Singer Ne-Yo, born Shaffer Chimere Smith, isn’t content to just gift the world with his musical talents. The R&B crooner also wants to spread a little love through charitable endeavors. To that end, he created his Compound Foundation, which assists young people with a variety of services including leadership development and music therapy. The foundation builds recording studios in group homes and awards grants to non-profits that provide permanent housing for young adults formerly in foster care, as well as provides grants and scholarships o young people with a history of foster care or group home living. In addition, Compounds hosts an annual Giving Tour, in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, which travels around the country to provide toys and supplies to underprivileged and foster care children.
This year’s tour began in Ne-Yo’s hometown of Las Vegas and continues this week with a stop in Newark, N.J. before concluding in Atlanta. Five hundred area youth will receive clothing, toys, electronics and bicycles during the event which will include appearances by Newark mayor Cory Booker and reality TV star Angela Simmons.
“We created The Giving Tour to help uplift the spirits of youth in foster care who for many reasons may not be able to experience the holiday,” said Compound Foundation Executive Director Khalilah Abdul-Baqi. “Each child that we have reached since our inaugural event four years ago still holds a piece of my heart, and I’m thrilled to continue this amazing series with another round of outstanding and deserving kids.”
If you’d like to contribute to The Compound Foundation, you can send toys and/or charitable donations to: The Compound Foundation, c/o V. Brown & Co., 888 Seventh Avenue, Suite 500, New York, NY 10106. Donations should be payable to The Compound Foundation or you can give via Pay Pal on the foundation’s website www.compoundfoundation.org/.
