LeBron James is considered by some to be the greatest basketball player of his generation. Over a year ago, James opened the I PROMISE School in Akron, Ohio. At the school, at-risk students are given focused educations that they might not have received in their previous local public school system. However, because so many of these students suffered from hunger, household instability, and poverty, James’ staff found that they were unable to learn without additional help. This realization led the LeBron James Family Foundation to work with Graduate Hotels on the I PROMISE Village.
What Is the I PROMISE Village?
The I PROMISE Village will house students and their families when their primary living conditions are unstable. Some of these students do not have heat during the winter; others live in fear for their safety. The I PROMISE Village is being constructed in a historic Akron apartment building. Starting July 2020, students and their families are expected to be able to move into the I PROMISE Village.
Who Will Be Able to Live in the I PROMISE Village?
According to Graduate Hotels, when it is finished, the entire I PROMISE Village building will be donated to the I PROMISE organization to help families in need. The Foundation’s executive director, Michele Campbell, says, “This is about more than just getting kids to school. This is about keeping them alive…This will allow the family time and opportunity to grow while not worrying if they’ll have a roof over their head.”
Affordable housing is essential for healthy families, which form the foundation of a healthy nation. One innovative platform, Propy, uses a new approach to reduce real estate transaction time and cost. It is also important to see wealthy and famous people like James work to develop low-cost or free housing for those who cannot afford it on any level. Using unconventional approaches like these, we hope to see a higher proportion of the world comfortably housed in the years to come.
