Kyle Kuzma Donates $1M For New Gym At The YMCA In His Hometown Of Flint, Michigan
Kuzma says he would spend eight to nine hours a day playing basketball at the Flint YMCA as a kid.
January 18, 2023 at 11:23 pm
NBA champion and philanthropist Kyle Kuzma gave a huge gift to his hometown of Flint, Michigan. The 27-year-old announced Wednesday that he was donating $1 million to the Flint YMCA to build a new gymnasium. The new gym will serve as the hub for activities at the Y.
In a statement received by Blavity about his good deed, Kuzma mentioned how much the Y meant to him growing up as a teen in Flint.
“Growing up in Flint, the YMCA was very much my home away from home,” said Kuzma. “It was my safe place. And looking back now, it truly was the birthplace of many of the dreams I had as a young kid. This donation is for the next generation, and it’s my hope this new facility can provide them with the same thing it did for me. A place to dream.”
He was also a guest on Wednesday’s GMA3 and emphasized how much the location nurtured him as a young man and basketball player.
“It was a place I could be safe and just be myself,” he said. “My mom often worked eight or nine hours a day. I would ride the bus super early to get there. I loved being there. Being able to be there all day and play basketball with the older guys in the morning and then my guys later. It really shaped who I am today.”