Brotherly Love Pro-Am Foundation holds its first annual Youth Day
Local foundation unites youth organizations for community building
Local organizations joined to host Brotherly Love Youth Day, in an effort to bring kids together and advocate for community wellness. There was basketball, free haircuts, giveaways and entertainment.
EAST FALLS - Shooting hoops, giveaways and live entertainment all under one roof in an effort to help save our streets. Local organizations gathered to host the first annual Brotherly Love Youth Day, with the express wish of bringing young people together to advocate for community wellness and crime prevention.
What we know:
A unity and youth empowerment event brought together youth organizations from all over the city. Novar Gadson organized it under his organization Brotherly Love Pro-Am Foundation to help address violence and mental health among young people.
What they're saying:
"We unify this thing and we can try to save as many of the youth as possible," said Novar Gadson. He is on a mission to use his talent and passion for good.
"I played basketball professionally internationally. I played in three different continents. Europe, South America and Asia for the last six years. It has been a blessing, too, so I am ready to come home and I am ready to lead by example," he explained.
He held his first annual Youth Day Wednesday evening, through his organization Brotherly Love Pro-Am Foundation. He began it five years ago.
"It's a mental health organization using basketball as a vehicle to drive more awareness to the topic," said Gadson who organized five basketball games Wednesday night.
"You got a New York team, you got a Delaware team, a New Jersey team and obviously a Philadelphia team," he said.
The backstory:
Gadson says basketball was his own personal lifeline after 2001 when someone murdered his 18-year-old brother, Omari Gadson.
"And to this day my family still hasn't recovered from it," he said. Gadson was 12 when it happened.
"I started playing basketball at 16 and it gave me new life," he said.
Big picture view:
He hopes it can help do the same for kids who came to his event, which also included free haircuts, free uniforms, PlayStation and gift card give-a-ways. Anti-violence and mental health services were there with resources for the youth.
"We all go through some trauma and the message I feel like is everyone should seek help," said Gadson.
18-year-old Malachi Jackson says he has dealt with mental health too.
"Stuff like this is a good opportunity for people to talk about their troubles and all that and heal themselves," he said. He participated Wednesday night and is open to more opportunities.
"It's a good opportunity for people to come together and really just stop the violence and enjoy themselves," he said.
Pastor Aaron Campbell of Level Up youth mentorship brought out his kids and showed other youth some of what his program offers while also supporting Gadson's message.
"No matter what you go through we take those stumbling blocks and turn them into steppingstones and healing is a choice. He chose healing," said Campbell.
"I want to keep it all under one roof and show that unity is the best way outside of dividing and hurting each other," said Gadson.