Jaden Akins Pledges $2 Million to Launch “Spartan Safe Haven” for Homeless Youth
East Lansing, MI — June 30, 2025 — In a surprise announcement today, Michigan State University basketball captain Jaden Akins, fresh off earning Big Ten All-Defensive Team and Academic All-America honors, pledged $2 million toward the creation of a new housing and support facility for homeless youth in the Lansing area.
Akins—known both for his 12.8 points per game on the court and 3.58 GPA in communications (as of spring 2025)—has long been a student-athlete with a compassionate heart. “Spartan Safe Haven,” slated for opening in early 2027, will offer temporary housing, mentorship programs, tutoring support, and college-prep resources to at-risk teens aged 16–20.
The idea, says Akins in a heartfelt statement, began during his own high‑school days in Farmington Hills and at Sunrise Christian Academy. He recalls visiting shelters with his parents and his brother Myles, and realizing the desperate need for stable support structures. “I’ve been blessed to receive an education and play basketball at the highest level. Now it’s time to give back to kids who don’t have that foundation,” he said.
With this pledge, Akins becomes one of the first active NCAA athletes in Division I basketball to fund a facility of this magnitude. He’s working closely with campus leaders, including the provost’s office—he was a recipient of the Harold & Raynor Shnider Provost Award for scholar-athletes—and Lansing’s nonprofit group, Youth Horizons.
The facility will have 30 beds, a computer-equipped learning center, and full-time counselors. It is projected to serve approximately 100 youth annually over its first five years. Akins plans to host MSU teammates and alumni in regular volunteer rotations, offering mentorship on academics, athletics, and life skills.
“The Spartan community is our extended family,” Akins said at today’s press conference held at MSU’s Breslin Center lawn. Coach Tom Izzo, beaming with pride, called Akins “one of the most selfless young men to ever wear Spartan green,” praising both his two-way play and his brain—Akins averaged 12.8 PPG and led the Big Ten in 3‑pointers made (58) while maintaining a 3.50 GPA in graduate studies.
Plans for “Spartan Safe Haven” will now enter a city approval phase and a fundraising campaign targeting local businesses and MSU alumni to match Akins’ lead gift. Construction is expected to begin by late 2026, with the facility welcoming its first residents in spring 2027.
As he looks forward to the NBA draft later this summer, Jaden Akins is making sure his legacy is not only on the scoreboard but in the lives of vulnerable youth who now have a home—and hope.
