Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan Raises $321K for COVID-19 Relief Efforts

Big Sean, Ludacris, Hill Harper, Jerome Bettis, Bad Boy Rick Mahorn and Detroit Sports Stars drive successful online fundraiser. Presented by Amerisure, Sean Anderson Foundation, Coca-Cola Foundation, iHeartRadio, Comcast and Dearborn Sausage/Don & Mary Kosch.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) raised over $321K during their first-ever BGCSM Virtual Fundraiser on April 23^rd – which exceeded their original $100K goal. The virtual event featured celebrities “taking over” BGCSM’s newly launched virtual Club where they competed against each other and Club youth in games like Family Feud, Shazam and Bad Jokes. Additionally, Big Sean hosted a sixteen bars rap challenge for aspiring rappers in Detroit. The winner, Mr. Jarvis-LaRue Brown—BGCSM Club Director of the Matilda R. Wilson Club, won a 30-minute A&R consultation with Omar Grant, the co-president of RocNation.

The BGCSM Virtual Club provides daily programming and mental health breaks for Club youth ages 8-18 years old. The fundraiser mirrored the daily virtual Club experience which includes a live DJ, interactive games and skill challenges. Today’s virtual Club had 300 unique devices and over 1,000 attendees.

“We’re overwhelmed by the support we received from the community. Today was something our youth and families will never forget,” said BGCSM President & CEO, Shawn H. Wilson. “Tripling our fundraising goal demonstrates the importance of continuing to move forward regardless the circumstance. I think when people see you fighting and innovating to meet your mission they want to invest in that energy!”

“I deeply appreciate everyone that participated in the Virtual Takeover to support and uplift the kids and families in our community,” said rapper & founder of the Sean Anderson Foundation Big Sean. “It was a fun-filled event and I am happy to have been able to be a part of it. Blessings to you all.”

BGCSM, like many businesses and nonprofits have undergone a tremendous funding gap created by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in Club closures and fundraising event cancellations. All proceeds will help ensure additional resources to provide daily virtual programming, family wellness checks and facilitate plans to reopen select Clubs for essential workers.

“We all have the responsibility to TURN BACK, REACH BACK, and GIVE BACK,” said Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. “That’s why I’m so happy to partner with Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan on the Virtual Club. They share our desire to help youth succeed and provide them with a hand up.”

Additional event sponsors included T-Mobile, Deerbrook Charitable Trust, Sterling Insurance Group, The Ludacris Foundation, RHP Properties, Toyota, Trey Flowers from the Detroit Lions, Niko Goodrum from the Detroit Tigers, Matt and Karen Cullen, Anthony Laverde and the Glantz Family Charitable Trust.

About Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan
Founded in 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) has over 94 year of experience serving youth ages 6-18 by providing a safe, fun place that inspires, while offering high quality programs that provide real-world learning from caring adult mentors. Serving nearly 15,000 youth annually within eight Clubs throughout southeastern Michigan, BGCSM works every day to provide a world-class experience, empowering youth to become change agents for their life, Club, and communities. To learn more about BGCSM visit www.bgcsm.org and follow us on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.