2K Foundations Reveals Refurbished Toronto Lawrence Heights Basketball Court with Globally Renowned Artists The Weeknd and NAV
2K Foundations has launched a project in Toronto to refurbish the Lawrence Heights Court, enhancing access to play for local children. Partnering with the City of Toronto and artists like The Weeknd and NAV, the initiative focuses on community enrichment through sports. The foundation announced further global support initiatives, including music programming and court refurbishments. Projects undertaken include refurbishments in Knoxville, Dominican Republic, and Birmingham, UK. Since its inception in 2018, 2K Foundations has invested in over 40 initiatives to elevate communities through sports and education.
- 2K Foundations refurbished the Lawrence Heights Court in Toronto, enhancing community access to sports.
- Collaborations with global artists and local leaders lead to meaningful community investment.
- Continued global initiatives aim to expand opportunities in music and education.
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2K Foundations, the philanthropic arm of 2K that supports and inspires underserved communities by directly investing in local enrichment programs, unveiled its latest project in Toronto this week. In partnership with the City of Toronto, HXOUSE and global artists The Weeknd and NAV, the Toronto Lawrence Heights Court has received a complete refurbishment that includes a new scoreboard, backboards, repairs to the court, and an art installation designed by award-winning, multi-disciplinary artist Ben Johnston and multimedia artist Trevor Wheatley.
“The support from 2K Foundations has made a huge difference to the children in our community who truly benefit from better access to play,” said Janie Romoff, Forestry and Recreation General Manager at Toronto Parks. “In a community that’s been greatly impacted by COVID-19, the impact of 2K Foundations’ contributions are invaluable and will motivate our kids to pursue their passions on and off the court once it is safe to do so.”
“Working with my home city of Toronto and 2K Foundations on this community enrichment effort is something that is personal to me,” said The Weeknd, musician and co-founder at HXOUSE. “We’re proud to have renovated a space where kids of all backgrounds can hone their crafts and follow their passions.”
“As a Toronto native, it’s an honor to give back to the city where I grew up playing ball,” said NAV, musician. “Because basketball and hip hop can provide so many opportunities for kids growing up in this community, we designed a court and helped renovate a community center that empowers kids of all backgrounds to explore their interests.”
Over the next year, 2K Foundations will continue its support across a variety of projects worldwide, from further investment into music programming through its new Studio 2K initiative that provides opportunities to create, learn and enjoy music, to creating more opportunities for education and learning. In addition, 2K Foundations will continue its investments in local communities through court refurbishments in partnership with globally renowned artists and athletes.
“2K Foundations was inspired by the basketball community and started with the goal of giving back to the sport that has been a huge part of our company,” said David Ismailer, President at 2K. “Over this past year, we’ve witnessed firsthand the disruption COVID-19 has brought to the world, and we’ve learned so much more about what these communities need as a result. We’ve spent the past year expanding the work we do, both on and off the court, to support projects across music, education, and more. It is with this knowledge that we continue to commit our time, funding, and talent roster to directly help these communities that inspire us, expanding our efforts across different pillars and into more parts of the world.”
Throughout 2020-2021, 2K Foundations has grown its efforts to support a number of projects, representing communities around the globe and showcasing the program’s expansion to include career and learning initiatives, expanded access to sports through golf clinics and tournaments, community enrichment opportunities through music and upgraded studios, and much more:
● Cal Johnson Park Court, Knoxville, Tenn. - Refurbished two basketball courts designed in partnership with Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker and artist Erin Miller Wray that opened October 2020, and earned a Keep Knoxville Beautiful Orchid Award for Public Art;
● Elencio Mercedes Sports Arena Court, Dominican Republic - Done in partnership with Boston Celtics power forward Al Horford, this new court is currently being installed and painted with the colors of the Dominican Republic flag;
● Nechells Wellbeing Center, Birmingham, UK - Partnered with former NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon to refurbish the court of the City of Birmingham Rockets Basketball Club, which was completed in February 2021. It is one of the largest basketball clubs in Birmingham and delivers over 80 hours of basketball sessions to 800 youth in an ethnically-rich community but underserved area of the UK;
● Urban Ventures and First Tee, Minneapolis, Minn. - Introduced a brand-new program from 2K Foundations that looks to expose the game of golf to more Black and female youth in the area. The program provides green fees, lesson fees, and equipment to these minority groups to help them get exposed to career paths that may not have existed before;
● Ace Kids Golf, Oakland, Calif. - 2K Foundations provided an opportunity for Ace Kids Golf to create its first-ever golf tournament in March 2021, with a second tournament that took place this past month;
● Dryades YMCA, New Orleans, La. - Partnered with local youth art organization, YAYA, to create a music program with a mentor artist and young artist in training, as well as create a music lounge for youth, which includes a recording studio, instruments, and mixing equipment for them to create their own music. The program has also expanded to hosting art workshops for local youth that take place in the brand-new Dryades garden, providing a safe and creative outlet for students, with more support planned later this year.
Working directly with community leaders to address important needs, last year 2K also quickly implemented a Distance Learning Initiative, where iPads, high-speed internet and weekly educational lessons were provided to community centers in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Oakland. Families in these communities were greatly impacted by school closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and these resources enabled them to continue their education in a safe setting.
For more information on 2K Foundations, including current and upcoming projects, please visit the group’s official website.
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About 2K Foundations
Founded in 2018, 2K Foundations is focused on elevating communities across the globe by providing resources and experiences built on motivation, collaboration, determination, and teamwork. Since its inception, the foundation has invested in more than 40 initiatives, completing various projects that provide greater access to sports, career and learning opportunities, community enrichment, and more. To find out more about current and upcoming 2K Foundations projects, please visit our website at http://foundations.2k.com/.
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. We develop and publish products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, Private Division, and T2 Mobile Games. Our products are designed for console systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.
About 2K
Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes global interactive entertainment for console and handheld gaming systems, personal computers and mobile devices, with product availability including physical retail and digital download. The Company is home to many talented development studios, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber and HB Studios. 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA® 2K; renowned BioShock®, Borderlands™, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization® and XCOM® brands; popular WWE® 2K and WWE® SuperCard franchises, as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR® 2K. Additional information about 2K and its products may be found at 2k.com and on the Company’s official social media channels.
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