Jake Sullivan founded Kingdom Hoops in Ankeny, Iowa. Housed out of Fligg Fieldhouse, Jake’s
vision for Kingdom Hoops was to offer the best basketball development opportunity for athletes in
Iowa. The program was, and is today, focused on basketball skill development and raising athletes
up to become leaders at their respective high schools as they work towards an opportunity of a
scholarship.
KINGDOM CARES INTERNATIONAL FOUNDED
In 2009, Jake and his wife Janel were called to Ghana, Africa to adopt. From the adoption, a
basketball academy formed and God inspired Jake to continue finding needs in the country of Ghana.
An organization was founded and new missions projects were planted in Ghana. In the United States,
Kingdom Cares worked to provide athletic scholarships in order to enroll more athletes in Kingdom Hoops.
What began as an adoption and basketball academy, transformed into an organization that
continually worked to identify and meet needs of youth and their communities. From 2009 – 2015,
Kingdom Cares International operated projects in Ghana, Central Africa Republic, and Chad.
KINGDOM COURTS OPENS
In 2013, Kingdom Hoops moved just down the road to our new home – Kingdom Courts. Kingdom Courts
has the second largest consecutive wood basketball floor in Iowa and serves as a multipurpose host
for programs and events. Throughout the entire year, Kingdom Hoops families and youth spend time
playing, training, or hanging out inside our facility. With the addition of the new facility, all
of our operations (Kingdom Hoops, Iowa Gym Rats) were merged into Kingdom Cares International
(501c3).
BEYOND BALL LAUNCHES
John Lamb launched Beyond Ball Ministries in 2013 in an effort to impact youth off the basketball court. What began as mentoring and bible studies while on the road with our high school athletes, has turned into a full mentorship program, feeding program, and inner city ministry. The core of our programming is Kingdom Hoops while Beyond Ball has made connection with inner city communities to advocate for youth outside of athletics.
During the fall of 2015, Kingdom Cares focuses all operations on Central Iowa youth as a new
organization named Acts II Collective is formed to advance all international outreach activities.
With a clear mission to transform youth through and beyond basketball, Kingdom Cares enters a new
and exciting phase.
Acts II Collective was formed with a vision to support mission minded people, churches, and
organizations around the world who are working to meet the physical and spiritual needs of their
community for the spread of the Gospel. To learn more, check out
Acts II Collective.
