SANTA MONICA, CA - JUNE 25: Charles Barkley attends the 2018 NBA Awards Show at Barker Hangar on June 25, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Charles Barkley has been quietly taking care of the people in his hometown for about 30 years! The former NBA player and sports analyst was born and raised about 10 miles outside of Birmingham, Alabama in a town called Leeds. Earlier this week, the town’s school district took to their Facebook page to give Charles his deserved flowers. Most recently, he reportedly gifted $1,000 to every single school employee in Leeds. That’s over 200 employees and more than $200,000, according to the state.
“Being a school employee is tough, but driving a bus, teaching, coaching, or working in the cafeteria, all while maintaining safety protocols, has been a daunting task during a worldwide pandemic,” the Facebook post said. “We are beyond thankful to know our hometown hero and benefactor, Charles Barkley, recognizes the hard work and dedication of the Leeds staff, even under the toughest of circumstances.”
Charles graduated from Leeds High School back in 1981. For the last three decades, he has provided financial, moral, and basic needs support to his community. According to the Facebook post, Charles has helped “hundreds” of Leeds graduates attend college with over three million dollars in scholarships. Beyond money, he’s shown his support to the Leeds High boys and girls’ basketball teams. That support includes occasionally being present to cheer the players on.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Charles apparently also “secured laptops for virtual learners, Wifi hotspots, and donations from Clorox Corporation.” The Clorox donations assisted Leeds staff with keeping their facilities sanitary.
The heartfelt post expressed how fortunate the Leeds School System feels to have the support of its “biggest fan and most famous graduate.” All of his good deeds have been committed “quietly and without any attention drawn to himself.” His generosity, especially with the employee gifts, has brought some relief to what has been a challenging past year for people across the world.
“Although it’s been challenging, the Leeds staff has persevered and we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel,” the post said.
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