Organizations Filed Purposes:
WITH A COMMITMENT TO REDEFINING COMMUNITY AND BUILDING STRONGER FAMILIES, THE LEBRON JAMES FAMILY FOUNDATION INVESTS ITS TIME, RESOURCES AND PASSION INTO CREATING GENERATIONAL CHANGE FOR THE KIDS AND FAMILIES OF JAMES' HOMETOWN IN AKRON, OHIO THROUGH A FOCUS ON EDUCATION AND CO-CURRICULAR EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES.
THE I PROMISE PROGRAM: WHAT BEGAN AS A MISSION TO RAISE GRADUATION RATES IN LEBRON'S HOMETOWN OF AKRON, OHIO, THE LEBRON JAMES FAMILY FOUNDATION'S WORK HAS EVOLVED INTO A MOVEMENT THAT IS REDEFINING WHAT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE. THROUGH ITS CORE I PROMISE PROGRAM THAT SERVES MORE THAN 1,500 AKRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS IDENTIFIED BY APS AS AT-RISK, THE FOUNDATION ADDRESSES THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND ELIMINATES BARRIERS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY SO ALL CAN PURSUE A GREATER FUTURE. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES PROGRAMS, MENTORS, INCENTIVES AND STRATEGIC OUTREACH TO THE CHILDREN YEAR-ROUND TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL AND ULTIMATELY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AFTER WHICH THE FOUNDATION HAS SECURED SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL ELIGIBLE I PROMISE STUDENTS TO EITHER THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON OR KENT STATE UNIVERSITY. TO PREPARE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FOR LIFE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS, THE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED THE I PROMISE INSTITUTE ON THE UA CAMPUS THAT HOSTS FAMILY GATHERINGS AND WILL BE AN AROUND-THE-CLOCK RESOURCE FOR I PROMISE STUDENTS ONCE THEY ARRIVE ON CAMPUS. AND THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. RECOGNIZING THE DEEPLY-ROOTED BARRIERS THESE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE FACING, THE FOUNDATION OPENED THE I PROMISE SCHOOL IN 2018 THAT WOULD INSTILL SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND A "WE ARE FAMILY" PHILOSOPHY FROM THE ONSET. IPS ALSO MAINTAINS A FULL-TIME FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER THAT PROVIDES WIDE-RANGING SERVICES FOR ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDING LEGAL AID, MEDICAL CARE, GED CLASSES, FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMMING, JOB & FAMILY SERVICES, AND A FULL-TIME FOOD AND ESSENTIALS PANTRY. ELIMINATING NEEDS AND ESTABLISHING TRUST WITH THE FAMILIES, IN 2019 THE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED THE I PROMISE VILLAGE THAT WOULD SERVE AS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR ALL STUDENTS IN IMMEDIATE NEED OF SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING. AT THE VILLAGE, FAMILIES LIVE RENT-FREE AND FAMILY-FIRST WITH ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND SKILL-BUILDING PROGRAMMING TO HELP THEM PREPARE FOR THEIR NEXT PHASE. LATER IN 2019, THE FOUNDATION TOOK THIS COMMITMENT ONE STEP FURTHER, ENTERING INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH EANDC TO DEVELOP LONG-TERM I PROMISE HOUSING TO BREAK GROUND IN FALL 2020. ALL LOCATED WITHIN A FEW CITY BLOCKS OF THE I PROMISE SCHOOL, THE FOUNDATION HAS PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY TRANSFORMED THE AKRON COMMUNITY, LIFTING UP ITS STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND PARTNERS TO PROVIDE AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING MODEL FOR CREATING CHANGE IN URBAN COMMUNITIES.
ST. VINCENT ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL: THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING LEBRON'S ALMA MATER ST. VINCENT ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL, IN AKRON, OHIO. THIS COMMITMENT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE FOUNDATION'S SUPPORT OF EDUCATION AND CO-CURRICULAR EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES WHERE LEBRON RECEIVED HIS HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION.
SAVANNAH JAMES INITIATIVES: THE JAMES FAMILY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR COMMUNITY HAVE EXTENDED THROUGH SAVANNAH JAMES' INITIATIVES THAT AIM TO EMPOWER THE YOUTH AND YOUNG WOMEN IN AKRON. SHE HOSTS AN ANNUAL I PROMISE MAKEOVER EVENT THE UPLIFTS UNDERPRIVILEDGED GIRLS FROM AKRON-AREA HIGH SCHOOLS BY HELPING THEM PREPARE FOR PROM WITH DRESSES, ACCESSORIES, AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SELF-CONFIDENCE. IN 2017, SHE CHANNELED THAT SAME COMMITMENT TO INSPIRE AND SUPPORT YOUNG WOMEN TO LAUNCH HER "WOMEN OF OUR FUTURE" MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS IN AKRON, STARTING AT HER ALMA MATER, BUCHTEL HIGH SCHOOL. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING, CONSTANT ENCOURAGEMENT, AND OTHER YEAR-ROUND SUPPORTS FOR YOUNG LADIES NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES OF HIGH SCHOOL.
Executives Listed on Filing
Total Salary includes financial earnings, benefits, and all related organization earnings listed on tax filing
| Name | Title | Hours Per Week | Total Salary |
|---|
| Michele Campbell | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 30 | $0 |
| Lynn Merritt | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.25 | $0 |
| Lebron James | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD | 5 | $0 |
| Maverick Carter | VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER | 1 | $0 |
| Gloria James | PRESIDENT | 4 | $0 |
Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (
public 990 form dataset) from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202023219349310347_public.xml