He’s helping those who need it the most!
NBA player Maurice “Moe” Harkless has donated $50,000 to support youth aging out of foster care, Black Enterprise reports.
Harkless, a Sacramento Kings forward, has been playing in the NBA for nearly a decade. Recently, the athlete decided to give back to his community, donating $50,000 to New Yorkers for Children, a nonprofit that helps support young adults aged 18 to 26 who are transitioning from the foster care system.
During the start of the pandemic, the organization launched the Last Resort Emergency Response Fund in partnership with NYC’s Administration for Children’s Services. The fund, created in response to the pandemic, helps support youth who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. When Harkless first learned of the fund, the Queens native donated $25,000 in support.
“I came across the Last Resort Fund and it really hit me – one, the fund being based in New York, the city that I’m from. And two, focusing on the youth. That’s always been a big passion of mine,” said Harkless.
This year, Harkless doubled down on his donation, gifting another $25,000 to the organization, which was allocated toward the fund’s $1.5 million total coffers. So far, about $500,000 in direct cash support has helped 1,000 families including older teenagers in foster care and young adults who are in transition out of the system. Harkless’ donations alone have helped nearly 100 individuals and families who previously faced food insecurity, housing instability and other financial struggles exacerbated by the pandemic.
“It always hits home for me because I was one of those kids who just needed an opportunity and needed a chance and needed someone to believe in him. So it really means the world to me to be able to have an impact on the city that raised me,” Harkless said.
To learn more about the Last Resort Emergency Response Fund and the work of New Yorkers for Children, visit their website here.
Photo Courtesy of Joe Swinger/NBAE via Getty Images file