Former Bulls star Derrick Rose hasn’t forgotten his roots.
Bronzeville native Demetrius Nash, who is walking from Chicago to Washington D.C. to protest Chicago gun violence, shared on Instagram that Rose donated $7,000 to his GoFundMe campaign on Monday.
Nash is making the nearly 700-mile trek to Washington D.C. in hopes to raise awareness for the need of resources for after school programs to help get children off the streets.
A comment and four-figure donation under the name of “Derrick Rose” on Nash’s GoFundMe page wished the walker safe travels.
“We’re proud of all the great work you’re doing to save the youth of Chicago and providing a framework for at-risk youth for sustainability by providing training for a trade and mentoring via positive and successful mentors,” Rose wrote in a comment on the Nash’s GoFundMe page. “God bless you with safe travels on your journey.”
Rose, who grew up in Englewood, has been a social advocate in Chicago. He spoke about how the city’s gun violence had affected his upbringing and family on CNN.
Rose being charitable and giving to his hometown is nothing new. In the past, he’s paid for and attended gun violence victims’ funerals. Rose also donated $1 million in 2014 to After School Matters, a program that offers extracurricular activity to children in Chicago. and attended funerals for gun violence victims.
Rose’s donation put Nash within $4,000 of his original goal of $25,000, according to DNA info’s Kelly Bauer. Since Rose donated, Nash increased his overall goal on his GoFundMe to $50,000.
Nash, who has been documenting his journey on Instagram, started walking on Friday and is currently in Indiana.
Attempts to reach Nash have been unsuccessful.