JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A close basketball game between Jacksonville celebrities against high school basketball all-stars Saturday night benefited homeless students. The more than 500 people who attended the game at Paxon School for Advanced Studies watched the celebrities pull out a 76-74 victory in overtime.
All proceeds will go to the I'm A Star Foundation's Jacksonville HELPS (Homeless Students Empowered through Leadership, Partnership & Service).
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Celebrity players included the Harlem Globetrotters' Briana Green, City Councilmen Bill Gulliford and Garrett Dennis, WJXT's Vic Micolucci and Brian Jackson, and others.
All ticket proceeds benefit I'm A Star's #HomelessToCollege fund, which will be donated to Duval County Public Schools' Families in Transition Department. There are currently more than 3,000 homeless students in the district, according to the department.
Florida Blue donated $10,000 to the cause. I'm A Star Foundation will release the final amount of money raised early next month.
I'm A Star servant leaders continue to ask the community to help them reach their $50,000 goal by donating to their GoFundMe Account. The fundraising campaign ends Oct. 1.
Since 2012, the foundation has raised a total of $96,500 via live telethons, a 5K-run, and three celebrity basketball games with all funds going to the Duval County Homeless Education Program.
In the previous three games, the high school all-stars have won. Out of the total amount raised, I’m A Star Foundation has awarded more than 20 scholarships to homeless students entering college.