Tuesday’s round of grantees totals 23 grants and $5.8 million donated by the league’s first charitable foundation.

November 28, 2023 | nba.com online article

On Nov. 28, the worldwide celebration of Giving Tuesday commences – an initiative that, at its core, inspires folks to simply “do good”.

How is the NBA doing its part? 

To commemorate the holiday, the NBA Foundation, the league’s first-ever charitable foundation, announced a new round of 23 grants, totaling $5.8 million dispersed to organizations across the United States and Canada. 

Let’s dive into four of these organizations and how they embody the spirit of Giving Tuesday in their everyday work. 

Community Options

For Elyse Giaimo, it’s simple.

“What I love the most about Community Options is that they have a real growth mindset,” Giaimo said. “They’re forward-thinking, they focus on innovation, they are always wanting to try new pilot projects and better ways to serve the community.”

This mindset led Community Options to expand throughout 12 states since its 1989 inception, and offer thousands of folks with disabilities nationwide with resources such as housing and employment opportunities. It was that shared value of connectivity and growth that connected them with the NBA Foundation, now for its second year with the program.

This time around, they are not only expanding their resources but perfecting their craft.

“What I’m looking forward to is finding ways to make more of an impact and fill gaps in what the existing services are,” said Robert Stack, Community Options’ founder and CEO. “I think we’re uniquely positioned, because we’re in so many different states, for us to be able to look at what’s working best in certain states, and how can we implement that across the board.”

With the incorporation of these programs, such as enterprises, management consulting and more, Stack hopes to foster a more inclusive environment for people with disabilities in their communities and beyond.

“There’s just so much room for people to be better and more integrated. And I think that Community Options is always looking for those opportunities. Where can we expand? Where can we help people come off of a waitlist for services? And how can we do it best?” Stack added.

The number of success stories from members throughout the organization is a testament that their efforts not only work, they are a necessity.

“There’s so many opportunities for people with disabilities to join the workforce, to find more inclusive environments and to be part of their communities,” Stack said. “We’re just here to help [make] that happen.”

Below is a full list of the new and renewed grant recipients:

B-360, BC Community Alliance, Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation, Black Youth Leadership Project, Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, Butterfly Dreamz, College Possible, Community Options, Congress Heights Arts and Culture, Dream Alive, Dream.org, Edna Martin Christian Center, Ethọ́s Lab Educational Society, Flanner House, Love, Unity, and Values Institute, New Heights Youth, Our Own Non Profit Inc., R.I.S.E Arts and Community Services, St. Paul Youth Services, Texas Black Expo, The Literacy Lab, Visions of Science Network for Learning, Youth Justice Network

Founded in the Summer of 2020, the NBA Foundation, a joint collaboration between the NBA, NBPA and NBA Governors, has pledged over $300 million over 10 years to create economic empowerment in Black communities.

To learn more about the NBA Foundation, go to https://nbafoundation.com/