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Hines Ward has set up his Helping Hands Foundation to help biracial children in Korea and pledged US$1 million to get the organization going. The Korean American football star announced the founding at a press conference in Seoul on Monday. Businesses have pledged another $200,000.
Ward said he hopes to assemble a group of prominent Koreans, from executives in major companies to anti-discrimination activists, to form the foundation¡¯s board. The practicalities will be handled by Ward's lawyer Andrew Lee and his manager Darren Martin. A source close to the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver said the foundation will start its work in July.
It will provide computers, books and other needed items to children of mixed race as well as working with other organizations such as the Pearl S. Buck International Foundation. It will also offer a Younghee Ward scholarship named for the athlete¡¯s mother Kim Young-hee, helping students who have shown their devotion to service in the community. Andrew Lee said the foundation will later broaden its scope to assist children with disabilities and orphans as well as those who like Ward come from a mixed-race background.
Hines Ward and family met Prime Minister Han Myung-sook on Monday afternoon and will leave Korea on Tuesday.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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