Charles Barkley donates $1,000 to each school employee in his Alabama hometown

LEEDS, Ala. — Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley continues to give back to his Alabama hometown.

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Barkley, who graduated from Leeds High School in 1981, has gifted $1,000 to each Leeds City Schools System employee, the school announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

According to information from the state of Alabama, the district has about 226 employees, AL.com reported.

“Over the past three decades, Charles has quietly and without any attention drawn to himself, provided over $3 million in scholarships to Leeds graduates, funds that have helped hundreds of students attend college,” the school wrote on Facebook. “Charles has also been a huge supporter of both the boys and girls basketball programs at Leeds High--he’s even known to show up occasionally to cheer on the Greenwave.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Barkley funded laptops for virtual learners and helped secure Wi-Fi hotspots. He also got donations from Clorox to help the Leeds City School staff keep facilities sanitary, WTVM reported.

“Being a school employee is tough, but driving a bus, teaching, coaching, or working in the cafeteria, all while maintaining safety protocols, has been a daunting task during a worldwide pandemic,” school officials wrote on Facebook. “Although it’s been challenging, the Leeds staff has persevered and we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are beyond thankful to know our hometown hero and benefactor, Charles Barkley, recognizes the hard work and dedication of the Leeds staff, even under the toughest of circumstances.”

Barkley has also supported the boys’ and girls’ basketball programs at Leeds High School, AL.com reported.

Barkley, who also attended Auburn University before embarking on a 16-year career in the NBA, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Cox Media Group