ST. LOUIS – Jayson Tatum, St. Louis-raised basketball star and NBA champion, is giving back to his hometown in a major way, launching a new homeownership initiative to help local families in need.

Tatum has partnered with personal finance company SoFi and local nonprofit Beyond Housing to invest $2 million toward homeownership services in the St. Louis area.

SoFi initially pledged $1 million for the effort, and Tatum matched that amount with his own funds.

The initiative aims to provide down payment and closing cost assistance to families who may otherwise struggle to afford a home in today’s housing market. Last weekend, the Jayson Tatum Foundation and SoFi hosted financial literacy workshops around St. Louis to equip first-time homebuyers with tools and resources needed to build financial stability.

With housing prices on the rise, the program is designed to support low-to-moderate income families in St. Louis City, along with St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

“Growing up in St. Louis, I saw firsthand how important financial stability and homeownership could be for families like mine,” said Tatum in a statement, via Essence.com. “Through our partnership with SoFi and their investment in our region with their Generational Wealth Fund, we’re giving people in my hometown the tools and knowledge to take control of their financial futures. I’m proud to give back to the community that made me who I am.”

Tatum, 27, won his first NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics last year and has earned six consecutive All-Star selections. He has also placed in the top six of NBA MVP voting over each of the last three seasons.

Before rising to NBA stardom, Tatum was a standout at Chaminade College Preparatory School in suburban St. Louis, leading the school to back-to-back Final Four state appearances and securing a state championship in 2016. After that, he played collegiately for the Duke Blue Devils before being drafted by the Celtics.