In an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, former NBA player and analyst Charles Barkley shed some light on his charity work, the impact it has had, and how he wants to continue giving back.
Barkley played in the NBA from 1984 to 2000, and won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 1993. He is an 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA honoree, and was part of the 1992 Dream Team. Barkley was named in NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, and was inducted in the Hall of Fame as a player in 2006 and as a part of the Dream Team in 2010.
Barkley commented on his philanthropic work in his hometown and the support he has provided to students in schools and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs):
“I sit there, sometimes like when I go back to my hometown, I drive by the projects where I built my mom and grandmother a house and I think about like ‘Man look at all the things you’ve accomplished in your life,’ you know?
“I go by my high school and I make sure my teams look good. You know, stuff like that means a great deal to me. Yeah because I wanna keep trying to do some good stuff away from the court because number one I’ve been blessed to make a ton of money.
“And one of my goals has been, and I’ve done for the last, I think 13 years, to give a million dollars a year away to charity so I started obviously with my high school, my college and another school at Alabama.”
Barkley has been actively involved in charity work since retiring.
Charles Barkley’s philanthropic work
The vast majority of Charles Barkley’s social work has been through his eponymous charity, “The Charles Barkley Foundation.” The foundation provides schools and HBCUs with scholarships in the United States, especially in his home state of Alabama.
Through his foundation, Barkley has also set up the Charles Barkley endowed scholarship at his alma mater, Auburn University. The scholarships help motivate students to pursue their undergraduate degree at Auburn.
In 2020, Barkley made major donations to Auburn University, especially its School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.
Between 2016 and 2020, Barkley has made donations to Alabama A&M University, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Miles College and Tuskegee University. In an interview with CNN in 2020, Barkley reflected on his charity work.
“I just think what it’s costing these kids to go to college today is a travesty in this country, and I know historically black colleges are struggling. I wanted to do something to help them, and I’m going to continue to help them,” Barkley told CNN.
Through his foundation, he also supports scholarships at Leeds High School in his hometown of Leeds, Alabama.
Other causes that Barkley has reportedly supported include Ante Up For Africa, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, ENOUGH Project, Hillsides and LIVESTRONG.
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