King County provides $115,000 to Somali Cultural Center’s Hoops for Hope

September 5, 2023

On Tuesday, the King County Council approved a Healthy Communities and Parks Fund grant of $115,000 to the Somali Cultural Center’s Hoops for Hope program. Hoops for Hope aims to build community and interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline by providing linguistically appropriate recreation, mentoring, tutoring, and cultural activities for underserved East African and Muslim American immigrant youth. 

“Youth sports have two key positive impacts – an increase in physical activity and a greater sense of community,” Said King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, who represents the area in which Hoops for Hope operates. “By increasing opportunities for recreation in South King County, we can give youth a chance to come together in a positive and healthy way.”

The Healthy Communities and Parks Fund is part of the voter-approved 2020-2025 Parks Levy and seeks to assist eligible entities that increase access and use of parks, open spaces, recreational facilities, and related programming in underserved areas. In August 2019, King County residents overwhelmingly supported the ballot a proposition authorizing a six-year property tax levy estimated to raise $810 million to support parks and open space throughout the county.