Hines Ward's Helping Hands Foundation
Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation: Born in Seoul, South Korea to a Korean mother and an African American soldier, Hines has become an international role model to children everywhere. Having persevered through many trials as a child in a single parent home, Hines has dedicated his time off the field to the betterment of inner city and underprivileged youth in the Pittsburgh and Atlanta areas. His Helping Hands U.S. Foundation focuses on improving literacy among children and will provide programs and services to better equip them for achieving and handling success in life. Abroad, his Helping Hands Korea Foundation (formed as a tribute to his mother) has targeted biracial discrimination, especially as it occurs among the children of Korea. With two visits to Seoul this past summer, Hines has already made a significant impact on the entire country of Korea by speaking out against the country’s discriminatory practices and by pledging his time and allegiance to the biracial children there. Indeed, with his dedication of both “heart and soul” to his Helping Hands cause both here and abroad, Hines Ward is considered by many to be the world’s “Ambassador of Hope” to children from all walks of life.
Hines Ward Helping Hands Korea Foundation: Since his first visit back to his birthplace, Seoul, South Korea, Hines has pledged $1 million of his own money to his Korea foundation and plans to raise much more through corporate sponsorship. He has been to Korea twice since winning the Super Bowl MVP award and plans to make annual trips to Korea to further his cause of ending biracial discrimination. Hines’ management team is currently planning an agenda and host of activities in Seoul to raise the awareness and level of consciousness among the people of Korea. Some of the planned activities include a celebrity fashion show featuring biracial models, a football camp to raise money for PSB education, and a speaking tour throughout Korea. Please stay tuned as there is much more to come...
Mr. Ward has a passion for helping children. Every home game in which he scores a touchdown, upon scoring in the endzone, he is known to search the stands for a child with his #86 jersey on, and he gives the touchdown ball to that child as a sign of support and gratitude. Because of his love for children, Mr. Ward has started his own foundation for kids, the “Helping Hands” foundation. He plans on continuing the battle to help make life easier for the mixed race kids in South Korea as well, who face teasing from other kids their age. "I will make the struggle to end bi-racial discrimination my chief cause, for which I will devote my time and resources, both in the United States and Korea," said Ward, during a press conference before he returned home. Mr. Ward plans to return to South Korea some time in May to set up a foundation in partnership with the Pearl Buck Foundation to help mixed race children there. Mr. Ward is known in Korea as the Ambassador for biracial children and hopes to make this his legacy both at home and abroad.
Mr. Ward recently completed the trip of a lifetime in April 2006, spending 11 days in South Korea for the first time since his birth there 30 years ago. Ward made the trip with his mother, Kim Young-hee as a gift to his mom and to learn more about his Korean heritage as well as spread good will and gratitude to the people of Korea. He met with the biracial children of the Pearl Buck Foundation to give them his support while he was in South Korea. Mr. Ward, too, went through a tough time as a child, denying his Korean heritage to avoid being teased by other kids.