The Sacramento Kings announced that guard Ben McLemore has been named a finalist by the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the 2014-15 Seasonlong NBA Cares Community Assist Award in recognition of his ongoing charitable and communitywork.Presented by Kaiser Permanente, the award honors and recognizes an NBA player who best reflects the passion for giving back to the community.             

A panel of NBA judges and fan votes will determine the winner. Voting runs from April 20 through April 27 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by using #NBACommunityAssist and #BenMcLemore.

Fueled by his upbringing, Ben McLemore is passionate about giving back to those in need throughout the Sacramento community and his hometown of Wellston, Missouri.

“I’m grateful to be in the position to give back to underserved communities and serve as a role model for kids across the country,” said McLemore. “Giving back and creating positive change is important to me, and I am humbled to be recognized by the NBA for the work I’ve done and will continue to do.”
 
Through his nonprofit “All 4 Kids,” McLemore has provided meals and distributed hundreds of presents for underserved youth and families in Kansas and throughout Missouri. McLemore also treated several low-income Sacramento-area children to a holiday shopping spree where each child selected a present for their parents before selecting personal gifts. Recently, he donated 360 tickets, t-shirts, and concessions vouchers to Saint John’s Program for Real Change in Sacramento. In addition to playing basketball with kids throughout the community, McLemore has visited several schools and area shelters to promote the importance of reading and literacy by donating books and reading to children. The NBA recognized McLemore for his contributions by awarding him the December 2014 NBA Cares Community Assist Award.    

Kaiser Permanente and the NBA will provide a $25,000 donation to the winner’s charity of choice. McLemore has selected Saint John’s Program for Real Change in continued efforts to empower homeless women with children to advance from crisis to self-sufficiency. Saint John’s intends to use this donation to purchase a 15-passenger van to transport homeless children to and from school. Due to recent budget cuts, children residing at the shelter were forced to attend a school that is no longer in walking distance and does notprovide reliable transportation.

For more information, visit www.Kings.com/VoteBen and www.NBA.com/communityassist.  

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