Our 2022 Basketball athletes and their causes

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide.

• Antoinette Thompson
• Essence Carson

Athletes for Justice: Athletes For Justice mobilizes professional, collegiate, and everyday athletes as agents for systematic change by wielding their collective voice and galvanizing resources to amplify local efforts in the ongoing fight for justice.

• Marjorie Butler

Bridge of Light: Bridge of Light is on a mission to restore dignity and hope to people experiencing, transitioning from, or at risk of experiencing homelessness. 

• Danielle L. McCray

End 68 Hours of Hunger: 100% volunteer non profit providing non-perishable food to students over the weekend.

• Drew Edelman

GiGi’s Playhouse – Annapolis: GiGi’s Playhouse Annapolis, a Down Syndrome Achievement Center, provides free educational and therapeutic-based, purposeful and progressive programs, for individuals with Down syndrome of all ages and their families.

• Courtney Williams
• Odyssey Sims

Girl Rising: Girl Rising is a non-profit working in 12 countries to advance girls right to a quality education. In partnership with more than 130 location partners we develop educational resources and train educators to help adolescent girls develop the life skills to pursue their highest aspirations; and engage caregivers, families and community members to help break the barriers that hold girls back.

• Lexie Brown

Hoops and Hope Foundation: Creating safe spaces. Hoops and Hope Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating safe spaces, a mission our founder believes is her life purpose. Creating safe spaces manifests itself in three different ways: 1) promoting arts and athletics, 2) family friendly discourse about sexual abuse and violence, sexual education, mental health, and healthy relationships, and 3) breaking the school to prison pipeline through talk therapy.

• Imani McGee-Stafford

InterAction: Led by young Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC), InterAction educates and uplifts young BIPOC to heal from racial trauma, re-write dominant narratives, and build a future free from oppression.

• Danni McCray

Kay Yow Cancer Fund: The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is committed to being a part of the fight against ALL cancers affecting women through funding scientific research, providing access to quality healthcare for underserved women, and uniting people for a common cause.

• Becca Wann-Taylor
• Kalani Brown
• Tianna Hawkins
• Tina Roy

Lone Survivor Foundation: Lone Survivor Foundation provides support for wounded service members, their spouses, children, and care partners by empowering them with helpful techniques and tools addressing Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), Chronic Pain, and Care Partner Stress. Lone Survivor Foundation restores, empowers, and renews hope for our wounded service members and their families through health, wellness and therapeutic support.

• Lauren Manis

Lupus Foundation of America: Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus through programs of research, education, support and advocacy. We are focused on achieving the following disease-specific outcomes:

• Isabelle Harrison

Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation: The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive impact for underserved athletes and young women in sports. Founded through the vision and loving memory of Kobe and Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.

• Antoinette Bannister
• Chelsea Phillips
• Kirby Burkholder
• Mercedes Russell
• Shannon McCallum

MERCY Worldwide: Transforming lives through acts of kindness and compassion.

• Jessica Kuster

NAACP Legal Defense Fund: Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans.

• Air Hearn
• Toccara Ross

One Love Foundation: One Love educates young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to love better.

• Brittany Carter
• Ciara Andrews
• Dominique Wilson
• Kelsey Mitchell
• Takoia Larry

PanCAN: The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is the leading nonprofit accelerating critical progress for pancreatic cancer patients.

• Ty Young

Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas: Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas creates healthier communities by providing comprehensive reproductive and related healthcare services, delivering science-based education programs, and serving as a strong advocate for reproductive justice in Texas.

• DiJonai Carrington
• Kiki Harrigan
• Natasha Cloud

Play Like A Girl!: Play Like a Girl!® leverages the skills gained from sport to propel young women into competitive, male-dominated careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

• Destinee Walker
• Rebecca Harris

Safe Horizon Organization: Safe Horizon’s mission is to provide support, prevent violence and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities.

• Briahanna Jackson

Shining Stars Sports Academy: S3 is an independent private school committed to providing a higher quality education and we provide programs that benefit youth in structured organized sports, good nutrition and physical fitness.

• Taj Cole

The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation: The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation is dedicated to funding research in the quest to understand the pathophysiology and biochemistry of Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) Spectrum Disorder. Our Foundation is passionate in its support of programs and opportunities aimed at elevating the clinical paradigm for NMO patients and improving options for treatment, prevention, and an eventual cure for this disease.

• Sydney Colson

The L-Train Memorial Foundation Corporation: The L-Train Memorial Foundation provides scholarships and other needs for students who are seeking post-secondary education at colleges or trade schools. The foundation also prides itself on giving back to surrounding communities through charitable endeavors.

• Laurin Mincy

The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation: The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation creates pathways for underserved youth, to help them achieve their full potential. The Foundation works to instill hope and bring about change in communities, collectively shaping a brighter future for our children.

• MeMe Jackson

Together Rising: Together Rising transforms collective heartbreak into effective action. Together Rising identifies what is breaking the hearts of our givers as they look around their world and their community, and then we connect our givers’ generosity with the people and organizations who are effectively addressing that critical need.

• Jantel Lavender

Trauma Institute and Child Trauma Institute: The institute provides therapy, training, consultation, information, and resources for those who work with trauma-exposed children, adolescents, and adults.

• Akela Maize
• Grace Hunter

Viola’s House: Viola’s House is an emergency placement shelter for teen mothers who are homeless or at risk for homelessness.

• Nikki Greene