BREAKING: Duke Blue Devils Basketball Coach Jon Scheyer Launches “A Hope Rising Foundation” to Transform the Lives of Children with Disabilities — Providing Free Healthcare, Basic Needs, and Endless Love to the kid’s of Durham County What an Angel In Human Form

From the moment Jon Scheyer took the helm of Duke basketball, he expressed a desire not only to win on the court but to serve off it. His leadership philosophy carried echoes of Mike Krzyzewski’s longstanding approach—building community not just contention. Thus, when rumors began circulating of Scheyer stepping beyond basketball to create a charitable organization, the passion behind it felt genuine. But what exactly is this “A Hope Rising Foundation”? And who are the children whose lives it seeks to uplift?

Jon Scheyer’s life has been defined by mentorship and service. As a Duke student-athlete, he earned MVP honors in the National Championship run of 2010, and as a coach, he’s led the Blue Devils with intelligence and grace. Off the court, he and his family have engaged deeply in the Durham community—most notably via the popular “Kid Captain” program that brings seriously ill children to center court during games, offering moments of pure joy amid adversity .

The success of that program laid a blueprint. It showed that Scheyer’s influence could extend far beyond basketball, reaching into spaces where emotional lift matters most. As Scheyer once reflected, “The players may be inspiring to these kids … but they’re just as inspiring to us, seeing the strength and joy they have” . That genuine reciprocity set the stage for a larger vision—one that eventually evolved into “A Hope Rising Foundation.”

Foundations aiming to serve children with disabilities often focus on singular issues—medical needs, emotional support, educational access. What makes “A Hope Rising” unique, according to insiders, is its holistic framework. The mission: to provide free healthcare, food, clothing, developmental services, and emotional support to Durham County’s most vulnerable children—essentially stepping into spaces where systems often fall short, and where community-powered generosity can make a critical difference.

Early conceptual drafts reportedly drew inspiration from organizations like Duke Children’s Hospital in collaboration with local nonprofits—but Scheyer wanted something distinctive: a foundation that thrived on sustainable community-scale support, volunteerism driven by student-athletes, partnerships with local clinics, and corporate sponsorships. The brand identity—”Hope Rising”—is meant to signify both personal empowerment and collective uplift.

Though formal structures remain under review, insiders outline a three-tiered model:

Tier 1: Medical Access

• Contracts with pediatric therapists and specialists to offer free outpatient clinics.
• Implementation of mobile wellness units for physiotherapy or assistive equipment fitting.

Tier 2: Basic Needs Support

• Monthly distributions of essentials: food boxes, clothing, hygiene kits.
• Back-to-school drives providing adaptive gear and educational materials.

Tier 3: Emotional & Social Care

• Volunteer visits (including coaches and players) providing mentoring, peer play, and emotional encouragement.
• Group activities—sports days, art workshops, musical outings, inclusive recreation—for families to connect.

Scheyer’s background as a coach and mentor gives him a unique ability to mobilize a diverse volunteer base—student-athletes, staff, alumni, community leaders—in roles that foster both connection and tangible support.

The foundation’s official launch event—a media-perched kickoff at Cameron Indoor Stadium—featured Scheyer delivering remarks not from courtside, but from an elevated ribbon-cutting stage. Flanked by smiling children in wheelchairs, parents, local officials, and Duke athletes, the ceremony opened with special footage: Duke players training with adaptive sports instructors, families sharing stories of day-to-day struggle and celebration, and portraits of the Durham skyline at dawn.

Scheyer’s speech emphasized that basketball taught him discipline, teamwork, and leadership—but in the face of real human need, he recognized a higher calling: “If Cameron® can roar for a three-pointer, it can roar for hope. And if we’re part of that, we should be proud.”

Local officials from Durham County praised the initiative as a “game‑changer,” while healthcare advocates noted that supplements like mobile therapy units could fill critical unmet gaps in support for children with motor and sensory disabilities. Families expressed overwhelming gratitude; some tearful parents whispered, “Finally, somebody sees us.”

Promising transparency, “Hope Rising” has committed to quarterly public reports tracking service metrics: number of children seen, therapies conducted, emergency aid deployed, and emotional outcomes reported via family surveys. A rotating board of advisors—including Duke faculty in public health and social work, medical professionals, and non-profit governance specialists—will oversee the foundation’s operations and ethics.

Annual fundraising targets reportedly range from $500,000 to $1 million in year one, supported by a mix of individual donors, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events (both gala and athletic-oriented). Scheyer has indicated humility in early conversations, emphasizing that success will be measured in improved health milestones, school attendance, and emotional resilience, not vanity metrics.

A deeply compelling aspect is how the foundation’s operations intersect with Duke basketball. Scheyer envisions student-athletes volunteering directly in therapy sessions, food distributions, or mentoring visits. Pre-game routines may begin with player-led group sessions with children, or feature “player‑buddy” matchups on a half-court during warm-ups. The aim: to normalize inclusion at Cameron Indoor Stadium and inspire the university community to rally for compassion and action.

The “Kid Captain” program has been fully integrated into the foundation’s structure, not as a standalone initiative, but as one aspect of a broader commitment to emotional and social health for children facing adversity.

Prominent partners include Duke Children’s Hospital, Duke School of Medicine, local school districts, and multiple nonprofits specializing in pediatric occupational and physical therapy. Local businesses have also stepped in to support medical clinics and supplies. In the months ahead, mobile therapy units—modeled after successful programs in urban centers—may begin pilot routes in underserved communities such as East Durham and Southside.

While still early days, a few families have been involved in pilot programming:

• The Martinez Family: Their son, Lucas, age 7, has cerebral palsy. He’s received his first physical therapy session through the foundation’s pop-up clinic, easing him into the world of peer play. His mother spoke of “emotional relief—and for the first time emotional support for me.”
• The Patel Family: Their daughter, Priya, age 9, has autism and faces food insecurity. The foundation delivered an adaptive tablet and sent a Duke player volunteer to help her comfort-read before dinner. “The gesture was half laughter and half therapy,” said her father.

Duke players have responded enthusiastically. One freshman guard shared privately, “We spend all year working on defense and offense. With ‘Hope Rising,’ it feels like we’re using our platform as athletes to guard against fear and offense in life.” Players have committed to organizing food drives and participating in monthly therapy rotations.

Durham community leaders describe the foundation as “a missing piece,” giving local families hope and high-impact support they can really use. Healthcare workers say it addresses emotional distress and practical resource gaps.

Scheyer’s long-range vision? To make “Hope Rising” a flagship nationwide model of campus-community synergy—where Division I athletes help deliver critical services to children in need. If successful, other universities may adopt similar frameworks. Scheyer himself has mused about forming a national network linking athletic departments, pediatric centers, and nonprofits committed to disability outreach—turning athletic energy into sustained kindness and social capital.

Early pilot funding suggests replicable potential, and teams in markets like Philadelphia and St. Louis are already tracking the progress, with questions about how similar models could integrate athlete-staff volunteers into community healthcare ecosystems.

Such an endeavor brings inevitable challenges:

• Boundary Settings: Ensuring volunteer-athlete interaction remains supportive rather than exploitative or performative. The foundation’s advisory board is establishing guidelines for volunteer screening, training, and mission-driven involvement.
• Long-Term Funding: There’s risk of dependency on athletic-profile momentum. Planning includes mixed revenue streams—donations, grants, corporate sponsorships—to buffer against fluctuations in public attention.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Durham is diverse. To be truly effective, “Hope Rising” will need multilingual and culturally tailored engagement with families across racial, economic, and social backgrounds. Initial outreach panels, including representatives from Latinx, Black, and Southeast Asian communities, have begun to shape inclusive programming.

In the short term, successful impact might include:

• 300+ children receiving free medical or supportive services
• 500+ care packages distributed
• At least quarterly community events featuring children, families, players, and coaches
• Strong engagement from local partners and measurable outcomes in family-reported well-being

Over 3–5 years, benchmarks might involve: replication in other universities, establishment of full-time parental support coordinators, integration with Durham County health networks, and enduring volunteer pipelines involving student-athletes.

More than stats, the core of this foundation is human stories. Photos from kickoff nights show children hugging players, mothers wiping tears while hearing their children’s names announced in Cameron Indoor, siblings cheering alongside athletes. For Scheyer, these moments represent more than optics—they’re fulfillment of a moral promise: that success can be used for healing.

“If a speedster like us can’t stop to help a child stand, then… what are we really rushing toward?” he has reportedly asked teammates. That question helped shape the foundation’s mission: to slow down, to care deeply, to create spaces of dignity and joy.

Jon Scheyer built his career first on hardwood, then in the coaching realm. With “A Hope Rising Foundation,” he is shaping something far more lasting: a legacy of compassion that uplifts entire families. In doing so, he adds a new layer to the reasons Duke matters—not just for championships, but for community care.

Will Duke win another national title? Only time will tell. But one thing seems clear: thanks to Scheyer’s vision and heart, Duke has already helped win something far more precious—a foundation of hope in the lives of children who need it most.