>> MEETING AT JASON’S DESK. >> SOME KIDS ARE ALREADY BACK IN
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. THE REST WILL BE BACK IN CLASS
NEXT WEEK.
NEXT WEEK. THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THEY
NEED TO START THE YEAR OFF RIGHT
IS A GOOD BACKPACK WITH
SUPPLIES.
SUPPLIES. >> Jason: THAT’S RIGHT.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THOUSANDS
OF KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR FRIEND MIKE MORRIS IS MAKING
IT POSSIBLE FOR TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WITH
PROJECT BACKPACK.
PROJECT BACKPACK. GOOD MORNING, MIKE.
>> Tati: YOU KICKED THIS OFF
THIS WEEKEND WITH A BIG TENT
EVENT.
EVENT. >> IT WAS OUR FIRST BIG YEAR
WITH THE TENT EVENT.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVING AWAY
BACKPACKS 130,000 TO DETROIT
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. K-5 GETTING BACKPACKS FULL OF
THE SUPPLIES.
THE SUPPLIES. I GET E-MAILS EVERY DAY SAYING
WHAT ABOUT US IN THIS DISTRICT
AND WHAT ABOUT ME.
I FELT TERRIBLE.
SO WE DECIDED TO BUY EXTRA
BACKPACKS AND HAVE AN EVENT AND
QUITE FRANKLY I HAD NO IDEA HOW
MANY KIDS WOULD SHOW UP.
I THOUGHT 200, 250 PEOPLE.
WE HAD 5,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP.
I AM SEEING THIS FOOTAGE FOR THE
FIRST TIME ACTUALLY.
I MUST HAVE TAKEN 500 SELFIES.
FREE BACKPACKS, FREE FOOD, GUS
FRIED CHICKEN DONATED THOUSANDS
OF CHICKEN WINGS.
>> GUS’ GOOD STUFF.
SPICY.
SPICY. HOT CHICKEN.
HOT CHICKEN. FACE PAINTING, DANCERS.
MUSIC AND THE KIDS AS YOU COULD
SEE HAD A RIOT.
GOD KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT
YEAR.
YEAR. WE HAD 5,000 PEOPLE IN OUR
PARKING LOT.
PARKING LOT. THERE WAS A LINE TO EVERGREEN
ALL DAY.
ALL DAY. AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.
IT SHOWS THE NEED.
IF ANYBODY IS LISTENING AND
WANTS TO PARTICIPATE OR BE A
SPONSOR OR DONATE THINGS OTHER
THAN CHICKEN WINGS PLEASE CALL
AND E-MAIL ME.
KIDS ARE IN NEED.
>> Tati: THIS IS TOUCHING WHEN
I SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP,
HOW DID YOU FEEL?
>> I HAD CHILLS.
I FELT AMAZING AND SAD BRIJ.
I DIDN’T REALIZE, YOU KNOW, WE
GAVE THE KIDS IN DETROIT
BACKPACKS AND THERE IS OTHER
NEEDS.
NEEDS. WE NEED TO DO MORE AND DO
BETTER.
BETTER. I WILL TRY TO KEEP GIVING UNTIL
EVERY KID IN MICHIGAN WHO NEEDS
ONE, GETS ONE.
>> THAT’S AWESOME.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT THE
BACKPACK.
BACKPACK. >> PISTONS ARE GIVING A WATER
BOTTLE AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS TO STAY HYDRATED.
WE HAVE PAPER, FOLDERS,
SCISSORS, CRAYONS, PENCIL
SHARPENERS.
SHARPENERS. >> A CASE, THERE ARE 30 COLORS
OF DIFFERENT BACKPACKS BEING
DELIVERED TO DETROIT SCHOOLS
TODAY, TOMORROW.
TODAY, TOMORROW. THEY WILL GET THEM ON THE FIRST,
SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL.
AND YOU KNOW OVER 130,000
STUFFED BACKPACKS.
STUFFED BACKPACKS. >> LISTEN, EVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ARE WELL COMPENSATED AND
BUDGETED WELL AND HEALTHY BUDGET
SITUATIONS THEY ARE SENDING HOME
LISTS, PARENTS, YOU NEED TO
PROVIDE THIS AND THAT AND I
CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE IN DISTRICTS
THAT ARE CHALLENGED WHAT THAT
MUST BE LIKE.
>> I HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS IN
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. WITH THE KLEENEX AND MARKERS AND
THE THIS AND THAT.
CLOROX WIPES.
CLOROX WIPES. >> I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT.
>> AT LEAST THIS WILL HELP KIDS
LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD SO WHEN
THEY WALK IN THEY ARE PREPARED
AND TEACHERS DON’T REACH INTO
THEIR POCKETS AND I HAVE TO
SHOUT OUT MORRIS MOVING, NO
RELATION, HELPING MOVE 30,000
BACKPACKS AND GUS’ CHICKEN.
>> THIS IS SO MUCH AND I WANT TO
DO MORE.
DO MORE. >> Tati: LET’S TALK ABOUT THE
KIDS REACTION WHEN THEY GET
THEIR BACKPACKS.
THEIR BACKPACKS. >> I HAVE BEEN IN THE SCHOOL.
THEY ARE OVERJOYED, HUGGING ME,
IT IS LIKE CHRISTMAS MORNING TO
THEM WHICH, YOU KNOW IT IS NICE
TO HAVE THEM APPRECIATE THIS.
MY KIDS TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
I’M NOT GOING TO LIE.
THESE KIDS ARE VERY, VERY
APPRECIATIVE AND IT IS FUN TO
SEE THEIR FACES AND FUN TO HAVE
TEACHERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS AND
THE PRINCIPAL IS TELLING ME,
MIKE, THESE KIDS DON’T HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
LOOKING OUT FOR THEM.
SOME COME FROM BROKEN HOMES.
WHEN BUSINESS LEADERS STEP
FORWARD AND GIVE THIS LOVE AND
ATTENTION IT HELPS THEIR
SELF-ESTEEM, MOTIVATION AND
MAYBE DO DIFFERENT THINGS IN
LIFE.
LIFE. WOW FROM A BACKPACK.
I NEVER THOUGHT ANY OF THOSE
THINGS, I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS
MY GOAL TO DO THOSE THINGS.
I HEAR IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
>> Tati: IT SPARKS HOPE.
YOU DON’T EVEN REALIZE IT.
YOU THINK IT IS A BACKPACK AND
INFUSING HOPE INTO THE LIVES OF
A CHILD GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND
STARTING OFF ON A HIGH.
>> Jason: ONE LUCKY KID WILL
HAVE A BACKPACK AND MIKE’S MOM
IS INSIDE AS A TUTOR.
>> WHERE IS SHE?
>> YOUR MOM WAS A TEACHER.
>> A TEACHER AND LIBRARIAN AND
HELPED PASS OUT BACKPACKS.
PEOPLE LOVED SEEING HER AND SHE
LOVED SEEING THE PEOPLE.
IT WAS FUN.
>>> LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.
>> AND THEY ARE HELPING GET WORD
OUT.
OUT. THEY ARE A GREAT PARTNER.
WE RAFFLED OFF PISTON’S JERSEYS
AND BALLS.
AND BALLS. HOOPER WAS THERE.
>> I WILL TURN IT RIGHT THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW KIDS CAN STAY
HYDRATED AND FUN TO HAVE ON
BOARD.
BOARD. >> IT SAYS DETROIT PISTONS ON
THERE.
THERE. >> THANK YOU.
>>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
PROJECT BACKPACK VISIT 855 MIKE