One Million Mentors Campaign to Save Our Kids

The Michael Baisden Foundation

“It’s time to step up and save our kids”
- Michael Baisden

THE MICHAEL BAISDEN FOUNDATION

The Michael Baisden Foundation, founded in 2005 is a (Section 501(c)(3)) non-profit organization that was formed to eliminate illiteracy as well as promote technology and is dedicated to education, support and advancement in our communities.

For 2010 our current focus for the foundation is on Mentoring. Michael Baisden has launched the One Million Mentors Campaign to Save Our Kids Tour. He will travel to his over 70 markets nationwide to help in this endeavor. His has committed $5,000 to each of his markets and is challenging his listeners in each market to match or beat his contribution. The goal is to inspire one million caring adults to become responsible mentors. For more information on the tour visit the One Million Mentors website at: http://onemillionmentors.com

According to MENTOR, three million young people are currently benefiting from the guidance of caring adult mentors and with the combined efforts of the mentoring organizations and campaigns like ours we will help to close the mentoring gap so that the 15 million children who currently need mentors also can benefit from caring mentors. There are currently about 4,600 mentoring programs in the national network of Mentoring Partnerships.

The benefits of mentoring is an important tool to help address dropout risk factors and help ensure that young people are supported in their effort to graduate from high school. Youth mentoring is a simple, yet powerful concept. An adult provides guidance, support and encouragement to help a young person achieve success in life. Mentors serve as role models, advocates, friends and advisors. Mentoring offers many options — traditional one-to-one format, team and group mentoring, peer mentoring and online mentoring. These programs are run by community-based organizations, schools, faith-based organizations, government agencies, workplaces, corporations and others.

ABOUT MICHAEL AND HIS PASSION TO START THE FOUNDATION:

Michael Baisden's own passionate testimony as to how books changed his life gives hope to those who have been enslaved by the shackles of illiteracy. In ten short years, he went from driving subway trains to becoming a four time best selling author, television talk show host, and now, a nationally syndicated radio personality. "Dreams do come true," he says! That dream for me began when I opened a book."

In 1993, he began reading self help books and autobiographies. Initially out of boredom, but as time went on, out of curiosity. "I was searching for something," he said. "As it turned out I was searching for Michael Baisden." The book that renewed his interest in reading was The Autobiography of Malcolm X, followed by The Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison, and Waiting to Exhale, by Terry McMillian, who he admits was his greatest inspiration in writing his first novel. After years of not having read a single book from cover to cover, he was going through as many as three books a week. The fire was lit! And the rest, as they say, is history. "Books do change lives," Michael says, "and I'm living proof!"

Please support the Michael Baisden Foundation for Literacy and the One Million Mentors to Save our Kids Campaign and help us light the fire of hope and inspiration for all of our children, and their parents. Join with us to help achieve our goal of making sure that every child in this country that is in need of a mentor gets matched with one. We are looking for One Million Mentors visit the website and see how you can help or donate: http://onemillionmentors.com