Terry Rozier Foundation Coat Giveaway, YMCA of Youngstown Central Location

December 20, 2021

Youngstown, OH (The Business Journal) The Terry Rozier Foundation headed up by Rozier’s mother Gina Tucker provided about 100 underprivileged children in our area, winter coats, hats, gloves, and track suits. The giveaway was sponsored by Puma, the German-based corporation has Rozier, the NBA player with the Charlotte Hornets, under contract for brand endorsements.

Gina Tucker, Rozier’s mother says she saw her son struggle through his early years on the south side of Youngstown, and found a safe haven at the Central YMCA location. “He actually understands a lot of the kids are growing up with the violence or want to fulfill their dreams. He can push them to be better.” Rozier a 27-year-old professional basketball player moved away from the Youngstown as a child but still calls this area of eastern Ohio home. The YMCA gave him a place to come to grow, and learn, and play basketball.

Pizza Joe’s, the YMCA, City Kids Care Inc., along with Puma and the Terry Rozier Foundation helped make Sunday’s given away event possible. Besides the winter apparel giveaways, there was fun events and games (basketball) for the children in attendance, pizza and drinks, and handouts with information for the many upcoming events at both Youngstown YMCA locations.

Tom Gacse, YMCA of Youngstown president and CEO was in attendance and discussed just how much this means to children in need in our community, “He(Rozier) was one of these kids that were looking for winter coats, looking for some help and a place to go, he considers Youngstown his home and wants to give back to our community.”

D’Aundray Brown our sports and recreation director, co-organizer of this event, knows how much this means to Terry and the kids being a past-professional athlete himself before coming home to work for the YMCA. “Everyone who is a pro athlete, even though they’re gifted and talented, they had someone who helped them along the way. I know when I was younger and coming through the YMCA, different pro athletes from the area came back and that was important to me, to believe and helped me succeed. Our kids here need to see this to help push them to achieve their dreams.”

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