Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has contributed $8.6 million to a ground-breaking charity project that will turn run-down homes into secure shelters for homeless children in underprivileged areas of the United States, in a potent demonstration of kindness and purpose outside of the tennis court. One of the biggest individual humanitarian contributions by a female athlete in recent memory, the endeavor was first revealed through a sincere social media post and then verified by her charity.
The effort, which is being led by the Play With Heart Foundation, an organization that Osaka founded in 2022, started last October in Los Angeles when Osaka met a young homeless child at a community tennis event. Osaka disclosed that the discussion rocked her to her core and motivated her to look for straightforward, structural solutions rather than just athletics.
At a news conference, Osaka revealed, “She told me all she wanted was a safe place to sleep and a chance to go to school without worrying where her next meal would come from.” “I realized then that I needed to contribute to the creation of something lasting, not just sign checks or give away clothing.”
So she did.
In high-need locations including Los Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta, and Newark, Osaka’s foundation started buying and renovating dilapidated or abandoned homes in collaboration with local governments, real estate developers, and social work organizations. The houses are being completely transformed into youth-first shelters, which are secure, trauma-informed facilities that offer meals, mentorship, counseling, and access to education in addition to accommodation.
Up to 15 people between the ages of 12 and 18 will be housed in each shelter, providing them with secure, encouraging surroundings for a maximum of one year as they strive for independent life or family reunion.
The program’s comprehensive approach has been commended by social professionals.
“Naomi is creating opportunities, not just shelters,” stated Detroit youth advocate Karen Ellis. “What makes her unique is her dedication to hearing what these children need and not only offering short-term assistance but also equipping them with the means to end poverty cycles.”
The $8.6 million covers the first three years of operating costs, such as staffing, feeding programs, and education partnerships, in addition to the initial purchase and rehabilitation of 20 homes. Additionally, Osaka has promised to review the program every year and look at expanding it to other areas, such as Haiti and Japan, two nations that are significant to her ancestry.
The tennis community has responded with praise. Online support was expressed by players like Rafael Nadal and Coco Gauff, who commended Osaka for using her position to do important, life-altering work.
Osaka’s recent charitable endeavors further solidify her standing as a socially conscious athlete, as she has been vocal in her support of racial justice, gender equality, and mental health awareness.
Osaka is demonstrating that true greatness isn’t solely determined by accolades or titles, but also by the influence she leaves behind—lives altered, homes restored, and futures rewritten—as she gets ready to rejoin the professional circuit.
Furthermore, Naomi Osaka is now providing something far more potent than a place to sleep—hope—to innumerable young people who previously had nowhere to turn.