Akron Life May 2023

LEBRON JAMES’ story and photos by Kelly Petryszyn

“It’s no secret about how he and Gloria grew up and some of the hardships that they had. He is on a mission to provide the resources that he and Gloria struggled with at times,” says Michele Campbell, executive director of the foundation. “Everybody can contribute. But I don’t think everybody’s been given that message in this world. You just have to take the time, care, learn and reach people where they are.” Employees staff a first-of-its-kind Starbucks Community Store in a cafe area decorated with Akron-centric murals and the JPMorgan

LeBron James has said it can feel like no one cares about you when you grow up in the inner city. His LeBron James Family Foundation’s new House Three Thirty, a retail, dining, entertainment and event facility that opened March 30 in Akron, flips that script by

putting employees first, giving them opportunities to find their passions and gifting the community a showpiece. It doubles as a job training facility, with the first cohort of 44 employees including I Promise parents, high school students, teachers, volunteers and friends of James and his mother, Gloria.

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akronlife.com | MAY 2023