of Fame point guard, along with his business partner, Kimbra Walter, has pledged to donate $10 million to the One Summer Chicago Plus program over a two-year period. The program looks to provide up to 5,000 summer jobs in hopes of helping youngsters avoid the violence that typically plagues the city during the summer months.
The ciity of Chicago plans to donate an additional $6 million to the program alongside the donation of Johnson and his Inner City Youth Empowerment LLC organization.
Last year the program mentored and put to work more than 1,000 teens from a number of high schools in high crime areas.
“We are proud to partner on an initiative that has proven to change the trajectory of at-risk kids’ lives,” Johnson said via a press release. “Providing disadvantaged kids with alternatives is a step in the right direction toward helping them reach their full potential and curb violence in our neighborhoods.”
