With the coronavirus pandemic affecting nearly every aspect of daily life, Lakers superstar LeBron James is keeping his I Promise school open to help students. James opened the school in Akron, Ohio, in 2018 to help students, particularly those who are high-risk or may not have the opportunities other have, with mentoring and the preparation to be successful.
"We need to make that happen. We need to do whatever we can to make that happen and make these services to stay open," Michele Campbell, the executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation Michele Campbell, told USA Today.
Ohio governor Mike DeWine made an announcement on Thursday that the state will be closing all public and private schools for at least three weeks, but the LeBron James Family Foundation has decided to keep the program's Family Resource Center open.
The school's last day of classes, at least for a while, was Friday, but there are still resources to help the students and their families being provided. If needed, students and families can go to the school's resource center to find shelter, clothing and medical care.
Care packages as well as other items will be available to all students through a partnership with Smuckers and the Akron Food Bank. The I Promise school has 1,443 students.
"He's not doing this work just because of what is happening. He's doing this work when he made this commitment to the I Promise program. This is a commitment for a lifetime," Campbell said of James.
