For me, tikkun olam means inclusion. Growing up my younger brother Oliver, who has autism, we’ve always done everything together, and we both look up to each other. I wanted to make everything possible for him to do, which is what sparked Ballers Basketball to become what it is today.
I would say as soon as somebody walks into Ballers, they notice just love and joy everyone has. Whether you’re in a wheelchair, nonverbal, have Down syndrome, whatever the case might be, everybody can come together with a sense of belonging. And it’s just this loving community.
Ballers gives kids like Oliver the opportunity to feel included, to feel accepted means the world to me. And you really just see the impact that it has. The bonds aren’t just related to basketball, there’s always something else. Every week, that bond just gets even stronger, and the most meaningful part is to share your gift of just being you.