LeBron James Family Foundation opens Buckets
LeBron James Family Foundation opened Buckets at House Three Thirty in Akron, Ohio, where 16-year-old twins Raymel and Raelyn work through the I Promise community network and gain early restaurant experience.
Buckets connects James’ basketball legacy with local workforce training, while the restaurant gives I Promise families paid roles inside Akron’s larger House Three Thirty center and community program for long-term growth.
Buckets connects I Promise families
Buckets employs members of I Promise families, giving students and relatives workplace experience tied to Akron’s education, mentoring, and support programs, both inside the restaurant and in the training space at House Three Thirty.
The LeBron James Family Foundation says I Promise serves more than 1,400 Akron-area students with programs, mentors, and support designed for school, family stability, and life beyond Akron classrooms.
Raymel moves from school to service
Raymel began at I Promise School in 2018 as part of its first third-grade class, then later joined Buckets as a front-of-house server in Akron’s community program and restaurant team.
Raymel’s role includes guest service, table work, and workplace habits inside House Three Thirty, the foundation’s West Market Street community center in Akron, Ohio, and its training site for families.
Raelyn builds kitchen skills
Raelyn works in the Buckets kitchen after the director of culinary, Aaron Blank, encouraged her to apply because of her high school culinary education and interest at House Three Thirty’s restaurant and training space.
Kitchen work taught Raelyn communication, including checking food supply, watching fries, and helping control waste during busy service periods at Buckets in Akron, during each restaurant shift, with teammates.
Janette works near her twins
Raymel and Raelyn work alongside family because their mother, Janette, serves as operations manager at House Three Thirty, where Buckets operates inside the Akron community center and workplace.
James felt proud to see the twins start full-time jobs there, while their mother trusted the foundation’s workplace and training approach for both children at Buckets in Akron and at House Three Thirty.
Buckets staff feels like family
Raelyn said the foundation’s “We Are Family” message felt real once she joined Buckets and saw coworkers check on one another during restaurant shifts and workplace conversations.
Both twins described the staff as family, with Raymel saying he felt comfortable working beside his actual sibling during Buckets shifts in Akron.
House Three Thirty expands training
House Three Thirty provides I Promise families with support beyond restaurant shifts, including job training and financial-health programming through in-person and workplace programs at the Akron center.
The twins’ workplace sits within that larger center, which also supports community gatherings, mentorship, and career preparation for Akron families connected to the I Promise network.
Raymel learns multitasking
Raymel said front-of-house work requires multitasking because employees do not handle just one narrow task when guests arrive and orders move quickly.
He said everyone helps where needed, while Vaughn Myers taught him attention to detail, including fixing small setup problems before guests notice during dining room shifts at Buckets.
Raelyn learns money lessons
Raelyn said Vaughn Myers also taught her financial literacy, including the lesson that buyers should afford an item twice before purchasing it once during workplace conversations at Buckets in Akron.
Her comment showed how Buckets blends paid restaurant work with practical money lessons for teenagers learning early-career habits in a community-focused Akron workplace after school and beyond daily life.
Buckets menu carries James details
Buckets serves comfort food tied to James’ story, including smashburgers, dips, hot honey wings, and The Kid From Akron’s Cookie, as part of House Three Thirty’s menu and restaurant offerings for guests.
Raelyn said her favorite item matches James’ choice: a chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle, from his chef’s recipe on the Akron restaurant menu for Buckets.
James influences the twins
James influenced Raymel beyond sports, including basketball interest, leadership, and advocacy, based on the twins’ work experience at Buckets in Akron, Ohio, during their full-time roles as teenagers.
Raelyn praised James for sharing resources with Akron families, citing I Promise Village as one example of foundation support for households facing housing challenges through local programs in Akron.
Raymel and Raelyn plan ahead
Raymel hopes to become a vendor and independent business owner, giving his restaurant experience a clear link to future entrepreneurship after working at Buckets in Akron and building career goals.
Raelyn said she is interested in psychology or becoming a dental hygienist because she wants a career built around helping people through service or patient care after Buckets’ training.
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James links Buckets to growth
James said Buckets and House Three Thirty focus on family, learning, growth, and support for students, parents, and Akron families through restaurant work opportunities each week and training programs.
He hopes the twins’ experience gives them skills and a support system for anything they want to pursue in life after their first restaurant jobs there in Akron.
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LeBron James’ Buckets restaurant gives Raymel and Raelyn more than a first paycheck, but which lesson matters most for teens: job skills, family support, or financial habits? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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