Breaking News
Jrue and Lauren Holiday are making a MAJOR donation with his remaining game checks this season … with the Pelicans guard contributing up to $5.3 MILLION to social justice causes and black-owned businesses.
The couple announced the gesture to ESPN on Wednesday … saying they are starting the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Impact Fund, which will aid communities in Indianapolis, New Orleans and the L.A. area.
Of course, Lauren — former US soccer team member — is from Indianapolis and both of Jrue’s brothers (Aaron and Justin) play for the Indiana Pacers.
Los Angeles was chosen because the Holiday family is from there … and Jrue and Lauren met in the City of Angels while attending UCLA.
The Holidays say they will be giving the majority of the money to nonprofits, Black-owned businesses and local initiatives with missions dedicated to “equitable outcomes for Black and Brown communities.”
Holiday — who is in the middle of a 5-year, $131,805,000 deal — is set to make up to $5.3 million through the rest of the 2020 season … so it’s a huge contribution.
Here’s the breakdown — up to $1.5 million will go to Black and Brown communities in NOLA, another $1.5 million to Los Angeles … and $1 million will go to similar communities in Indianapolis.
The Holidays will also donate another $1 million to Black-owned businesses throughout the country … and $500k to HBCUs and other educational institutions.
“God has blessed us with so much. We know a couple of things that are important are time and money, and right now, we have both,” Holiday told ESPN.
“To be able to give away our money to help further this movement and Black-owned businesses that have taken a hit in COVID-19, to us, it felt like the perfect time and opportunity.”