LeBron James continues to uplift the community that raised him.

 

According to WEWS-TV5, an ABC affiliate in Cleveland, OH, the NBA superstar’s LeBron James Family Foundation is taking its talents to housing and celebrating a new partnership with the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp. that includes the launch of the I Promise Housing development.

I Promise Housing

The new venture is a 50-unit building on Maple Street that includes two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments. Each space also comes equipped with fiber-optic Wi-Fi as well as community and fitness rooms. Additionally, some of the homes are tailored to assist people with mobility and sensory needs.

As previously reported by AfroTech, James’ organization was launched in 2004 with a mission to “positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education and co-curricular educational initiatives.” 

The LeBron James Foundation's Mission

In the past, the LeBron James Family Foundation has ensured that children attending his I Promise School had basics such as daily meals and that the household was accounted for through assistance with job security and even tuition-free college for students who graduated and went on to attend Kent State or the University of Akron.

Now, as an extension of this, the network wants to ensure that students have a safe space to thrive and grow.

Creating A Safe Space For Families

“Young people who have a quality place to live are better students and become better citizens in our community,” said Dan DeVille, vice chair of East Akron​ Neighborhood Development Corp.​

What’s more, carrying on the impact of life outside of the classroom, the I Promise Village has also provided transitional housing for families who need it. This time around, however, those same communities can have a permanent place to live.

“We understand; we want to put our arms around the community and help however we can, trying to fill in the gaps and be the glue that binds things together,” said LJFF’s We Are Family Coach, Willie McGee. “They have somewhere where you can call home that’s safe, that you can get a good hot meal and have a good rest at the end of the night—it’s really what they try to provide here, and I think they hit the mark.”

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, James’ mother, Gloria James, left attendees with a message from her son.

“LeBron always says leave a place better than when you found it. This is a way of not only doing that but inspiring all of our families and everyone to do the same,” Gloria said. “Today, we say welcome home.”

For LeBron James, there is truly no place like home.