Seven Families Fed Thanks to Ascend Foundation and NPG in Pontiac
(C. Proxmire, Nov. 26, 2014)
The Ascend Foundation and NPG Foundation teamed up with 4 Brothers Lounge to give groceries to seven local families in need. The organizations contacted social workers in Pontiac Schools to identify children living in poverty they could help for the holiday.
Kaino Phillips, who is the President of Ascend and a Board Member of NPG said “Once we got the names of those families, we went to work. We decided to put together seven packages that were going to be enough food to keep those families fed for a week. It was at that time we reached out to our network of friends on Facebook. In the matter of an hour and a half we had hundreds of dollars in either food or monetary donations to make those baskets just what they were – grand!”
“We had individuals from within this city donate as well as an individual from outside the state. Times can be trying and it is these moments where we as a community have to step up and PAY IT FORWARD. This community did not disappoint,” Phillips said.    “We as a collective want to say thank you to: Rafael Vicens, Anna Marshall, Rawle Marshall, John P. Morgan, Dwayne Baldwin, Benard Smith, Trenna Perdue-James, Floyd Bobo, Marsha Milton, LaTricia M Alexander, Regina Campbell, Lesley Caldwell, Rita Coleman and Lowanna Tolbert. These are individuals that range from: our everyday phenomenal citizen to business owners, to professional athletes that donated out of love for this cause.   Without their generosity this moment could not have been as impactful as it was. I would be remised if I didn’t thank the committee for this project to contribute to all the leg work needed to make this happen as well:   Anissa Hillman, Clarissa Payne-Grandberry, Lee Bell, Darryl Lynch, Jameane Grandberry Bouie, Yashica Wellons, Angel Bell, Rita Lynch and Derrick Pettway. I couldn’t have done anything without them.”
Getting youth involved also doubled the impact of the food drive. “The highlight of the day was when we had all of these young children that came into our packing location to contribute in every way that they could. These kids were putting all of our antiquated selves to shame….. It was so good to see our next generation giving back and learning the meaning of being selfless. It really was beautiful to see,” Phillips said.
The giving itself was impactful as well. “The looks on these families’ faces when we delivered the packages were priceless,” he said. “They were so thankful and appreciative. Some of the stories that they were telling me about what they were going through was heartbreaking. One lady started to tear up and I was right behind her. The fact that this meant the world to someone, made my year!!! I stand humbled.”
The Ascend Foundation The Ascend Foundation was founded on behalf of the Late Mayor of Pontiac and Michigan State House of Representative Clarence Phillips. It is an organization that has been in existence for numerous years dating back to the late 1990’s. The organization started as a vision of correlation between Mayor Phillips and his wife Lorene’s push to promote the power of education, community service and the arts within the community; coupled with the mentoring element that their son Kaino Phillips embodied daily through motivational speaking and his leadership roles while participating in various organizations. It was this ideology that served as the catalyst in providing the inertia that became the very genesis of this organization. It was only after Mayor Phillips passing, that the physical name of the organization changed to The Clarence E. Phillips Ascend Foundation, in his honor.
NPG Foundation (NPGF) was founded in memory of Naydine P. Grandberry in late 2005. The NPG Foundation is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. NPG Foundation is dedicated to enhancing and improving the lives of men, women, children and the community. The Foundation is organized for charitable, scientific, education and recreational purposes. Naydine was diagnosed with Scleroderma. She was treated at the University of Michigan and Crittenton Medical Centers. After a 5 year long fight, Naydine P. Grandberry died on November 21, 2002 and in 2005 friends and family created a foundation in her memory.
Learn more about the Ascend Foundation at http://theascendfoundation.org.
Learn more about NPG Foundation at www.npgfoundation.org.