HOMETOWN HERO
Nelson foundation brings holidays to life for families in region:
Families throughout the region received a little extra holiday cheer this week in the form of presents, gift cards and Visa cash cards, courtesy of the annual Pete & Jameer Nelson Foundation holiday shopping spree.
Jameer Nelson, a Chester native who played for Saint Joseph University before joining the Orlando Magic in 2004, established the foundation in 2009 in honor of his father Pete’s charitable nature, said foundation Director Ryan Nemetz.
Nemetz said the nonprofit organization works primarily with kids ranging from elementary to high school ages through academic, athletic and social development programs in the tri-state area. The annual gift drive began when Nelson was playing in Orlando and partnered with local organizations to identify families in need around the holidays, Nemetz said.
Before becoming the
2004 NCAA player of the year at Saint Joe’s and a
2009 NBA All-Star, Nelson helped lead the Chester Clippers to the 2000 PIAA AAAA state championship over the Uniontown Raiders in a 73-48 pummeling.
The 6-foot point guard retired from the NBA in
2018 after 14 seasons and a slew of accolades, but has not left the sport; he
was hired last month as the assistant general manager for the Delaware Blue Coats and serves as a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers.
This year, the foundation joined with the Resurrection Center Church in Wilmington, Del., the Interfaith Hospitality in Norristown and The Ca
thedral of St. Mark’s in Chester. Nelson personally shopped for, wrapped and delivered gifts to families mainly across the Wilmington, Chester, and Philadelphia areas.
“This year, with COVID being so crazy, we found families and instead of just buying presents and gift
cards, we also gave them a Visa cash gift card just to use for bills, groceries, whatever it might be,” said Nemetz. “The kids, their eyes lit up when we gave out the gifts, so they were really appreciative of it, and then the parents were really appreciative of it. They’re all going through
difficult times personally and then with COVID-19 – the goal was really to help families who could use it during this difficult time.”
The donations came out to about $1,000 per family, said Nemetz, providing some much needed relief in a year that has been particularly tumultuous, when some families cannot even see each other during the holidays.
The Pete & Jameer Nelson Foundation is primarily funded by Jameer Nelson, but also accepts private donations for its endeavors. Donors who wish to add to the pot can find a Paypal link by visiting the foundation’s website at foundation.jn14.com and scrolling to the bottom of the page.