Joe Henry

Joe is a passionate man who has dedicated his life to community service. In 1994, he started training neighborhood children in the game of basketball as a way to provide a safe haven and give the youth something to do with their free time. His goal was to teach young children the fundamentals of sports while learning life skills. During this time, he also began to serve the homeless population of my community, providing warm meals, clothing, and toiletries. His vision was to help the unhoused community maintain their dignity with clean clothes, a hot meal, and toiletry items to keep themselves clean.

In the past 28 years, Joe has established his basketball training into a nonprofit organization, Skkyballers Academy, serving hundreds of Oakland youth over the years. Through community fundraising and donations, he has been able to continue to provide basketball training and camps, nourishing meals, and clothing to his community.