ABOUT US
WHERE IT IS
MORE THAN JUST BASKETBALL
THE NEED
Nationally, juvenile crime increases 300% in the after-school hours. The Memphis urban community is marked by high poverty rates; high incidences of single parent families; low academic achievement (Memphis public high school graduation rate is 70% versus 90% for the US and the Memphis dropout rate is 50% greater than the Tennessee dropout rate) and a high incidence of risky behaviors. The median family income is only 56% of the US average.
Though we are more than just sports, many studies shown that sports alone can have significant benefits to disadvantaged youth such as increased fitness, stronger sense of belonging, enhanced moral development and positive academic outcomes. Team participation also gives youth exposure to other segments of the greater Memphis area by playing outside their neighborhoods.
The Memphis Kings target kids who are at risk for various reasons such as single parent household, those who reside in high crime areas, or those who have behavioral problems. These are just a few categories which cause us to reach out to kids take them by the hand and show them the way.
What YOUR INVESTMENT
DONATIONS WILL DO....
Your donations would allow us to have a home for kids to go everyday. "The Kings Den"
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Meals to ensure every child has access to healthy food
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Tutoring
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Computer literacy beyond the internet
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Vocational programs
Our goal is to bring in donations for a building, transportation and program sustainability
Mission:
To inspire, develop, and mentor youth; regardless of religion, race, color, creed, national origin or socioeconomic background. To practice and instill in our youth positive attitudes about health, community involvement, character, citizenship and core family values. To implant the key elements of team sports such as safety, respect, team work, patience, and intelligent decision-making; emphasizing and mentoring youth in areas of academics, athletics, community and family contribution; keeping God first in all one does; understanding the welfare of each player is first and foremost.
The Memphis Kings are dedicated to providing quality instruction and training in a nurturing, competitive basketball environment for girls and boys, ages 5 and up.
More Than Basketball.....
The Memphis Kings' are more than a basketball team. The players have opportunities to get involved in community service projects and help at our annual Christmas party. Many players even work their first job with our team, earning their own money as vendors at local sporting events. We also offer ACT prep courses for students in the community. Teaching life skills is important to our mission, we encourage our players to always "GET BETTER."
The Memphis Kings sponsor a Christmas party annually for children in the community. Partnering with organizations such as Promise Development Corporation and local day care centers, we identify families who need assistance during the holiday season. Our families and donors come together to provide a fun party with food, dancing and of course, a visit from Santa, who has a gift for every child in attendance, and a few extra surprises for those families in need this season. 70 children were sponsored for our 2015 Christmas party!
HOW WE MEET THE NEED
The Memphis Kings meet the needs of our kids by providing a family atmosphere.
We are an extended family. We walk through different phases of life together, taking a hands-on approach to show them how to be responsible, productive citizens in the community.
Life skills are taught, enabling children to become self-sufficient.
THE KIND OF INTERVENTION AND ACTIVITY THAT BRING CHANGE
The best intervention is time. Spending time with a child is beyond valuable. Children are often told what to do. Before a child cares about what you know, he must first know that you care.
We provide certified counseling for kids with addiction problems. Kids often make choices out of necessities of survival. We teach them how to survive appropriately