CONGRATULATIONS EXTENDED TO THE SUPPORT GROUP CELEBRATING THEIR TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
WHEREAS, The Support Group is celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary of serving youth throughout the Chicago area; and
WHEREAS, The Support Group, founded in 1989 by Bennie Henry and Tim Hardaway, is a Chicago based non-profit dedicated to empowering youth through academic and athletic programs and services relevant to urban communities; and
WHEREAS, Tim Hardaway, a retired NBA player and the league's best point guard known for his crossover dribble and Bennie Henry, former basketball standout at South Shore High School, noticed there were many students who displayed superior athletic ability but couldn't make the grades to obtain a good education. Bennie persuaded Tim that basketball could be used as a tool to reach underserved children by encouraging both academic and athletic advancement; and
WHEREAS, the organization was formed to engage at-risk youth in Chicago's most challenged neighborhoods with recreational programs that incorporated learning and reading, providing young men and women an opportunity to better understand the importance of excelling academically, socially, and athletically, with an emphasis on education, testing skills, athletic conditioning, strengthening and character building; and
WHEREAS, Henry partnered with a number of athletic organizations including Nike, Spalding, Adidas, Wilson and the National Basketball Association to host athletic activities and events, while emphasizing education as a priority and encouraging youth to circumvent gangs, guns, drugs; and
WHEREAS, twenty-five years later, the organization has worked in various elementary and secondary schools serving more than 15,000 Chicago at risk youth, expanding their program beyond sports to offer life skills training and inspire youth to learn about careers through its Biz and Better Choices Boot Camps, After School program, Teen Reach and annual Teen Summit; and
WHEREAS, The Su...
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