Reading is a foundational skill necessary for virtually everything we do. It opens possibilities for all children to succeed—to learn and grow, to explore and imagine, to investigate and verify, and to lead fulfilling lives. Reading well instills confidence and helps reduce inequities. The disruptions due to the pandemic make focusing on literacy even more important, to assist our students not just to catch up but to thrive.
Thanks to the American Federation of Teachers’ (“AFTA”) for distributing more than one-half million books through their Reading Opens the World Initiative that is focused on Education Equity for kids in marginalized and low-income communities and Title I. Schools; and, provides new books, learning materials and other essentials.
AFT has held more than more than 140 events in 26 states and Puerto Rico at schools, community centers such the Kings Park Community Center-East Macon after school progra, faith-based organizations and union halls, with many more planned to continue to spread the joy of reading.
The American Federation of Teachers’ Reading Opens the World initiative focuses on:
Giving teachers and school staff the tools and professional development that translate the science of reading into usable resources to help students read and read well.
Giving parents and caregivers fun and research-based tips and tools to support literacy.
Building on and forging new connections among families, communities, educators and schools to be partners in students’ literacy.
Giving children and young people free books to read, love and keep, because …
Congrats to NFL All Pro, DeSean Jackson, on his First Super Bowl Championship Honor, from MGB Inc. (Men Giving Back) – Macon, GA.
DeSean Jackson was part of the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl ring bestowment ceremonies, as he showcased his Super Bowl ring on his Instagram story. The veteran receiver, who remains a free agent, earned the first championship honor of his career despite asking to be traded from the Los Angeles Rams prior to the postseason, his last game in blue and yellow coming in October.
Born in Los Angeles, Jackson later starred at Cal-Berkeley before the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Jackson earned 221 yards on only eight receptions in seven games with Los Angeles, most of that tally coming in the Rams’ September victory over the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He and the Rams parted ways midway through the season after he struggled to gain opportunities behind Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, and Robert Woods.
Los Angeles attempted to find a training partner and outright released him in November when such efforts proved futile. Jackson signed with the Las Vegas Raiders shortly after and earned 249 yards on 13 receptions in nine games, including a Wild Card appearance against the Rams’ Super Bowl opponents from Cincinnati.
The sign of goodwill from the Rams is perhaps no surprise after head coach Sean McVay admitted that Jackson deserved better opportunities than what he was offered in Los Angeles.
“I think really, what it boils down to is opportunities that I think he’s deserving of and the situation and some of the circumstances that surround it,” McVay said, per the team website. “We had a good conversation … we’re working through some things with him. We are allowing him to be able to look into some options for himself.”
Jackson has never appeared in a Super Bowl, his closest attempt coming after his rookie season in 2008. Despite a strong effort in the NFC title game (92 yards and a score), Jackson and the Eagles fell to the Arizona Cardinals 32-25.
Kelvin Middleton, CEO/Founder, MGB Inc. states that DeSean Jackson, and his mother, Gayle, have always been avid supporters of his grassroots, community-based initiative that focuses on disadvantaged, marginalized children, youth and families in Macon. Recently, Jackson awarded MGB Inc. his NFL Foundation Social Justice grant and donated hundreds of brand, new multi-cultural books to develop a library for the youth at the Kings Park Community Center; and, he provided all of the items and decorations for the annual Kings Park Community Center Easter Egg Hunt.
Furthermore, Middleton also states that DeSean has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities and individuals throughout his career many of which were not published and never will be known. Some of the major donations that Middleton states Jackson made was about $400,000 to develop AFYL team, the Cali Bears Youth Football & Cheer, 5 tackle teams, ages 14U disadvantaged youth; and, his annual DeSean Jackson FAST Camps for 250-300 youth during the off season (free). For more information please visit http://www.deseanjacksonsfoundation.org.
MGB Inc. (Men Giving Back), a grassroots community-based initiative, in Macon, GA, recently took the lead in advocating for equity in access to education; and, the tools to succeed for the vulnerable families and children in the marginalized Kings Park Community-East Macon.
MGB Inc. developed a collaboration between public, private, and community stakeholders with a vested interested in the health, education and welfare of the vulnerable youth in the Kings Park community. According to the National Retail Federation, parents are expected to spend about $661 to $864 on K-12 school supplies for the 2022-23 academic year which is a 30-year all-time high and increase of over 32%. School clothing prices have also soared over 20% and food prices have soared over a 40-year high which disparately impacts and exacerbates the health, education and well-being of the most vulnerable in our communities. An added cost this school year was the critical need to secure mesh or clear backpacks for all students in our school system in compliance with the Macon Violence Program and school safety mandates. Therefore used backpacks handed down could not be used; and, the availability of clear and mesh in Macon to purchase and also on-line were extremely limited and costly.
Consequently, MGB Inc. utilized its partnerships with the Bibb County Public Schools, Community Foundation of Central Georgia, Linda Harriet Lane Fund and MGB Inc. resources to provide compliant backpacks, school supplies, uniform shirts, shoes and basic necessities for fifty (50) youth in the Kings Park Community Summer and After School Programs.
MGB Inc. works tirelessly to fill the gap in services for the disenfranchised in marginalized communities with its limited resources; and, builds key partnerships to reinvest in our families, communities, and successful incomes for our children.
New Complaint Backpacks – Bright Futures!First Day of School – Clear Backpacks were GREAT!Brand New Shoes Instill a Sense of Pride and Well-BeingNew Shoes, Backpack, White Uniform Shirt – Go Isiah!New School Year – Fresh, New Hairstyles – Our Kings Park Community StarsOfficial Uniform Shirts in Compliance with the Macon-Bibb Violence ProgramClear Backpacks, in compliance with the Macon-Bibb Violence Program and school supplies
Bibb County Schools held its annual Back to School Bash drive-thru distributions for families in need on July 30th, at the Ed Defore Sports Complex and Westside High School, however, some Kings Park community residents lacked the transportation and resources to participate in these events. Therefore, MGB Inc. CEO/Founder, Kelvin Middleton, intervened and advocated on behalf of these residents and coordinated equal access and equity in educational tools and supplies with the assistance of Curlanda Whitefoot Smith, Bibb County Schools, District Coordinator.
Note: The Community Foundation of Central Georgia was founded in 1993 by a group of citizens interested in encouraging philanthropy and strengthening communities. Since then, the foundation has awarded more than $100 million in grants. Our donors make possible the foundation’s mission to enhance the quality of life for the people of Central Georgia. To learn more, visit cfcga.org.
MGB Inc. (“Men Giving Back”), a BIPOC-led, community-based initiative, founded in 1990, in Macon, is the recipient of a 2022 Community Foundation of Central Georgia grant from the prestigious Linda Harriet Lane Fund.
More About MGB Inc.:
Our Mission: To foster relationships between fathers and their children, their families and communities where we live; and, to provide a positive, male role model for vulnerable youth in marginalized, disenfranchised Macon-Bibb County neighborhoods.
Our Values: We have a shared vision of the organization, which is to be the catalyst for community change by empowering men who are passionately focused on the health, education of the constituents, families, and children in our community. We take authority and responsibility for our position in society and outcomes for success of our children. We are the architects of our own destiny.
More About the Linda Harriet Lane Fund:
Linda Harriet Lane
Linda Harriet Lane was a Macon native. She graduated from Vassar College in 1950 where she received a Liberal Arts degree, and then she received a Master of Music degree from Indiana State University. After studying under pianists in New York, she returned to Macon where she began her tenure at Wesleyan College as Instructor of Piano in 1954 and eventually became Associate Professor of Music. She continued her distinguished teaching and performing career for more than 30 years. In 1995, Wesleyan College honored Linda with the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts. She was an accomplished concert pianist, and she played with the Macon, Atlanta and Savannah Symphonies and performed abroad. Above all else, she valued education, music, arts and culture, and travel. Today, Ms. Lane’s generosity lives on through the Linda Harriet Lane Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia.
PURPOSE
The Linda Harriet Lane Fund supports Bibb County projects that support the advancement of education, improvement of the arts community, improvement of the health and recreation of the community, or otherwise benefit the community as a whole.
MGB Inc. (Men Giving Back), a BIPOC, community-based organization in Macon, GA, is the recipient of a 2022 ALDI/ALDI Cares Community Grant.
ALDI Cares Community Grants
MORE ABOUT ALDI Community Grants:
ALDI is a part of the community. Responsibility means making a positive contribution to the community by supporting nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving Children’s Health & Wellness and combating Food Insecurity. For organizations whose mission or core programs meet these pressing issues head on, ALDI provides financial contributions and donations of products or gift cards.
Through ALDI Cares Community Grants, it partners with nonprofit organizations that make a positive impact on Children’s Health & Wellness and Food Insecurity while supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. Whether your mission is to support children through education, arts, athletics or addressing food insecurity in your local community, we encourage you to apply for support from ALDI Cares Community Grants.
The following are a few photos provided by our community service providers to Mr. Kelvin Middleton, director of this health/human services outreach to the Kings Park Community. Photo Credits: Donna Bellamy.
Cheryl Johnson-Knight at Kings Park Community Center, East Macon
Ms. Cheryl Johnson-Knight , prominent local Educator, Entrepreneur, and daughter of the late community activist, Frank Johnson, volunteered to be a “celebrity” reader at the Kings Park Community Center in East Macon during the National Education Association’s annual Read Across America Week on March 2nd.
Ms. Johnson-Knight is the daughter of the ironic Frank Johnson who is well known for his countless achievements in the Macon community and the national Civil Rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Mr. Johnson became a powerful force in the Civil Rights Movement and participated in several non-violent protests, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., throughout the South and in Washington, DC. Johnson organized Macon’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. march until his health did not allow him to do so; but, he continued to be a reference for those who wanted to carry on his civil rights legacy.
Mr. Johnson also was a profound community activist for the vulnerable in Macon; and, was often referred to as the “Mayor of Unionville“. His courage, commitment and immeasurable contributions opened many doors for countless people in Macon, across the state of Georgia, as well as, throughout the southeastern United States.
The former City of Macon, Parks & Recreation Center, in the Unionville Community was renamed the “Frank J. Johnson Recreation Center” in 2002 in honor of Mr. Johnson’s achievements and vested interest his ‘beloved’ Unionville community. Johnson was also the Co-Founder, of the Unionville Improvement Association, a community-based initiative that advocated for racial and equitable parity for the vulnerable residents of Unionville.
Kelvin Middleton, who was the former Center Director at the Unionville-Frank J. Johnson Recreation Center for 17.5 years, states that Mr. and Mrs. Frank Johnson were pillars in the community, “Their doors were always open to all without judgement and without fear; and, they instilled hope, value, purpose and the ability to love others in Unionville”, states Middleton.
The Kings Park Community Center staff and parents of the After School Program youth were honored to have the phenomenal, Ms. Cheryl Johnson-Knight as a volunteer guest reader for this event.
Frank Johnson’s wife, daughter remember his legacy as ‘Mayor of Unionvil…Dorothy Johnson, Frank Johnson’s wife, and her daughter Cheryl Johnson Knight talk about Johnson’s impact in the…
Read Across America Day, also known as Dr Seuss Day, is a yearly observance in the USA inaugurated by the NEA (National Education Association). It is held on the school day that is nearest to 2 March, Dr Seuss birthday. Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American artist, book publisher, animator, poet, a political cartoonist as well as an author. He is best known for authoring over 60 children’s books.
NEA is an American professional interest organization as well as a labor union headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization represents public school teachers plus other support personnel, staffers and faculty at universities and colleges, educators that have retired as well as college students who are preparing to become teachers.
NEA launched Read Across America, which is an initiative on reading that began in 1997, to encourage children in reading more books and also getting them excited about reading. On 2 March 1998, the first Read Across America Day was celebrated; since then, it has been held annually.
The holiday mainly focuses on motivating children to read as it improves their performance in school. On this day, hospitals, bookstores, community centres, churches, libraries as well as schools host many events. National Education Association members and a total of 50 national associations as well as organizations support the Read Across America Day. National Education Association provides various resource materials for people who want to celebrate the holiday in their unique way. The official website for NEA has many ideas that can be helpful.
Kings Park Community Center-East Macon -Tour of the Tubman Museum of African American Art – History – Culture during Black History MonthGloria Washington, the 1st African-American principal, Southwest High School, Macon, GA – Kelvin Middleton, Southwest High School graduate. #MutualRespect #AcademicExcellence
Marcus Bryant
More Information about the Tubman Museum of Art, History and Culture:
The Tubman Museum is the largest museum in the nation dedicated to educating people about the Art, History and Culture of African Americans.
The mission of the Tubman African American Museum is to explore, celebrate and share the rich art and history of African Americans, to be a center of social and civic engagement, and a source of experiences that enrich cultural understanding and inspire positive change.
The school visits include handcrafted educational outreach workshops that cater to the needs of your institution ranging from art to diversity and character building. Students can be guaranteed a fun filled field trip at the Tubman! The field trip will include trip around the museum with a knowledgeable tour guide and a video. Be sure to make use of our added-value services which include an art or craft workshop.
The Tubman African American Museum seeks to align with community organizations, businesses, and institutions of learning through our education programs and services. The mission of the Tubman Museum is to educate people about African American art, history and culture and to promote harmony among all races. In order to fulfill that mission we realize that we must not be bound by the walls of our building. But rather, we must place a focus on outreach into our community and bring the museum resources to them.
We are addressing the most serious issues within our educational system facing both Georgia and the nation. Uniquely positioned as both accessible and acceptable, the museum serves as a safe and non-threatening method of delivering needed information and instruction on a myriad of topics to a critical segment of our population. Some of the tactics involve:
The community-based initiative partnered with the Kings Park Community Center staff to provide decorations, educational materials, games and programming to commemorate Black History Month.
Kings Park Community Center – Black History Month is Every Month in Kings Park DeSean Jackson, Las Vegas Raiders, All Pro Wide Receiver & Punt Return Specialist
DeSean Jackson, of the Las Vegas Raiders, and his foundation donated another shipment of culturally-diverse, age appropriate books to the Kings Park Community Center for Black History Month; and, the Kings Park Community Center staff have scheduled a field trip to the historical Tubman Museum in Macon, GA for the after school program youth on February 22nd.
Kings Park Community Center – After School Program Literacy Group Kings Park Community Development Corporation – Founders and Initial Incorporators
Another activity planned for the month is for the youth to learn about the rich cultural, historical history of the Kings Park neighborhood that includes learning about the initial founders and incorporators of the Kings Park Community Development Corporation; and, to respect their elders upon whose shoulders our history, adversity and daily struggles in Kings Park rest.
The Kings Park Community Center, in East Macon, started off the 2022 Black History Month with a new book club. Special thanks to Mr. Kelvin Melvin, CEO/Founder, of MGB INC., who is also a center coordinator at the Kings Park Community Center, for securing of a great amount of brand, new books written by African American authors and wall art.
– Marcus Bryant, Center Coordinator II, Kings Park Community Center-East Macon, Bibb County, GA
Donations were secured from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and NFL All Pro, DeSean Jackson.
MGB INC. - Men Giving Back 