(BPRW) FORMER NBA AND COLLEGE CHAMPION BILLY THOMPSON TO HOST FIRST-EVER ALL-STAR GALA TO RAISE FUNDS FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, LITERACY PROGRAM AND NEW CHAMPION CENTER

Former Championship Teammate Magic Johnson will Serve as Honorary Chair of Event at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on November 10, 2023

(Black PR Wire) PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – As a six-time champion who is one of four players in the Guinness Book of World Records to win college and NBA championships back-to-back, Billy Thompson knows a few things about winning.

And thanks to some extraordinary coaches and mentors, he also learned how to succeed off the court.

The work of the Billy Thompson Foundation seeks to instill that championship spirit in today’s youth. The South Florida-based nonprofit founded by Billy and his wife, Cynthia, pursues a mission to provide opportunities for youth to succeed and become responsible leaders for the future.

The Billy Thompson Foundation will be hosting its first-ever Billy Thompson All-Star Gala at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on Friday, November 10, 2023. The evening will include celebrity appearances, an awards presentation for industry leaders, dinner, entertainment, dancing and live and silent auctions. Former championship teammate Magic Johnson is serving as Honorary Chair of the event.

The goal of the All-Star Gala is to raise vital funds for three Billy Thompson Foundation initiatives – Youth Mental Health Support, Champions Read Literacy Initiative and the proposed Billy Thompson Foundation Champion Center – which provide opportunities for children and teens to succeed and become responsible leaders for the future.

“There couldn’t be a more important time to invest in today’s youth,” said Billy Thompson. “The impact of Covid on mental health and learning are well-documented locally and nationally and it will take programs like ours to help give them the boost they need to get back on track.”

Today’s youth are facing what seems to be insurmountable mental health challenges. Far too many of them struggle and are unable to get the support they need. Mental health challenges are the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people. Unfortunately, in recent years, we’ve seen significant increases in certain mental health disorders in youth, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. This program empowers young people and parents with practical knowledge, awareness programs, support and resources.

Understanding that a lack of reading and writing skills is hurting Black and Latino students in South Florida – and by extension the community – the Billy Thompson Foundation has introduced the Champions Read Literacy Initiative. The program is designed to cultivate an appreciation for reading which will lead to greater opportunities in the workforce and more fulfilling possibilities in life.

The proposed Billy Thompson Foundation Champion Center would fulfill the organization’s vision of establishing a multifaceted facility that would provide young people with comprehensive programming that reduces recidivism, provides a platform for rehabilitation for troubled youth, builds character, cultivates literacy, creates opportunities to achieve and promotes success.

“We seek to foster transformational change in mind, body and spirit,” says Cynthia Thompson. “By empowering young people to believe in themselves and to have faith, our programming also uplifts families, which in turn will build stronger and healthier communities. All of this is achieved through shared knowledge, mutual respect and the collective efforts of an all-star team committed to a brighter future for our youth.”  

After notching two national championships at the University of Louisville, two NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and two state cup titles with Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel, Billy, along with Cynthia, are proud to be raising up future champions through the Billy Thompson Foundation.

For more information about the Billy Thompson All Star Gala and the Billy Thompson Foundation, visit billythompsonfoundation.org or call 561-945-9356.

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