NBA Icon LeBron James and Arnold Schwarzenegger proudly announce the official launch of the After-School All-Stars' (ASAS) Hoop Heroes Program with an event to be held at Katsuya LA LIVE on February 18.
This event will be an intimate gathering of national and local ASAS Board of Directors, ASAS Founder and Honorary Chair Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and NBA Stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh, along with other NBA athletes and celebrities. Among the event’s sponsors are Audemars Piguet and Home Team Sports, the national and local advertising sales unit of Fox Sports Networks. As the goal of the event is to raise funds for the charity, SBE’s generous donation of the venue and catering will ensure that almost every dollar raised at the event will benefit ASAS’ after-school programs.
The Hoop Heroes Salute Launch Party will be held at Katsuya LA Live, 800 West Olympic Blvd in Los Angeles, on Friday, February 18, 2011. The event will begin at 8pm and run until 11pm. Guests will enjoy Katsuya signature cocktails and hors’ d’oeuvres to toast the Hoop Heroes Players and celebrate the launch of this exciting initiative.
Founded by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1992, After-School All-Stars is a leading national provider of year-round, school-based, comprehensive after-school programs that equip children with the skills and experiences needed to become productive members of the 21st century workforce. Every day, children participate in free programs that include academic support, enrichment opportunities, and health/fitness activities. The organization’s mission is to keep children safe and help them succeed in school and in life. Over 81,000 children from families of poverty benefit in 12 U.S. areas: Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area and South Florida. In Los Angeles County, ASAS programs reach 3,500 students every day at 25 schools located in disadvantaged areas.
In order for the organization to raise money for its free after-school programs, After-School All-Stars and eight NBAplayers, including LeBron James (Miami HEAT), Chris Bosh (Miami HEAT), and Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), created the Hoop Heroes program. Each player has generously pledged to donate funds for every point, assist or rebound they record during the season. Their donations will bring even more after-school programming to at-risk youth across the country. During the season, basketball fans are able to track their favorite players at www.hoopheroes.org or text “ASAS” to 20222 to make a $10 donation.
Many of the athletes grew up under similar circumstances that many inner-city youth face today. They are passionate about positively influencing these children and providing experiences that they might not otherwise be exposed to. The players plan on visiting program sites in their communities to work directly with these children throughout the season.
To learn more about After-School All-Stars and the Hoop Heroes Program, please visit www.afterschoolallstars.org and www.hoopheroes.org.
