Jrue and Lauren Holiday possess exceptional talents both on the court and on the pitch.
However, their uniqueness extends beyond their athletic abilities.
Since their arrival in Milwaukee, Jrue and Lauren Holiday have consistently demonstrated their dedication to humanitarian causes and social justice, leaving a profound impact on the community.
In recognition of their remarkable philanthropic efforts, ESPN recently honored the Holidays with the prestigious Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award during the Wednesday night event.
Through the establishment of their foundation, the JLH Social Impact Fund, the dynamic duo has generously granted over $3 million to support more than 150 Black and Brown small businesses and nonprofits in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, and New Orleans. Women’s National Soccer Team who retired after the 2015 World Cup, joins forces with Jrue, the esteemed all-star guard of the Milwaukee Bucks, in this noble endeavor.
Notably, Holiday allocated $5.3 million of his 2019-2020 salary while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans during the challenging COVID-19 season, thus laying the foundation for their philanthropic pursuits.
In an ESPN interview preceding the award ceremony, Lauren Holiday posed a thought-provoking question, “How can we cultivate a world where everyone feels like family?”
According to the JLH website, the foundation’s primary aim was to provide support to businesses disproportionately affected by the ongoing pandemic.
Moreover, Jrue Holiday has garnered acclaim within the NBA, being named the recipient of the teammate of the year award three times in the past four seasons. He has also been a finalist for the NBA’s esteemed social justice award.
Among the other distinguished finalists for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award this year were Jamal Hill, a paralympic swimmer and UN ambassador, and Brad Stuver of Austin FC.
Previous winners of this esteemed award include notable athletes such as Albert Pujols and Nelson Cruz from MLB, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Chris Long from the NFL, as well as Kevin Durant and Chris Paul from the NBA.