Youth hoops camp aims to build bridges for low-income athletes

A statewide nonprofit organization that advocates for affordable housing and Alaska’s homeless is set to launch its second free basketball camp for young Mat-Su athletes from low-income families.

The Mat-Su Region Basketball Camp project is an initiative of the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (AkCH2). It is designed to provide interactive skill development opportunities in an educational setting that focuses on both individual skills and team concepts.

The camp will be led by a former professional basketball player and experienced trainers from other successful youth hoops programs that have a proven track record of working with beginner athletes.

DaJonee Hale, AkCH2’s youth support specialist, said summer camps in Alaska are essential for building a strong local support network for youth and highlighting the positive impact of these athletes on their communities. Hale is a former college basketball standout who overcame homelessness as a teen to earn a scholarship and go on to graduate with honors from Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo.

So she knows a thing or two about the importance of a strong support network.

“Given the vast geographic area of our state and the increased cost of living/development, accomplishing this mission comes with unique challenges,” Hale said. “We focus our work on raising awareness through strategic and constant advocacy, in addition to building bridges between organizations that have traditionally operated in silos.”

To that end, AkCH2 partners with the Alaska Community Foundation to present the basketball camp, which promotes youth development, cultural connection, and mental well-being.

The camp is funded in part by a $25,000 March grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation. Jones said the grant will help ensure there are enough supplies and resources to enhance this year’s camp experience.

“With the help of this grant, our organization will be able to offer a free summer basketball camp to 35 young athletes and aspiring athletes in our community,” Hale said. “This is the second year we have run this camp, and the grant will enable us to hire professional directors who will focus on skill and youth development.”

The Mat-Su Health Foundation has been making this kind of investment in health and wellness since its inception in 2007, when it became a minority owner of the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. In the last 17 years, the Foundation has returned more than $138 million of its share of hospital profits to the community through scholarships, sponsorships, and grants to nonprofit service organizations that make life better across the Valley.

“This grant will also enable the expansion of the Mat-Su Youth Action Board program and the creation of additional youth boards in other regions,” Hale said. “Our hope is that we can host similar programs and camps across the state and continue our youth leadership in the Mat-Su.”

Anyone interested in the basketball camp or getting involved with youth leadership programs can email Hale at dajonee@alaskahousing-homeless.org.

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