“Books Before Boxing”: Help Detroit’s own KHALI SWEENEY, founder of Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program, become CNN HERO of The Year! (Voting ends Tues, Dec. 12th, 2017)

Detroit’s own KHALI SWEENEY, founder of Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program!

*Special thank you to Carolyn Geck, Development Director, for enlightening me on this!*

CNN Heroes is an annual public tribute, which honors “everyday heroes and their extraordinary deeds,” says CNN.

Vote here for Coach Khali to be CNN Hero of the Year! (use your Facebook or email address to vote) HURRY! Voting closes at Midnight on Tues, Dec. 12th. 

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/

Detroit’s own KHALI SWEENEY, founder of Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program!

Khali Sweeney is a bold, inspiring and dedicated individual.

“Education is key. Books before boxing has always been our motto,” says Sweeney.

Born in 1969, Carlo “Coach Khali” Sweeney grew up in a do-or-die neighborhood on Detroit’s Lower Eastside. He was passed along from grade to grade in the public school system, without ever learning to read or write. He dropped out of school in 11th grade and later taught himself to read as an adult. Soon afterwards, he fell in love with books and helping people, especially children struggling in his city.

Vote here for Coach Khali to be CNN Hero of the Year! (use your Facebook or email address to vote) HURRY! Voting closes at Midnight on Tues, Dec. 12th. 

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/

Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program!

In 2007, Sweeney opened the non-profit Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program.

The boxing gym is a free after-school academic tutoring and self-development program, which is dedicated full-time (yes, even in the Summer!) to helping students ages 7-18 by providing them with teachers and volunteers, math & literacy programs, boxing lessons and learning that ‘Family’ can be an all-encompassing word.

Every Monday through Friday, over 100 kids are picked up in the boxing gym vans and transported to and from the gym.

“267 students have completed the program, graduated high school and 98% have gone on to college,” says Sweeney.

Vote here for Coach Khali to be CNN Hero of the Year! (use your Facebook or email address to vote) HURRY! Voting closes at Midnight on Tues, Dec. 12th. 

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/

Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program (6445 E. Vernor Hwy, Detroit)

After several years on his own, Sweeney linked up with current boxing gym Executive Director Jessica Hauser and they were able to raise enough money to move into their current 27,500-square foot gym.

Located at 6445 East Vernor Hwy, Detroit, the gym is inside the old Page Litho book bindery.

Famous Eminem collaborator and music producer Jeff Bass and his wife Julie and film producer Couni Young helped create a music studio inside the school.

Vote here for Coach Khali to be CNN Hero of the Year! (use your Facebook or email address to vote) HURRY! Voting closes at Midnight on Tues, Dec. 12th. 

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/

Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program!

Each student attends free. However, the cost to the non-profit is $1,800 per student per year.

In order to increase their attendance, bring in as many of the 800 students on their wait-list that they can, and make the entire operation financially sustainable long-term, DBFYP needs adequate funding.

If Coach Khali is chosen as CNN Hero of the Year, the Downtown Boxing Gym will receive a $100,000 grant, which will help tremendously.

This man and his amazing gym deserve to win. Please help them out by voting now, as many times as you can! 

Detroit’s own KHALI SWEENEY, founder of Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program!

Vote here for Coach Khali to be CNN Hero of the Year! (use your Facebook or email address to vote) HURRY! Voting closes at Midnight on Tues, Dec. 12th. 

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/

Watch live on television:

11th annual CNN Heroes (Live Tribute)

Sunday, December 17th, 2017

8pm EST

Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program!

Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program homepage 

http://downtownyouthboxing.org/

Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/downtownboxing/

Vote for Coach Khali to be a CNN Hero here!

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/

Airbnb Boxing lesson with Coach Khali

https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/960

Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program!

Click image to watch video: