Kevin Durant’s foundation announced a new initiative today that will help children in his hometown of Prince George’s County receive the academic, financial, and social resources they need to make it to college and, more importantly, to graduate.
The Kevin Durant Charity Foundation will be partnering with College Track, a program that helps low-income and first-generation students complete college. College Track currently operates in ten centers around the United States, and is a ten-year program that follows students from ninth grade through the completion of their Bachelor’s degrees, helping them navigate the challenges that exist in low-income communities.
The newest facility will be The Durant Center in Suitland, Md. It opens today with an inaugural class of 69 students, and Durant will be present for the opening ceremony. Durant began his commitment to Prince George’s County Public Schools last year with a $10 million donation and the intention to bring College Track to the community. The creation of The Durant Center is the first step in the process towards helping hundreds of students achieve their collegiate and career aspirations. The foundation hopes that The Durant Center will eventually be the hub of other educational programs.
In a press release from his foundation, Durant said, “When my foundation partnered with College Track last year, we said from day one we wanted it to live inside a facility we could develop for Prince George’s County. The opening of the Durant Center is truly a dream come true for me and my family.”
Since the establishment of the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, Durant has been active in projects, both athletic and academic, that benefit youth in his hometown, in Oklahoma City, and throughout the country. This is the largest single investment he has made in any initiative, which hopes to have a dramatic impact on the futures of young people in Prince George’s County.
Kevin Durant has accomplished just about everything he can as a basketball player, other than maybe earning MVP chants at Oracle Arena. It’s heartening to see him continue to extend his sphere of influence off the court.
