I PROMISE TO BE THANKFUL
In this monumental year of taking chances and giving hope, of eliminating barriers and adding supports, of closing chapters and opening doors - as a Foundation and as a family, we have so much to be thankful for...
We are thankful for the students, the staff, and everyone that is a part of the I PROMISE School and the I PROMISE program. There's something special happening in Akron and it starts with the students and families we're privileged to serve.
We are thankful for Jarvis Landry, who has made a long-term commitment to the students at IPS and has followed through every single day since. From auctioning off his custom cleats to benefit IPS and hosting our families on the sidelines of his games on Sunday to returning to the school this week to hand-deliver exclusive IPS backpacks to the students, Jarvis has modeled what it means to keep your promises. More importantly, he's shown these students that he cares. And that means everything.
We are thankful for Coach Dambrot and the entire Duquesne University men's basketball team that took time out of their trip from Pittsburgh to visit IPS and spend a Friday afternoon reading to our students. To see the players sitting with the students on the library floor, relating to our kids on so many levels, was something everyone at IPS will never forget.
We are thankful to all of our community partners who continue to give and give and give of their time, love, and resources to our students and their families. This week, our partners at the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank helped distribute more than 7,000 pounds of food including turkeys, stuffing, and fresh produce so our families can all enjoy a hot Thanksgiving meal. Without the support of all our incredible partners, these special moments and this special place we call IPS would not be possible.
We are thankful for LeBron and his unwavering commitment to the kids from Akron. To have him home right before Thanksgiving to spend some quality time with his kids at the I PROMISE School meant the world to them. And it meant even more to him. He'll always be just a kid from Akron, blazing the trail for the kids from Akron to follow.
As you spend some time with your families this Thanksgiving, we want you to know how thankful we are to have you as part of ours. Thank you for everything you do to be a part of this incredible work. We have come a long way, but we still have so much more to do.
We Are (a very thankful) Family.
