According to CBS 46, Shaquille O’ Neal visited the Boys & Girls Club of Henry County in Georgia on July 20 to watch the kids show off their talents for one of their favorite players.
“This is a great opportunity. A lot of guys have never been outside of the area where they live. To get this exposure. To see someone who looks like them,” local basketball coach Maurice Love Jr. explained. The impact of Shaq’s visit was more profound than people would think.
Shaq’s connection to the Boys & Girls club is genuine. He told the news outlet, ”The Boys & Girls Club kept me out of trouble.”
The particular building named after him is located in the Metro Atlanta area. He decided on it because he’s often in the area and enjoys giving back to the community.
“I do a lot of things in the community, and I realized they didn’t have a place where they can go. I saw this building was abandoned, and I was like, ‘We can use this facility for the Boys and Girls Club.”
Shaq donated $1 million to the foundation for the building, so it was named after him.
The organization seeks to provide a safe environment for young kids and teens by providing fun and inclusive programming. According to the BGCMA website, kids “enter our doors to receive academic support, learn alternatives for developing healthy lifestyles, and excel in character and leadership development.”
Jesse Coltrane, executive director of the particular Boys & Girls Club location, told the Atlanta news outlet about the majority of members they get. Shaq has always supported the message of the foundation.
”The families face poverty and homelessness. A large percent of our families need assistance,” Coltrane continued, ”With our community partners, we try and help with utilities, rent, housing, even food, job placement as well, even GED courses.”
