AKRON, Ohio — Expanding its community footprint and services for residents in Akron, the LeBron James Family Foundation announced plans for the I PROMISE HealthQuarters, a primary care center offering medical, dental and optometry with on-site lab services and a reduced-cost pharmacy.
Located at 533 West Market Street in Akron, the I PROMISE HealthQuarters will be located directed across from LJFF’s House Three Thirty and within walking distance of the I PROMISE School that serves students and families with wraparound services.
"As we continue to listen and respond to what our families need, our work continues to expand in ways we never dreamed of,” Executive Director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, said in a news release. “Access to affordable health care has always been a critical need for our families – and further heightened by the pandemic – so we began rallying our community to bring the experts together under one trusted roof. Being able to provide this important resource for the entire community is only possible because we have incredible partners that share our We Are Family philosophy.”
The HealthQuarters marks a new chapter for the building on West Market, which houses Bell Music Company, a gaming, ATM and coin-operated device business. It aims to remove barriers to physical and mental care for children and adults.
“Family has always come first in everything we do,” said David R. George, retired Chairman of the Bell Music Company. “Seeing that shared value with the LeBron James Family Foundation, we want to make sure we’re doing our part to support and grow their work that lines up with our family-first approach. The opportunity to help their Foundation achieve its vision was enough for us to re-locate. We are excited to help the LJFF while being able to keep our headquarters in Summit County for generations to come.”
Once the renovation is complete, the I PROMISE HealthQuarters will also offer a reduced-cost pharmacy provided by AxessPointe—a federally qualified health center with four current sites in Northeast Ohio— and mental health services from Coleman Health Services and the Peg’s Foundation.
Easy access to mental health services is needed more than ever as children and families experience violence. Last week, a teen was beaten to death near the basketball courts of the I PROMISE School. In April, a 21-year-old pregnant womanwas shot and killed while riding inside a car on Akron’s Rockaway Street. And over the weekend, a 23-year-old Uber Eats driver was injured when she was dragged as her car was being stolen by a woman in Akron.
“Creating an environment where mental health services are offered, barrier-free, alongside other health services, is essential for our I Promise students and families to thrive. This is the first step towards integrating care that includes mental health,” said Rick Kellar, president of Peg’s Foundation, the largest mental health funder in Ohio, based in Hudson.
In addition to offering primary care, laboratory and pharmacy services, I PROMISE HealthQuarters will offer an outdoor green space for physical and recreational activities.
Slated to open in 2023, the center brings affordable health care and mental health services under one roof for Akron residents.
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.
