Non-profit Project LOVE using basketball to get young kids excited about serious adult topics
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Using the power of basketball to tap into the power of knowledge.
A Chicago non-profit may have created a slam dunk method to get young kids excited about serious adult topics.
Morning Insider Lauren Victory explains how they shoot for the hoops - and the stars.
"There's things called 'dollar cost averaging', and all the things that you are gonna learn as you continue to progress and go," said J.P. Morgan's Jonathan Dowdy to a group of young kids recently.
The former college basketball player was speaking to them as part of financial literacy workshop organized by Project LOVE Chicago.
The non-profit focuses on mentoring young kids to decrease violence and break the cycle of poverty. Academics is the name of their game but organizers keep kids interested through another game: basketball.
"Spiritually, mentally, sometimes even physically, basketball communicates with other people," said Alvin "JJ" Robinson.
The 12-year-old participated in the financial literacy-focused basketball event telling CBS 2 he never considered saving or investing his money before.
"I always thought that it would be, like, 'Oh, I got the money I can just go do whatever I want. Oh, we can go outside, or we can do this.' Now it's like I've understood when I get a certain amount of money, I have to put a certain part of it away," Robinson said.
More Project LOVE Chicago basketball is coming this weekend, with another career panel. This time, it will be focused on fashion, design and art.
"I think fashion, design, and art has a rich history here. We have a lot of people that come out of Chicago that are very successful. We look at Virgil Abloh, we look at Don C, people like that. And oftentimes there just aren't programs or workshops that offer the opportunities for the kids to get in front of these people, learn about the industry, learn about the different careers that they can take," said Project LOVE Executive Director Curtis Henderson.
Project LOVE Chicago is joining forces with streetwear brand Gratitude Chicago for a massive fundraiser this weekend. With a goal of $25,000, the cash will be used as scholarships for African American seniors at Chicago Public Schools.
They've also organized a fundraiser for the Project Dream Chasers AAU travel basketball program, which allows vulnerable Black Chicago youth to play travel basketball for free. They're trying to raise $75,000 to help 37 children in grades 6-8 in their pursuit to play college basketball.
