01of 15Kobe Bryant/InstagramThe Bryant family foundedThe Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation(KVBFF) in 2007 to help improve the lives of those in need and encourage young people to stay active with sports.The foundation has contributed to causes likeKids in Sports Los Angeles(with a $20,000 donation) andCOACH for Kids and Their Families(with a $75,000 grant to help provide screenings and services to underserved neighborhoods in L.A.). It’s also hosted aholiday celebration for homeless and at-risk familiesfrom My Friend’s Place, during which parents and their kids received holiday gifts, food and photos with Santa.
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Kobe Bryant/Instagram
The Bryant family foundedThe Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation(KVBFF) in 2007 to help improve the lives of those in need and encourage young people to stay active with sports.
The foundation has contributed to causes likeKids in Sports Los Angeles(with a $20,000 donation) andCOACH for Kids and Their Families(with a $75,000 grant to help provide screenings and services to underserved neighborhoods in L.A.). It’s also hosted aholiday celebration for homeless and at-risk familiesfrom My Friend’s Place, during which parents and their kids received holiday gifts, food and photos with Santa.
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“For us, for the studio, it is trying to connect important messages that we want our youth to get to understand, to grow with and to evolve with,” Bryant told the outlet in September 2019. “Then we start looking at sports and there is a connection with the story and the sport itself.”
Through Granity Studios, Bryant released his Oscar-winningDear Basketballanimated film and several sports-inspired books, includingThe Wizenard Series: Season One, which he co-wrote with Wesley King, andLegacy and the Queen,which he co-wrote with Annie Matthew.
03of 15Kobe Bryant/InstagramForLegacy and the Queen, the athlete tapped tennis superstarSerena Williamsas his muse.“💪🏾 @serenawilliams let’s do this today. The queen of tennis as a muse to #legacyandthequeen. Always an inspiration to the next generation. Let’s goooo!” Bryantwroteon Instagram in 2019, alongside a photo of himself and Williams.The story follows 12-year-old Legacy, a girl who loves tennis but is too poor to afford formal training, and her mission to win an annual tennis tournament to earn the cash prize that could help save her family’s orphanage.“I hope #legacyandthequeen inspires you to find that magical light within to guide you thru the dark #liveyourdream,” Bryantwroteof his book.
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ForLegacy and the Queen, the athlete tapped tennis superstarSerena Williamsas his muse.
“💪🏾 @serenawilliams let’s do this today. The queen of tennis as a muse to #legacyandthequeen. Always an inspiration to the next generation. Let’s goooo!” Bryantwroteon Instagram in 2019, alongside a photo of himself and Williams.
The story follows 12-year-old Legacy, a girl who loves tennis but is too poor to afford formal training, and her mission to win an annual tennis tournament to earn the cash prize that could help save her family’s orphanage.
“I hope #legacyandthequeen inspires you to find that magical light within to guide you thru the dark #liveyourdream,” Bryantwroteof his book.
04of 15Kobe Bryant/Instagram"I’m always game for talking about building confidence in young people and putting imagination back into sports," the late star wrote of his visit toThe Viewin September 2019 to talk about his podcast,The Punies.The audio series follows a young boy named Puny Pete, who loves to play sports with his neighborhood friends, and his many adventures and lessons he learns along the way. There are currently two seasons, with episodes like, “Righteous Rivals,” “Trust Your Crew” and “Know Your Teammates.”
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“I’m always game for talking about building confidence in young people and putting imagination back into sports,” the late star wrote of his visit toThe Viewin September 2019 to talk about his podcast,The Punies.
The audio series follows a young boy named Puny Pete, who loves to play sports with his neighborhood friends, and his many adventures and lessons he learns along the way. There are currently two seasons, with episodes like, “Righteous Rivals,” “Trust Your Crew” and “Know Your Teammates.”
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Make-A-Wish Foundation
Kobegranted more than 200 wishesthrough his partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Patterson, from Wisconsin, was fighting kidney dysfunction and was able to meet Bryant after he and his family were flown out to L.A.
“It boosted my spirits so high,” Patterson told the station of the 2012 visit. “I’m really grateful for that … [he] signed all my pictures, took any pictures I wanted, answered all my questions.”
06of 15Kobe Bryant/TwitterThrough his family foundation, Bryant also helped fund theNational Museum of African American History & Culture. He became amilestone donor(having contributed $1 million or more) and tweeted on the museum’s opening day, “Go. See. This. Museum. There is no greater testament to this country than the stories in this building. Honored to be a part of it@NMAAHC.”
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Kobe Bryant/Twitter
Through his family foundation, Bryant also helped fund theNational Museum of African American History & Culture. He became amilestone donor(having contributed $1 million or more) and tweeted on the museum’s opening day, “Go. See. This. Museum. There is no greater testament to this country than the stories in this building. Honored to be a part of it@NMAAHC.”
07of 15In 2009, the star was inducted as a national ambassador forAfter-School All-Stars, a free program that helps kids flourish in five main areas: health and fitness, academic readiness, STEM, career exploration and visual and performing arts.
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In 2009, the star was inducted as a national ambassador forAfter-School All-Stars, a free program that helps kids flourish in five main areas: health and fitness, academic readiness, STEM, career exploration and visual and performing arts.
08of 15Kobe Bryant/FacebookThrough Stand Up to Cancer, Bryant helped raise more than $81 million for cancer research in 2012. He also posted aphotoon Facebook of two kids he met through the program, writing, “We have toStand Up To Cancer! Kid’s shouldn’t have to suffer. I met the most amazing kids today at camp.”
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Kobe Bryant/Facebook
Through Stand Up to Cancer, Bryant helped raise more than $81 million for cancer research in 2012. He also posted aphotoon Facebook of two kids he met through the program, writing, “We have toStand Up To Cancer! Kid’s shouldn’t have to suffer. I met the most amazing kids today at camp.”
09of 15Kobe Bryant/InstagramOutside of his creative endeavors, Bryant has taken to the streets to meet with students, children and underserved communities across the country.Here he istaking a selfie with studentsafter reading to them as part of theCDF Freedom Schools program, which was created to empower the youth through reading.
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Outside of his creative endeavors, Bryant has taken to the streets to meet with students, children and underserved communities across the country.
Here he istaking a selfie with studentsafter reading to them as part of theCDF Freedom Schools program, which was created to empower the youth through reading.
10of 15Michael Kovac/GettyThe late star surprised students with a holiday visit at a local school on Dec. 19, 2018, in Mission Viejo, California.
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Michael Kovac/Getty
The late star surprised students with a holiday visit at a local school on Dec. 19, 2018, in Mission Viejo, California.
11of 15Bryant made a visit to a football centre during the 2010 FIFA World Cup on June 27, 2010, in the township of Soweto, South Africa, to spend time with the kids and families in the community.
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Bryant made a visit to a football centre during the 2010 FIFA World Cup on June 27, 2010, in the township of Soweto, South Africa, to spend time with the kids and families in the community.
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Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty
13of 15Ned Dishman/NBAE via GettyAt a 2007 charity event in N.Y.C., the Black Mamba and a group of kids had fun bowling in Harlem.
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Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty
At a 2007 charity event in N.Y.C., the Black Mamba and a group of kids had fun bowling in Harlem.
14of 15China Photos/GettyThe global icon gave tips and played a game of basketball with Changchun University of Technology students on July 27, 2010, in Changchun of Jilin Province, China.
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China Photos/Getty
The global icon gave tips and played a game of basketball with Changchun University of Technology students on July 27, 2010, in Changchun of Jilin Province, China.
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Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty
source: people.com
