Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
As New Edition makes tour stops throughout the country, members of the collective are giving back to communities in need. According to WLWT, singer Ronnie DeVoe recently visited a Salvation Army in Cincinnati to donate gifts to local residents.
The Boston native provided children with school supplies, bikes and helmets. He also donated laundry carts and other essential items to senior citizens. DeVoe says the impact and influence that the Salvation Army had in his life while growing up inspired him to pay it forward.
“Any time that I am able to provide somebody some type of that feeling I got as a child and keep them away from negativity, that’s what this is all about,” he said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “To be blessed, to be a blessing to others.”
Social good efforts like DeVoe’s are needed in Cincinnati as the city’s poverty rate is one of the worst in the country. Research shows one out of every 3.5 residents lives below the poverty line.
Several initiatives have been launched throughout the state of Ohio to support vulnerable communities. NBA star LeBron James teamed up with Old El Paso to create a one-of-a-kind restaurant in Akron that offers family-centered programming for the I Promise School and career opportunities for scholars and their loved ones.
“Opening our own restaurant is a whole new territory for my Foundation that I’m really excited about,” James shared in a statement. “What started as a weekly taco night for families living in our I PROMISE Village has grown into so much more with The Taco Shop by Old El Paso. It’s incredible to now have a space where families can come together and share a meal while students and families also have the opportunity to gain important job training. We can’t wait for these doors to open to the community.”
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