NBA superstar LeBron James knows how hard it is to try to learn when you don’t have a stable home, when the heat is off in the freezing winter and when you don’t have enough to eat every day.
That is why the Los Angeles Lakers forward is renovating a historic apartment building and turning it into transitional housing for families of his I Promise School students in Akron, Ohio, about a 30-minute drive south of Cleveland.
“Initially, our work was focused on helping these kids earn an education. But we’ve found that it is impossible to help them learn if they are struggling to survive — if they are hungry, if they have no heat in the freezing winter, if they live in fear for their safety,” James said in a statement. “We want this place to be their home where they feel safe, supported, and loved, knowing we are right there with them every step of the way as they get back on their feet.”
The LeBron James Family Foundation plans to expand the school to 1st through 8th grade by 2022. Right now, the school is for 3rd and 4th graders.
“Proud of this!!!!” James said on Twitter. “There’s always more to be done when it comes to giving my kids an opportunity to be successful in life. Every barrier we remove can possibly change their family’s life and we’re never going to stop!!”
