We recently sat down with Grizzlies star and Community Foundation donor Jaren Jackson, Jr., along with his mom, Women's National Basketball Players Association executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson, and his grandmother Eva Carmichael. Shared family values run deep, and Jaren’s giving is inspired by his grandmother’s example and her constant reminder, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
Much Required is, in fact, the name of the basketball player’s philanthropic initiative, through which he participates in youth events and supports the arts, education, and helping kids. Targeting a few passion areas, he says, helps focus his energy and innovation in thinking about new solutions. And it helps him give voice to the people and projects he cares about.
His mother Terri recalls growing up in a household where meaningful, purposeful service to others was as important as financial contributions, and that is a commitment she and her husband have shared with their son—emphasizing contributions off the court as much or more than on it.
Theirs is just one story of generosity we're sharing during Black Philanthropy Month. Click here to watch their video profile.