Queens-born NBA star is helping local families pay the rent this holiday season
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Queens native Moe Harkless is helping 50 families pay the rent and cover other expenses in his hometown. AP Photo/Chris Carlson
By David Brand
When the world can feel so heartless, in steps Moe Harkless.
The Miami Heat forward is helping 50 families and young people pay the rent in his home borough of Queens through a donation to New York City’s Last Resort Emergency Response Fund. The initiative is managed by the organization New Yorkers For Children in partnership with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services
Harkless, a Jamaica native, starred on the court at Forest Hills High School before spending a year at St. John’s University ahead of the 2012 NBA Draft. His donation will cover rent and other expenses for families severely impacted by the COVID-19 health and economic crises.
“It was something I wanted to do to give back to the community that raised me,” Harkless told the Eagle.
The former Knick said he has sought to support neighbors in need throughout his career. Growing up, he knew “families who needed a ton of support and didn’t get it,” he said.
“Luckily we were in a position where my mom worked really hard,” he added. “A lot of people were a lot worse off, and that’s just the reality. Those people are in my heart this holiday season.”
New Yorkers for Children and the city established the Last Resort Emergency Response Fund in March 2020 to provide support for children and families receiving ACS services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
About a quarter of the families served by New Yorkers for Children live in Queens, where new COVID-19 infections still outpace the citywide average after the borough emerged as the crisis epicenter in March and April. The pandemic has also taken a devastating economic toll on Queens communities, particularly among immigrants and Black and Latino residents.
“We are grateful to support Moe’s commitment to giving back to his hometown community and to ensuring that vulnerable youth in Queens are receiving much needed financial support,” said New Yorkers for Children Executive Director Saroya Friedman-Gonzalez.
The Fund’s strategic partnership with philanthropy and individuals has helped raise and disperse over $1.5 million in support of vulnerable children and families to ensure they have received the critical support needed to stay afloat in the face of the COVID-19 challenge. To date, the fund has reached over 3,285 individuals and families since April with nearly $500,000 in direct cash support going to nearly 1,000 older and aged youth in foster care.
The fund has supported 3,285 people since April and provided nearly $500,000 in direct cash assistance to about 1,000 young people aging out of foster care.
Grants typically range from $400 to $800 and help cover rent, utility bills, food, medical expenses and other needs.
Harkless said his donation isn’t the first and won’t be his last contribution to help his hometown.
“Queens forever,” he said.
