New Orleans, LA - February 8, 2008 — Helping to generate awareness for the omnipresent needs of the New Orleans community are the numerous restorative projects that accompany this year’s 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend. NBA Champion Alonzo Mourning and NBA Legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson will both do their part by working with corporate partners DELL, Inc., Boost Mobile®, and Toyota to present West Jefferson High School with various grants. In addition, the pair’s respective nonprofit organizations will host a youth “Town Meeting and Rally” to discuss prevailing issues among youth working to rebuild their lives and communities on Friday, February 15, 2008, from 1:30-2:30PM at West Jefferson High School, Harvey, LA.
West Jefferson, located in the Jefferson Parish School District, like many other schools, has been working to fully rebuild since 2005. With the help of partners, Alonzo Mourning Charities and the Magic Johnson Foundation will utilize a portion of proceeds generated by the Boost Mobile Zo and Magic’s 8-Ball Challenge fundraising event to help fund several of the rebuilding initiatives taking place at the school. The 8-Ball Challenge, now in its 4th year, has generated more than $750,000 since inception, to benefit youth and community projects in various parts of the country.
DELL, Inc. has generously agreed to provide 30 high-performance Alienware notebook computers valued at $2,500 each and a full-service color printer. Microsoft is providing a full MS Office suite of software to complement the computers. Toyota will support the music department with a $10,000 grant. The Magic Johnson Foundation will award three (3) essay contest winners each with a $5,000 college scholarship and Boost Mobile will compliment each scholarship with a Motorola C290 mobile phone and three months of Unlimited by Boost® phone service. Additionally, Alonzo Mourning Charities will donate extra $20,000 to benefit the athletics, music and industrial arts department.
Helping to moderate the town meeting discussion is West Jefferson Alum and popular host of BET’s 106 & Park, Rocsi. Rocsi has been closely monitoring the school’s overall progress since Hurricane Katrina and is actively working to garner additional support for the many kids that are now enrolled. “When Rocsi approached me about providing her high school with assistance, our organization did not hesitate” said Mourning, “it takes more than one person to help an entire community.”
Alonzo Mourning, the Magic Johnson Foundation and many other guests look forward to visiting West Jefferson, during All-Star Weekend, to meet the students and faculty. Also in attendance will be corporate partners Boost Mobile, DELL, and Toyota among many others. In addition, both Mourning and Johnson will spearhead and lend their support to other community projects taking place during All-Star Weekend.
ABOUT ALONZO MOURNING AND ALONZO MOURNING CHARITIES:
Alonzo Mourning is best known as an NBA superstar, but it’s his off-the-court charitable efforts that he considers his crowning achievement. When he founded Alonzo Mourning Charities in 1997, his mission was to improve the lives of underprivileged kids in various communities. Alonzo Mourning Charities (AM Charities) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public fundraising foundation. AM Charities’ mission is to provide support and services that enhance the lives of 'youth of promise'. Since 1997, AM Charities has raised more than $6.5 million for various organizations that aid in the development of children and families living in at-risk situations. In addition to supporting other non-profit organizations, Mourning has focused his attention to building youth centers. With the help of donors, Mourning opened the first center in 2003 in the historic city of Overtown, in South Florida, known as the Overtown Youth Center. In addition, the Honey Shine Mentoring Program, a program of Alonzo Mourning Charities, mentors young girls ages 8-18. For more information, please visit www.amcharities.org
ABOUT EARVIN “MAGIC” JOHNSON & THE MAGIC JOHNSON FOUNDATION:
About Alienware
Earvin Johnson, Jr. is Founder and Chairman of the Magic Johnson Foundation, a 501 (c)3 organization dedicated to developing programs and supporting services that address the educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities. Founded in 1991, the Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF) has become one of the most recognizable charitable organizations around the world. Over the past few years, the MJF has awarded more than $1.1 million to community-based organizations that focus on HIV/AIDS education and prevention, established four HIV/AIDS clinics and has co-created the award-winning “I Stand With Magic” campaign to end HIV/AIDS in the black community. In addition, the MJF has supported more than 800 minority high school students with college scholarships through the organization’s Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program and opened 20 Magic Johnson Empowerment Centers located in underserved communities. For more information about the Magic Johnson Foundation, please visit www.magicjohnson.org