Carver’s Shannon Singleton-Bates with Hudson Sonesson, a student at St. Luke’s School with the donated basketballs.
For young people, a basketball is more than just a piece of sports equipment. It can be an invitation to play, a reason to gather with friends, a source of confidence, and sometimes the beginning of a lifelong passion. Thanks to a partnership between a generous student, a longtime community advocate, and a valued Carver supporter, dozens of local youth recently received that opportunity.
When Hudson Sonesson, a rising 10th-grade student at St. Luke’s School, wanted to find a meaningful way to give back, he connected with Carver Recreation Coordinator Shannon Singleton-Bates through Mike Evans, founder and CEO of Full Court Peace. Hudson’s idea was simple but powerful: provide new basketballs to children who could benefit from them.
Through his efforts, Hudson secured 20 brand-new basketballs for Carver youth. Shannon distributed many of the basketballs to children participating in Carver programs, while also sharing some with young people she encountered during her travels to Bridgeport and other communities. The result was a gift that extended far beyond a single location, spreading opportunities for play, recreation, and connection across multiple neighborhoods.
The donation is another example of the longstanding relationship between Carver and Full Court Peace, a Connecticut-based nonprofit founded by Mike Evans. For more than a decade, Full Court Peace has used basketball as a tool to bring together young people from different racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The organization supports local communities through court restoration projects, equipment donations, coaching resources, and youth programming designed to strengthen relationships both on and off the court.
Its impact has been remarkable. To date, Full Court Peace has helped restore 251 basketball courts in communities across the United States and around the world, creating safe and welcoming spaces where young people can play, learn, and build friendships.
Carver has been fortunate to benefit from Full Court Peace’s generosity for many years. During the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike Evans and members of the Full Court Peace team brought basketballs, chalk, bubbles, pencils, and encouragement to Carver youth at the Carver Community Center. That spirit of giving continues today through partnerships like this one.
We are grateful to Hudson Sonesson for choosing to invest in local youth, to Shannon Singleton-Bates for ensuring the gifts reached children who would benefit most, and to Mike Evans and Full Court Peace for their continued commitment to creating opportunities through basketball.
Sometimes community impact begins with a single ball in a young person’s hands. This summer, that simple gift is helping young people across our region get outside, stay active, and experience the joy of the game.