“Learn in a safe place that many don’t have access”: How LeBron James’ $1 million gym grant gave Akron kids more opportunities through his I PROMISE School

LeBron James has invested in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, through his work with children and families. In May 2019, the NBA star announced a $1 million grant from the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation to build a gym at his I PROMISE School. The facility would give students a safe place for physical education and after-school activities. James wanted children to have access to the same opportunities that helped shape his own childhood. LeBron James announced $1 million grant for I PROMISE School gymOn May 9, 2019, James announced the $1 million grant at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, his alma mater in Akron. The money came from the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation through its Sports Matter programme. The planned gym would support physical education and after-school activities while giving students a safe place to play and learn.“To my kids, this is more than a gym,” James said in a video shared by the Akron Beacon Journal around the announcement.He continued, “The Dick’s Sports Matter program is helping us provide even more opportunities. An opportunity to play and learn in a safe place that many don’t have access to. I can’t imagine where my friends and I would be if it weren’t for the coaches and teachers who cared about us and the opportunities we had.”James also spoke about the potential he saw in the students. During the May 2019 announcement, he said, “I believe the sky is the limit for these kids and the results we’re seeing are just the beginning.”He added that the foundation understood the value of sports, something he had experienced growing up with his teammates and later with his own children. He said sports could benefit children in different areas of life and welcomed the chance to provide that space at the school.The I PROMISE School opened in July 2018 through a partnership between the LeBron James Family Foundation and Akron Public Schools. Its first class included 240 third- and fourth-grade students who needed additional academic support. The school also offered free meals, year-round programming and family services, including an on-site food bank and help for parents pursuing their GEDs. LeBron James’ foundation helps Akron families through student community serviceJames’ support for Akron children extends beyond the school building. His foundation also encourages students to help families across their hometown.In a social media update published in October 2026, the LeBron James Family Foundation reported that students in its I PROMISE high school network helped serve more than 12,000 hot meals to students and families during 2025, working with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.The foundation also reported that high school seniors completed more than 6,000 hours of community service that year. Their efforts brought the programme’s total to nearly 39,000 hours since it began.“Leaving things better than we found them has always been at the heart of what we do,” the foundation said in its social media post about the students’ work.The foundation explained that community service forms part of the I PROMISE journey and plays a role in earning an I PROMISE Scholarship. It also gives students a chance to support their neighbours and contribute to their community.The gym grant and the students’ service work reflect James’ wider commitment to Akron. His efforts have helped provide children with educational support, access to sports and opportunities to give back to the families around them.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.