76ers center Samuel Dalembert is going to Haiti with the aid group Project MediShare to assist with the earthquake relief effort in his native land.
The 6-foot-11 center didn’t return to Philadelphia with the team after an afternoon loss in Minnesota Monday, the team said. He was excused from practice Tuesday but was expected back in time to play in Wednesday's home game against Portland.
Dalembert, 28, is the NBA's only Haitian-born player and has become a spokesman for relief in the wake of the last week’s quake. He has taped a public service announcement for UNICEF encouraging fans to contribute and has made numerous appearances on national and local TV asking people to give what they can.
He also addressed the crowd before the 76ers' home game last Friday and made a $100,000 donation to UNICEF. He also matched $30,000 in donations made by fans at the game, according to PhillyBurbs.
Helping Haiti is nothing new for the Sixers' big man. He launched his Dalembert Foundation Web site in 2008 to raise money and awareness about the plight of Haitians even before the quake.
"The mission of the SDF is to better the lives of the people of Haiti and children all over the world through projects that empower individuals to seek out and achieve sustainable improvements in their daily lives," said the Web site.
