December 9, 2005

Ludacris Brings Christmas Cheer and Hope to Mississippi High School Students

“Ludacris, The Ludacris Foundation, Disturbing Tha Peace, and MTV team surprised students at Pass Christian High School located in Mississippi with special gifts and encouragement to keep moving forward”

Pass Christian, MS - "Families in Pass Christian have been torn apart and people have been displaced from their homes, communities and schools by Hurricane Katrina. This holiday season, many of them feel like hope and help has abandoned them. I want them to know that people care and that they are not forgotten. During the holidays there is no greater gift than the "gift of giving" and putting smiles on the faces of people that don't have a lot to smile about," says Ludacris.  

In the spirit of giving, on December 9th, the multi-platinum rapper/actor Ludacris created a very special holiday memory for some Mississippi high school students.  Ludacris and his team of contributors provided Pass Christian High School and its students with $57K worth of band instruments from Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and the Grammy Foundation, $10K worth of gym equipment from MTV, $10K for scholarships from the Ludacris Foundation and tee shirts/basketballs/footballs from the entire team.  The town of Pass Christian was one of the areas hit the hardest in Mississippi by Hurricane Katrina, losing 95 percent of their homes, stores, buildings, and schools.  The hurricane wiped away everything in its path leaving very little left standing.

“Although 95% of the homes are destroyed Pass Christians are thankful they are home.  This community truly embodies ' home is where the heart is',” stated Roberta Shields, President of the Ludacris Foundation.

The Foundation helps people year around through our Luda Cares Program.  We wanted to do something to help the students in Pass Christian, Mississippi continue to move forward with their lives and what better way to do this than by providing the school with assistance and some students with educational support.

MTV aired this visit in their New Year's Eve special on December 31st from 10pm - 1am.