Founded by the Riverside Church, the Riverside Hawks Program has been a staple in the Harlem community since it was created in 1961. Our mission is to improve the lives, academic opportunities, and career prospects of the young people in our community by using sports as a vehicle.  

The strength of our basketball program is legendary and nationally recognized.  Our alum roster includes NBA players such as Donovan Mitchell, Ty Jerome, Eric Paschal, Rayford Alston, Chris Mullin, Tiny Archibald, Kenny Smith, Kenny Anderson, Ed Pinckney, Metta World Peace, Elton Brand, and Malik Sealy.  However, our core mission is to help boys and girls attain better academic outcomes and opportunities.  Our students have excelled off the court. 

• 100% of our student-athletes graduated high school in 2023.
• 100% of our 2023 graduates went to college or post-grad prep schools.
• Since 2020, our students have received over $5 million in college scholarships and grants (over four years) and over $550,000 in prep school scholarships.

Spotlight on Our Female Athletes

We’re thrilled to spotlight the Hawks’ girls’ basketball program this year. We are incredibly proud of our female student-athletes, celebrating their unmatched resilience and academic successes. Our training and academic supports ensure they can conquer any challenge, whether their dreams lie in basketball or other professional arenas.

Our program currently has 109 dedicated female students from elementary to high school.

The Class of 2023 has full scholarships to universities, including Rider, FDU, New Haven University, and the University of Bridgeport. Our Class of 2024 high school students are being recruited by many schools, including Canisius, St. John’s, FDU, New Hampshire, Adelphi University, Plattsburgh, Albany, St. Peters, Saint Joseph, Loyola, Fordham, Northeastern, Monmouth, Fairfield, Hofstra, Delaware, Merrimack, Columbia, and Dartmouth to name a few.

Your support can make a difference:

Our Annual Gala is our largest fundraising event, with its proceeds directly fueling the enhancement of the Hawks’ academic and community-focused initiatives. 

Join us in our mission, and together, let’s continue to uplift and empower the next generation.