Ever since Lebron has returned home he has put forth a huge effort in not only turning around the economy of Akron, OH, but also the families.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Lebron and his foundation teamed up HGTV’s “Rehab Addict” to renovate a family home in Akron, Ohio. Mariah Riley is a 6th grader who won the contest after a random drawing. She’s apart of James’ Wheels for Education program which provides mentoring and support.
The LeBron James Family Foundation invited “Rehab Addict” to take on the project after considering several HGTV shows, says Michele Campbell, executive director of the foundation. She says one of the determining factors was the love Curtis has for her hometown of Detroit. Campbell likens it to James’ affection for Akron. “It seemed like her values and LeBron’s values … matched,” Campbell says.
The renovation was the centerpiece of the Promise Project, which also provided yard makeovers for nine other families of eligible sixth-graders in the Wheels for Education program. Local contractors and organizations donated materials and labor to the project, which also included volunteers associated with the foundation — many of them members of James’ family.
In a little more than a week, the workers rescued the house from a forlorn state. Besides making cosmetic improvements, the problems they remedied included a wet basement, inadequate electrical service, mildew, broken light fixtures, sagging porches and a leaking water heater.
Despite whatever team Lebron plays for, you can’t deny his community involvement.