‘It’s our duty to give back’: Giannis Antetokounmpo and family’s charity inspired by his late father

On March 11, despite a difficult overtime loss, there was a joyous environment surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks outside their visitors' locker room at Chase Center.  The two young sons of the two-time NBA MVP entertained everyone by running around with excitement.  When Antetokounmpo realized his beloved lads needed preventative care, he pulled a heavy-duty rolling cart out of the way.

 Antetokounmpo learned his father Charles's natural fatherly behavior.  Through a nonprofit founded in their father's honor, the Antetokounmpo family is currently assisting those in need in Greece, Nigeria, and the US.  Charles Antetokounmpo, 54, passed away in Milwaukee on September 29, 2017, following a heart attack.

"Obviously, he's your dad and he's your protector, so when he passed away, I created that charity," Antetokounmpo told Andscape in March.  He has been there from the start.  It's challenging.  Therefore, that was not one of my best times in life.  I therefore started the charity, visited my family, and discussed it with them.

 In order to use our platform for more, we wanted to give back in some way.  And we succeeded.On June 24, 2022, the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation was established as a nonprofit charity.  The charity works in "places central to the Antetokounmpo family journey"—Nigeria, Greece, and the United States, where three of Charles Antetokounmpo's five sons are Bucks players.  

In an effort to create "a global movement for sustainable social change," the foundation funds regional organizations and activists in those three nations.  The foundation provides assistance to widows, victims of natural disasters, immigrants, refugees, and anyone in need of food, shelter, education, and mental health support.

In February, the organization held its inaugural fundraising event in New York City, raising $1.5 million.  Additionally, Antidote Health, which provides free mental telehealth services to Milwaukee residents, received a $1 million donation from the organization.

 Bucks reserve forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo told Andscape, "We did it as a tribute to our father, but not just as a tribute to him."  "I realize that declaring that we wanted to transform the world seems naive.  However, we genuinely aimed to motivate them in every manner possible.  We do it both on and off the court, of course.  However, this is significant.

We're discussing the locations that have aided in our development in Nigeria, Greece, Milwaukee, and the United States.  It's on a worldwide scale since they are of African heritage, were born and raised in Europe, and are traveling to the United States in search of a better life.