A charity with a big heart is looking for a little help from New York’s celebrated philanthropic community.
Founded by Brooklyn-born basketball star Jamael ‘Horse” Lynch, the Big and Little Skills Academy (BALSA) is a 501c3 certified non-profit dedicated to elevating the lives of young people through the game of basketball.
Launched in 2012 in New York City, BALSA has evolved into a premier, nationally-reaching youth development organization inspiring a holistic healthy lifestyle and mindset for the children it serves.
The Academy currently runs a network of basketball camps that teach leadership skills, self-esteem building, time management skills, peer relations skills, healthy habits, stress relief, academic accountability and other game changers for kids.
BALSA also hosts innovative programs, such as Dribble Against Cancer, that promote social conscience and community responsibility.
“Our vision is to elevate one million youth by 2020,” said Lynch, who grew up in the Williamsburg projects and went on to play national and international basketball in France and Germany, as well as with teams such as the Erie Bayhawks and LA Defenders of the NBA D-League, and the North Dallas Vandals.
“To accomplish our goal, we are issuing a call for support from members of the real estate community, many of whom have already been quietly helping BALSA build its network. We would love to hear from anyone who can help our mission in a big or little way.”
Indeed, the BALSA team roster is stacked with professional athletes, Fortune 100 executives, entrepreneurs, activists, and journalists who are passionate about elevating youth.
BALSA is planning the first of a series of fundraisers to take place at the 40/40 Club on August 10. To find out more about the Big and little Skills Academy, contact Jamael Lynch at 347-470-8751. Check out the BALSA website at www.jlynch57.com
