: Like what you're reading? Please share Right Down Euclid with your friends!
️: If you want to join in on the discussion about this story, give me a follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
No matter where his professional career takes him, LeBron James never forgets where he came from. Acknowledging the need for affordable health care in Akron, the LeBron James Family Foundation on Tuesday announced plans to open the I Promise HealthQuarters, a community-based primary healthcare center.
More on that in a second since today, we have some housekeeping notes. On June 16, Right Down Euclid is partnering with Platform Beer Co. to have the first Right Down Euclid Community Happy Hour! It'll be from 5:30 p.m. EST to 7:30 p.m. EST at Phunkenship and all are welcome to come! Plus, for the first 50 people that arrive, drinks are on them!
 |
Register here via Facebook – looking forward to meeting some of you there and celebrating the community that makes this possible!
The health center will offer medical, dental, mental health and optometry services, along with an on-site lab and a reduced-cost pharmacy, the foundation said in a statement. It will be open to the entire Akron community and will be situated right across the street from the now-under-construction House Three Thirty, which offers job training and assistance with financial literacy. Outdoor green spaces suitable for exercise and recreational activities will be part of the center. Other details of the facility and the number and amount of financial commitments, were not announced at this time.
I Promise HealthQuarters is slated to open in 2023 and will partner with local healthcare providers AxessPointe Community Health Centers, Coleman Health Services and Peg’s Foundation.
“As we continue to listen and respond to what our families need, our work continues to expand in ways we never dreamed of,” said Michele Campbell, executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, said in a statement.
“Access to affordable health care has always been a critical need for our families – and further heightened by the pandemic – so we began rallying our community to bring the experts together under one trusted roof. Being able to provide this important resource for the entire community is only possible because we have incredible partners that share our We Are Family philosophy.”
AxessPointe Community Health Centers is a federally funded facility that provides primary medical, dental, and preventive health services in medically underserved areas. AxessPointe has four sites in Akron, Kent and Barberton.
Coleman Health Services, meanwhile, is a nonprofit agency that provides community-based behavioral health and addiction recovery services. Coleman has offices in 11 Ohio counties and provides services in an additional 11 counties.
Finally, the Hudson-based Peg’s Foundation, one of the largest mental health funders in Ohio, has been working with James’ foundation over the last five years to offer mental health services for students, according to press reports.
Like House Three Thirty — which will include restaurants and even a LeBron James museum while offering employment and job-training opportunities — the HealthQuarters and its partners will not only assist I Promise families but will serve the entire community. James has said it takes a village to help raise a kid and make a true difference. Bringing together the whole community together through the aspect of accessible healthcare is a great place to continue that dream.
Evan Dammarell is a sports journalist covering all things Cleveland right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Email him at evan@downeuclid.com. Did you enjoy this edition of Right Down Euclid? You can get it in your inbox two to three times a week by subscribing here. All it takes is either your Facebook account or email address!
