NEW YORK – Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has received the December NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente in recognition of his continuing work to create positive, long-lasting change in his hometown of Akron and throughout Northeast Ohio, the NBA announced today.  The award recognizes an NBA player each month who best reflects the passion that the league and its players share for giving back to their communities.

Kaiser Permanente and the NBA are honoring James for providing educational resources and opportunities to improve the lives of children and families in Akron and the greater Cleveland area.  During the holidays, he announced the creation of the I PROMISE School, a new Akron Public School opening in the fall of 2018 inspired by the LeBron James Family Foundation’s I Promise program.  The school will focus on educating children academically, socially and emotionally while providing comprehensive support and resources to each child’s family, and serve as James’ vehicle for creating change in his hometown through the power of education.

In December, James expanded on his Foundation’s year-round support by surprising families of future I PROMISE School students with convenient access to critical healthcare services and other medical resources through a partnership with Crystal Clinic.  James also hosted hundreds of his students for a private trip to the North Pole on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Polar Express, a continuation of the I PROMISE program’s monthly experiential learning opportunities that he provides for every class throughout the school year.  Additionally, he donated thousands of toys to kindergarteners and first- and second-graders across the Akron Public School system, and joined his teammates for the Cavaliers’ annual visit to Cleveland Clinic Children’s to spread holiday cheer to young patients and their families.

“To be able to support and create opportunities for the kids in Akron who are in danger of falling through the cracks means everything to me because I was one of those kids,” said James.  “I’m proud and excited to create a school and provide resources that will help these students earn an education that will change their lives and give them a better future.”

Before the Cavaliers’ home game against the Miami Heat tonight, NBA Cares Ambassador Bob Lanier will present the award to James during an oncourt ceremony.  In addition, Kaiser Permanente and the NBA will donate $10,000 to the LeBron James Family Foundation.

The NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente honors the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson, who improved the community piece by piece.  To learn more, please visit http://www.nba.com/communityassist/.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 11.8 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.