Give An Assist

What if high school basketball could help the lives of homeless school children in Los Angeles?

Guess what? It can.

A few years ago, I visited an organization in Los Angeles called School On Wheels. It is a non profit organization for homeless kids to go to after school to do homework, play games, and feel safe. After I visited, I felt a need to do something for them. So that basketball season (2011), I started a charity called Give An Assist. I was only ten years old. Yet, I asked donors to pledge money for every assist or point I scored in my games for the season. The donors included family, friends, and others who heard about it. The goal was to raise enough money to send some of the kids in this program to Universal Studios for a fun trip. Fortunately,  we raised over $2000, enough money to send them to Universal Studios with front-of-the-line passes, and lunch money. There was also enough money left over to give every kid a brand new backpack filled with school supplies. It was gratifying to know we all worked together to brighten someone’s day.

Now I am in high school and still playing basketball. There are six games left in the season and during the Dr.King Holiday, I was reminded that even as a teenager, sometimes, I must look within for leadership.

So here it is. I’m asking you to help me resurrect Give An Assist this year to benefit School on Wheels. School on Wheels (scroll down to view their website) services hundreds of homeless children in Los Angeles. For every point, assist or steal I make in my games, I’m asking you to donate 50 cents or one dollar or ten dollars. Whatever is comfortable to you. Or you can donate a flat sum for the season.

School on Wheels will use the funds to take homeless children to Disneyland for a day of fun. In addition, if enough money is raised, they will buy computers to help kids with their studies.

For the rest of this basketball season, I will have a cause bigger than myself. And I will update this site with my assists, points and steals after each game.

Thanks for your support. We can all make the world a better place if every day, we give an assist.

Let’s ball out!

Cassius Mandela Bythewood

scroll down to view video

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVQggDnAy3w&t=9s&app=desktop


STATS THUS FAR (Personal, team stats on the way)
   (1/24): 13 points, 4 assists
   (1/26): 1 assist (sprained my ankle near the beginning of the game so did not finish. Looking to be back for next week's games)
FOR THIS NEXT GAME, I will unfortunately be sitting out due to my injury. However, my teammates and coaches will continue to push the cause:
Adam, Harry, Max, Chase, Noah, Dylan, William, Jack, Charlie, Evan, Coach Lorne, Coach Dagam.
We have raised enough money to send over twenty less fortunate children to Disneyland. Let's get to a hundred. No longer is this just a team. It's a movement.
5 dollars, 10 dollars - - whatever you can afford. GIVE AN ASSIST.