Trae Young was still in his second NBA season when he started his family foundation in 2019, and he built it around something athletes rarely talked about then: mental health. From erasing medical debt in Atlanta to building a landmark athletic center in his hometown of Norman, the Trae Young Family Foundation invests in young people and the families behind them.
Mental Health Comes First
The Trae Young Family Foundation was founded in 2019 to generate awareness for mental health, including the effects of cyber and social media bullying. Through education and research, it works to make a positive impact on children and adults facing mental health challenges.
Erasing $1 Million in Medical Debt
To open 2020, Young donated $10,000 through his foundation to RIP Medical Debt. Because the nonprofit buys up debt for pennies on the dollar, that gift abolished more than $1 million in past-due medical bills for 570 families across Atlanta.
The Trae Young Basketball Academy
Back home in Oklahoma, Young's basketball academy gives young athletes a place to develop their skills and learn the values of the game: effort, leadership and looking out for the people around you.
The Young Family Athletic Center
Growing up in Norman, the Young family drove long distances so Trae could train and compete. The foundation committed $4 million so the next generation would not have to: a 122,000-square-foot center on Trae Young Drive with basketball, volleyball and pickleball courts, competition pools and sports medicine, plus a scholarship program so no Norman child is excluded because of family income.
Standing Behind Students in D.C.
The foundation has partnered with DC CAP, the DC College Access Program, which helps Washington, D.C. students reach college and finish their degrees. The partnership pairs the foundation's mental health and wellness mission with support for scholars navigating the pressures of college life.
Trae Young speaks at the Young Family Athletic Center ribbon cutting in Norman, in this video from the foundation's own website.
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