Twelfth Annual Nick’s Kids Foundation Luncheon Held on Thursday
8/2/2018 4:58:00 PM | Football
Foundation has given $8 million to charities throughout the state and region over the last 11-plus years
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The 12th annual Nick's Kids Foundation Luncheon was held Thursday in The North Zone at Bryant-Denny Stadium where checks totaling just over $500,000 were presented to 150 local and state non-profit organizations. Since Nick and Terry Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2007, approximately $8 million has been given to more than 300 deserving charities and organizations throughout the state and surrounding areas.
The official charity of Nick Saban and his family, Nick and Terry invest their time and energy hosting luncheons, golf tournaments, scrimmages and other events to benefit the cause. Culminating in the Annual Fall Giveaway, the proceeds are given in support of children, family, teacher and student causes.
"Today has a lot of the things I enjoy most," Saban said. "First of all, we have camp starting. The players are reporting today and we look forward to that challenge. It's always accompanied by the Nick's Kids luncheon. Miss Terry and all the people in the organization who support Nick's Kids work so hard to help these young kids have a better opportunity to be successful in life and have a better quality of life. As you all know, this is all about my dad and the legacy of what he tried to do. Hopefully he'll be proud of what we're doing here today."
Some of the Nick's Kids Foundation projects include 17 for 17 Home Building Project with Habitat for Humanity, the Nick's Kids Playgrounds along the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk and the Alberta School of Performing Arts, as well as the Teacher's Excellence Awards Luncheon.
Nick's Kids was also a major contributor to the new YMCA of Tuscaloosa and the Welding & Multipurpose Classroom Facility at the Tuscaloosa Juvenile Detention Center and was instrumental in the renovation of the STTEP Building at Brewer Porch Children's Center.
"This has grown into something beyond even what we thought," Saban said. "To be able to accomplish the projects we've been able to accomplish in the community, whether it's the Brewer Porch Children's Center or building the juvenile detention center classroom now, or the 17 for 17 houses that we partnered with Habitat for Humanity to be able to give away – that's grown into $500,000 a year. I never really imagined it would happen this way, but I really do think that Miss Terry has been the driving force behind this in terms of picking out great projects and things people like to support."
Joining the Sabans at the annual luncheon were student-athletes Keaton Anderson, Joshua Casher, Lester Cotton Sr., Raekwon Davis, Hale Hentges, Jalen Hurts, Christian Miller, Jamey Mosley, Ross Pierschbacher, Deionte Thompson, Jonah Williams and Mack Wilson.
In addition to their work with the Nick's Kids Foundation, the Sabans have also been generous with their personal donations to The University of Alabama's scholarship fund. In June of 2008, Nick and Terry made a $1 million pledge to the University for first-generation scholarships.
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