Press Releases
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri-Cities Supports Michael Baisden’s One Million Mentors Tour
RICHMOND, VA, April 30, 2010 -- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri-Cities has partnered with popular nationally syndicated urban radio personality Michael Baisden for his One Million Mentors Campaign and Save Our Kids tour. Baisden’s seven month, 72-city national bus tour stops in Richmond, VA on Thursday, May 6, 2010 from 7:00-8:30PM at the Trinity Family Life Center at 3601 Dill Road.
The Michael Baisden Show is the top-ranked urban afternoon program in the country, and is heard locally on WKJS, 99.3 and 105.7 KISS FM. Every weekday, Baisden ignites lively, passionate discussions while combining the best in music, comedy and social commentary to inspire real change across America. In 2007, he spearheaded the widely reported Jena 6 civil rights demonstration where tens of thousands of Americans peacefully marched in Louisiana to protest the justice system’s mistreatment of six young African American men.
“We applaud Michael Baisden’s fearless focus on encouraging community activism and believe his outspoken advocacy and support of mentoring will make a real difference in the communities we serve,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President & CEO Karen Mathis. “We have independent evidence and know first-hand how long-term volunteer mentoring makes communities stronger and safer, empowering children and families to beat the odds. We will join the Baisden Foundation’s One Million Mentors tour, providing information about how Big Brothers Big Sisters’ time-tested careful mentor matching and ongoing support benefit children, their families and volunteers.”
During the tour, the Michael Baisden Foundation will team with “Community” Clovia Lawrence and personalities from WKJS 99.3 and 105.7 KISS-FM, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri-Cities, Richmond Parks and Recreation, Richmond City Public Schools and other community mentoring organizations to educate communities about mentoring and raise funds to support local organizations. Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones will present Michael Baisden with a proclamation from the City of Richmond and Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will bring greetings from the State.
The One Million Mentors tour comes on the heels of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ national summit with African American fraternity leaders from Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi, who have teamed with the nation’s largest donor-supported network of volunteer mentors in an unprecedented collaboration. Representatives from area collegiate and alumni chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha, Incorporated, Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities are strongly invited to join Big Brothers Big Sisters at this tour stop in Richmond. With African American boys disproportionately representing the children waiting to be matched with “Bigs,” the fraternities have committed to help recruit Big Brothers and raise funds so that agencies can meet the demand with sufficient match support.
About the Michael Baisden Foundation
The Michael Baisden Foundation is partnering with national and local organizations to support the efforts of Mentor organizations and organizations that support children. Over the past four years the foundation has donated nearly a half million dollars to other 501 (c)(3) non-profit organizations throughout the U.S. to help support Youth Organizations. In February 2010, The Baisden Live National Tour to "Save Our Kids" will launch. In every city, Michael will donate$5,000 per affiliate market and challenge his listeners to beat it. He's making a difference, a donation and an impact in every city and along the way!
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters helps vulnerable children beat the odds. The organization depends on donations to help conduct background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety; and provide ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships, key to successful mentoring. Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven by independent research to improve children’s odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles. Big Brothers Big Sisters is headquartered in Philadelphia and has nearly 400 agencies across the country, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri-Cities, providing mentors to over 710 children in Richmond, Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell and surrounding Counties. Learn how you can change how children grow up in our local communities by visiting www.bigbrobigsis.com or calling 804-261-4940.
