Morehouse and YMCA to bring 500 kids to first home game

The Morehouse College National Alumni Association is set to hold a community outreach event called The First Five Hundred for the football team’s home opener this weekend. Over 500 students from Atlanta middle and high schools will visit Morehouse Saturday as the Maroon Tigers face Miles College at B.T. Harvey Stadium on Senior Day at 3 p.m.

The First Five Hundred initiative was started to give kids a chance to experience Morehouse and HBCU cultures. Morehouse has built relationships with schools and community centers in Atlanta to make this opportunity happen.

MCNAA has a continuous partnership with the YMCAs in the Atlanta area, said 1988 Morehouse alum Michael Levesque, executive director of MCNAA. The 500 students coming to the game are from YMCAs, local organizations, sports teams and other groups.

Mira Donaldson, a volunteer from Spelman College helping in the First Five Hundred Community Outreach, explained that when she grew up she was not familiar with HBCUs. She raved on the importance for kids of color to experience at an early age the culture an HBCU has to offer.

“Hopefully, we can provide a welcoming environment for them and set the standard for Black individuals chasing after a goal,” she said. “We want to show them they can do whatever they put their minds to.”

The partnership with the YMCAs has several different focuses that all circulate around the community. MCNAA looks to bring Black collegiate perspectives and mentorship to grade school children and also wants to prioritize community service in those spaces.

MCNAA set up The First Five Hundred Community Outreach to not only provide children a taste of the Morehouse culture, but also to help fill up the stands and cheer for the football team.

Ade Abney is the chief of staff of MCNAA and a 2017 Morehouse graduate.

“We want to promote a culture of supporting the teams,” he said. “We understand the record of our team (0-6), but we still want to promote that type of culture.”

The students will also participate in activities around the stadium, along with being able to tour the campus with volunteers from the Morehouse community and the alumni association.

“I want students to learn about the Morehouse culture,” Abney said. “I want students to be impressed when they come on campus. I want them to understand that we are a part of a larger community of Atlanta, Georgia, as well, but also Blacks across America.

“I think we should repeat [this event] for every home game. I think we should include more of the Atlanta community in the things we have going on on campus.”