NBA’s SHAREEF ABDUR-RAHIM’S FUTURE FOUNDATION “KEEP IT 100%” LUNCHEON CELEBRATES ATLANTA’S #FUTUREHEROES AND HONORS CHICK-FIL-A EXEC RODNEY BULLARD & SUNTRUST BANK
Atlanta based non-profit, Future Foundation, held their 3rd Annual “Keep It 100%” Luncheon on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta. The luncheon brought out a cross sector of supporters from the corporate, non-profit, community/civic leaders, and athletes. Attendees included former NBA player Theo Ratliff, Atlanta City Councilman Andre Dickens, hip-hop artist and Magic 107.5 radio personality Chubb Rock, former Georgia State Senator Jason Carter (grandson to US President Jimmy Carter), Dr. Duke Bradley III (principal, Banneker High School) and more.
The “Keep It 100%” Luncheon” is the Future Foundation’s signature annual fundraising event supporting its year-round programming serving Atlanta Metro youth and their families. “Keep It 100%” celebrates Atlanta’s philanthropic investors in education who are nurturing students academically, economically, and socially molding them into “Future Heroes.” This year, the Jean Childs Young Individual Leadership in Education Award was presented to Rodney Bullard, Chick-fil-A Inc’s Vice President of Community Affairs, & Executive Director of Chick-fil-A Foundation. SunTrust Bank was honored with the Ann Cramer Corporate Leadership in Education Award.
Founded in 2001, by former Atlanta Hawk and current NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, the Future Foundation’s mission is to level the playing field for underserved Atlanta youth. Using their 5 Point Theory Of Change approach, the Atlanta based non-profit nurtures students academically, economically, and socially molds them into “Future Heroes.” Future Foundation has successfully helped to close the gap between dreams and reality for over 15,000 Atlanta youth and families living in poverty each year.
The event was hosted by Silas “SiMan Baby” Alexander, afternoon co-host of MAJIC 107.5/97.5FM’s “The RIDE with Chubb Rock and SiMan Baby” and opened with an invocation by Dr. Gregory Ellison II, Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. The luncheon showcased talented youth performers such as the inspirational R&B quintet, Route 5 and spoken word artist, Alyssa Gant. Speakers included Shareef Abdur-Rahim, founder of Future Foundation, who shared his personal reasons for launching the non-profit and CEO, Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim (his sister) who took his vision and made it a reality. “The Future Foundation started as a glimmer of an idea that, maybe, we could give something back to the communities that needed it most,” shares Shareef Abdur-Rahim. “Soon this idea became a commitment and we started to see our vision as a real possibility. I’m proud to share that since 2007, Future Foundation of Atlanta has been graduating 100% of our students in the East Point and College Park areas of Atlanta, where low graduation rates are standard.”
Event leadership for the Keep It 100% Luncheon included: event chair, Shan Cooper (Chief Transformation Officer, WestRock), board of director member, W. Imara Canady (Regional Director, AIDS Healthcare Foundation) and a host committee of 15 influential Atlanta business and community leaders. Community investors included: Delta Air Lines, Accenture Consulting, The Atlanta Hawks, Cox Communications, Georgia Pacific, Lockheed Martin, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Georgia Power.
To sustain Future Foundation’s positive impact, we invite you to become a 100% Circle Investor. Please click -> GAGives.org to support with a donation.
For more info, visit Future-foundation.com
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Watch this video!!! Future Foundation scholars share the impact the program has had on their lives.