The Durant Family Foundation is rooted in community
|
Posted By: S. Moore on December 23, 2022 Wanda Durant, mother of Brooklyn Nets guard Kevin Durant, lives by a specific mantra: “Where there is hope, there is possibility.” Being a single mother and raising two sons was no easy feat, especially when she wanted to provide them things that she couldn’t necessarily afford at the time. Despite the obstacles, she always showed up in other ways. “I continued to give them my love, my time, my presence and being as engaged as I possibly could,” Wanda said. “After looking over my life, I realized that having hope and not quitting gave my sons the opportunity to live out their dreams and do the same.” The Durant Family Foundation (DFF) also abides by those same principles. Created by Kevin Durant and spearheaded with the help of his mother, the mission statement is as follows: “To enrich the lives of at-risk youth from low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic and social programs.” The foundation is involved in numerous outreach programs, including developing direct programs and initiatives to support youth not across the U.S., and globally. They’ve also allocated grants for programs aiding homelessness, disaster relief, girls empowerment and social justice. Recently, the DFF committed $500,000 towards renovations of the basketball arena in the Leonidas S. James Physical Education Complex located at Bowie State University, which is in Durant’s hometown of Prince George’s County, Maryland. “It’s home … Bowie State is pretty much our background and PG County is who we know and it’s a part of who we are. It being the first HBCU in Maryland along with Kevin playing in that gym – all of the stars aligned for this to take place,” Wanda said. Originally founded in 1865, Bowie State played a huge part in Kevin Durant’s basketball journey. Playing on travel teams growing up, Kevin quickly became known in the community as a hooper and would attract crowds of people to catch him play. The generous donation will be allocated to renovations that include the installation of a new basketball court, expansion of seating capacity and upgrades to the press box area. But the refurbishing of the facilities is just the start. The donation marks the beginning of a partnership between the DFF and Bowie State University. While more specific details are still being worked out, the alliance will also provide financial support for men’s and women’s basketball along with other university athletic programs. It will also include scholarships for “College Track at The Durant Center” students who attend BSU. The College Track is a program created at the Durant Center that prepares first-generation college students for the next level. For Kevin, education was always a major focal point, due to it being a key component in changing the trajectory of one’s life. “He realizes that people have supported him from afar and that’s just a part of who he is,” Wanda said. “That’s why it is so important to give back to both your local community and globally.” The DFF also implemented the Basketball Renovation Initiative, which aims to build high quality basketball courts accessible to underprivileged youth across the United States and internationally. As of now, they have completed court construction and renovation projects in 19 different cities worldwide, including in his current city of Brooklyn. His Nets teammate Kyrie Irving is also heavily active in community outreach as the guard just donated $22,000 to Destiny Thompson, a Howard University student who needed $6,000 to remain at the HBCU located in the nation’s capital. “So many, if not all, of these athletes pour into their communities and give back so much,” Wanda Durant added. An example of this is the Bob Lanier Community Assist Award, which recognizes a player’s continuous commitment to positively impact his community through sustained efforts and difference-making over the course of a season. This year’s award was given to Gary Payton II. “It’s important for readers to know that besides KD, there are so many other players who also contribute where they grew up and sometimes that just goes unsaid” Wanda added. SOURCE NBA.com If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest Blogs
 |
FREE Valentine's Day E-Cards Available! ♥️Happy Valentine's Day! ♥️
♥️ Free Valentine's Day E-Cards Link: https://www.pinterest.com/shykerialifleur/valentines-day-greetings
♥️ What to Write In Va ...more
Shykeria Lifleur • 107 Views • February 11th, 2026 |
 |
BLACK OWNED BEAUTY SUPPLY ASSOCIATION (BOBSA) AND JUNIQUES AD SERVICE CREATES DFY 30 SEC DISTRIBUTION SERVICEANNOUNCEMENT
Juniques Ad Service, a proud Juniques Company, is excited to share a powerful new collaboration with the Black Owned Beauty Supply Organization. Through this collaboration, members and s ...more
rickey johnson • 86 Views • February 11th, 2026 |
 |
MEDIA ALERT! USA -Call for Submissions- Gumbo for the Soul: Women of Honor with PowerMEDIA ALERT! USA
-Call for Submissions-
Gumbo for the Soul: Women of Honor with Power is currently under development by the visionary team of Gumbo for the Soul International®.
This a ...more
Beverly Johnson • 95 Views • February 10th, 2026 |
 |
Keeping the Faith!!!! 10 Videos, MindMap, CheetSheet, and so much more to discuss FAITH!!!!https://learners.juniquesadservice.com/courses/offers/21e32619-5774-44e2-93d9-a3df7d93a778
Welcome to the course for You!!! Keep The Faith
Video 0- Introduction
Video 1 Why Faith is So Import ...more
rickey johnson • 212 Views • February 9th, 2026 |
 |
RON CARTER & RICKY DILLARD Is Taking Church To The Jazz Club With New Single "Open My Eyes"@RONCARTER #RONCARTER@RICKYDILLARD #RICKYDILLARDLegendary in the genres of Jazz and Gospel music, the "Maestro" Ron Carter and the "Choirmaster" Ricky Dillard are taking church to the Jazz club with t ...more
LaMarr Blackmon • 131 Views • February 9th, 2026 |
Popular Blogs
 |
Divorce in America in 2009 – What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Join Brother Marcus and the cast and the crew of the Brother Marcus Show live this Sunday evening on February 1, 2009 @ 8:00 p.m. for another hot topic in our community! “Divorce in America in 2009 ...more
Brother Marcus! • 70,796,100 Views • January 27th, 2009 |
 |
VISINE ALERT!!!Seemingly innocent medication such as Visine eyedrops are used by people to concoct a mixture with similar effects as a date-rape drug.
When mixed with alcohol and taken orally, the eyedrops can l ...more
Siebra Muhammad • 118,217 Views • May 23rd, 2009 |
 |
"Chain Hang Low" check out the real meaning of the Lyrics!Recently there is a new artist out of Saint Louis that goes by the name JIBBS. Jibbs debut single "Chain hang low" has a history that most people are not aware of. The particular nursery rhyme that th ...more
Tyhesha Judge-Fogle • 74,941 Views • November 9th, 2006 |
 |
HBCU Marketplace Gifts: Divine 9 Premium Fraternity / Sorority Playing CardsVendor: Charles Jones
Item Price: $20.00
Price Includes Shipping: Yes - Shipping Included
Item Description:
Pantheon Series - Divine 9 - Premium Playing Cards (choose Gold Series or Silve ...more
How May I Help You NC • 61,498 Views • December 2nd, 2018 |
