Talk about an after-school special.
The Ludacris Foundation joined Feeding America and the Atlanta Community Food Bank for a visit to the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home Wednesday afternoon. Chris "Ludacris" Bridges had a blast with some great young folks as they enjoyed a healthy snack, played games and learned some cooking tips.
“I eat healthy all the time. Humbly speaking, you see I’ve been working out a little bit. You see these arms,” he told his new friends, pausing to flex a little. “That’s because I eat healthy every single day!”
He then demonstrated how to make a nourishing after-school snack — a wrap full of healthy fruits and veggies.
“Don’t let the apples fall out,” he said, carefully showing off his finished product.
Luda took a minute for questions, but didn’t want to talk much about “Fast 8,” his most recent movie, which mostly filmed in metro Atlanta.
“I’m not here to talk about myself. I’m here to talk about the kids!” he said. “This is my birthday month, so instead of me receiving gifts, I always like to give a gift back. This is my way of giving back. There’s so many negative things going on in the world today, I like to be part of the positive.”
Charity gala to honor Billi and Bernie Marcus
The Ian's Friends Foundation's ninth annual Evening of Inspiration gala honors longtime supporters Billi and Bernie Marcus. The event, planned for Nov. 5 at the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, benefits research institutions that focus on developing new treatments for pediatric brain tumors.
More than 40,000 children in the United States live with brain and spinal cord tumors. Brain tumors are the most common form of cancer for children under the age of 14 and are the largest cause of childhood cancer-related deaths. Approximately 2,200 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year.
"We won't stop until there's a cure," said Phil Yagoda, co-founder of Ian's Friends Foundation and father of Ian, who was diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor 10 years ago at age 2. Ian has undergone plenty of medical treatment over the years, and his family still worries. "We are solely focused on funding the best and brightest doctors and researchers around the country that share our passion for eradicating pediatric brain tumors. Our amazing community of supporters is the power behind so many groundbreaking projects."
Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot, and his wife co-founded the Marcus Foundation to serve charitable, educational and religious purposes.
“Billi and I have been longtime supporters of Ian’s Friends Foundation,” Marcus said. “The impact they are making in the field of pediatric brain tumor research is remarkable, and we’re thrilled to support them on many important initiatives.”
Last year's gala raised more than $1.2 million through ticket sales, auction items and sponsorships. This year's goal is $1.5 million. Tickets are $250 each. See iansfriendsfoundation.com for information.
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