“God’s plan for Neal Dobbins was to leave a legacy of love, of peace, of caring, and of joy, and of action. And with MVP, Neal Dobbins left us something very special.”- Timothy Kennedy, New York State Senator.
In 2018, MVP of Buffalo was founded by Neal Dobbins alongside his wife. However, his empathy and passion for creating positive change was established far before that. For over 25 years, Neal worked alongside young men within the Buffalo community, and in 2015 he established Skills and Drills. This program allowed young men to play basketball together and learn life skills such as dealing with peer pressure, and conflict resolution.
MVP At Villa Maria College
In honor of Neal, the boys (now men!) from the skills and drill team were reunited for a basketball game at
Villa Maria College. New York senator Timothy Kennedy attended and spoke alongside the Buffalo Board of Education President, Sharon Belton-Cottman, and Buffalo’s mayor, Byron Brown. With this celebration of life came exciting news. At this honorary game, MVP announced that they, alongside Neal’s son, are launching the Neal Dobbins Inner City Basketball League.
Neal Dobbins Inner City Basketball League
MVP is continuing to uphold Neal’s legacy with this endeavor.
“I’m comparing Neal to the likes of Martin Luther King, Malcom X, and John Lewis. Neal Loved every one of us. He was about the people.”- Sharon Belton-Cottman
An incredible amount of detail and thought
has gone into every aspect of this league. Like its predecessor, young men and women will have a safe spot to play basketball, socialize, and grow. In addition to this, they will have weekly workshops, restorative circles, and get positive mentorship.
Neal often said some of his happiest moments in life were when he was working with those young men in Skills and Drills. MVP is honored to continue his legacy and create positive changes in our community. To stay updated with the latest information regarding the Neal Dobbins Inner City Basketball League or any of the events MVP is a part of, visit our website.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.