DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. and UnitedHealthcare teamed up to renovate the gymnasium at J.E. Clark Preparatory Academy in Detroit’s Morningside neighborhood.
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UnitedHealthcare volunteers on Thursday visited J.E. Clark Preparatory Academy in Detroit and painted a series of panel murals for the gym’s walls. At the school, the volunteers were joined by Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. and officials from City Year Detroit to announce UnitedHealthcare’s $11,000 donation to Jones’ Dreambuilders program. The donation was used to purchase four new basketball backboards and paint the gym’s lockers (Photo courtesy of UnitedHealthcare).
UnitedHealthcare donated $11,000 to the Marvin Jones Jr. Dreambuilders program to support the renovation. Employees from UnitedHealthcare were joined by Jones at the school today to announce and unveil the renovated gymnasium to the students.
The renovations include the installation of four new basketball backboards. The lockers within the gym received a fresh coat of paint, and UnitedHealthcare employee volunteers created a series of panel murals for the gym’s walls.
“Keeping kids active and healthy in Detroit is very important to me, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner in this effort than UnitedHealthcare,” said Jones. “This new basketball equipment and the other improvements in the gym will give all of the Clark Prep students a chance to stay active.”
“UnitedHealthcare is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Marvin Jones Jr. and his Dreambuilders program to promote healthy activity in the Detroit community,” said Tim DiMartino, vice president of UnitedHealthcare of Michigan.
Since 2010, UnitedHealthcare has partnered with 23 professional athletes across the country and donated more than $500,000 to Dreambuilders programming that addresses food insecurity among students, promotes physical activity and active play, and assists with access to playgrounds for students with special needs.
“We appreciate the generosity of Marvin Jones Jr. and UnitedHealthcare in providing the funding needed for these upgrades to our gym,” said Demond Thomas, principal of J.E. Clark Preparatory Academy. “The gym is an important part of our school and, because of their kindness, our students will be able to play in a safer and cleaner environment.”
The Marvin Jones Jr. Dreambuilders program and UnitedHealthcare have helped Clark Prep and other schools in Detroit with its support of City Year, which places AmeriCorps members inside schools to provide academic and mentor support to disadvantaged children.
“City Year Detroit is grateful to Marvin Jones Jr. and UnitedHealthcare for their support of the work of our AmeriCorps members,” said Andrew Stein, City Year Detroit’s executive director. “These young idealists have pledged to serve all day, every day to help students achieve academically and to help create a positive school culture. City Year Detroit is an exciting way for us to engage more of the community in this very important work.”
The donation and gym renovation project are part of UnitedHealthcare’s “Do Good. Live Well.” employee volunteer initiative, whose mission is to prevent hunger and obesity, inspire service and encourage volunteerism. For more information about the benefits of volunteering and to find local opportunities to get involved, visit www.DoGoodLiveWell.org. Follow @DoGoodLiveWell on Twitter or “like” Do Good. Live Well. on Facebook.
About Dreambuilders
The
Dreambuilders Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with
pro athletes across the country to help financially, physically and
mentally-challenged kids receive the items, opportunities and equipment
they need to reach their dreams.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare
is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit
programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees
and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and
contracts directly with 1 million physicians and care professionals, and
6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare
is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a
diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more
information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com
or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
About City Year
City Year is
dedicated to helping students and schools succeed. Diverse teams of City
Year AmeriCorps members provide high-impact student, classroom and
school-wide supports to help students stay in school and on track to
graduate from high school, ready for college and career success. A 2015
study shows that schools that partner with City Year were up to 2-3
times more likely to improve on math and English assessments. A proud
member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is funded
by the Corporation for National and Community Service, local school
districts, and private philanthropy from corporations, foundations and
individuals. Learn more at www.cityyear.org, City
Year’s Facebook page, on Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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