CHICAGO, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Grammy-Award Winning Rap
Artist and Award-Winning Actor Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and his foundation,
The Ludacris Foundation, are being honored with the 2007 National Runaway
Switchboard (NRS) "Spirit of Youth" award for their work and dedication in
helping America's youth. The announcement was made Monday evening at NRS'
Spirit of Youth Launch Party in Chicago.
Ludacris' recent Grammy for Best Rap Album, "Release Therapy," includes
a song titled "Runaway Love," which addresses situations many youth in this
country face that often times lead them to running away. When the song was
released this past fall, it was a natural fit to form a partnership among
Ludacris, The Ludacris Foundation and NRS.
"The timing could not have been better with November's National Runaway
Prevention Month," said Maureen Blaha, NRS executive director. "Since the
release of 'Runaway Love' Ludacris' and The Foundation's commitment to
helping runaway youth and letting people know about the help they can
receive by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY has only increased."
And it shows. NRS experienced a 17 percent increase in calls to its
hotline in 2006, and the number of visitors to its website has nearly
doubled from a year ago this month, with significant increases occurring
since the partnership formed.
Ludacris and Roberta Shields, president of The Ludacris Foundation,
will be presented with the Spirit of Youth awards on Thursday, November 1,
2007, in Chicago.
The National Runaway Switchboard, established in 1971, serves as the
federally-designated national communication system for homeless and runaway
youth. Recognized as the oldest hotline of its kind in the world, NRS, with
the support of more than 150 volunteers, handles an average of 100,000
calls annually -- more than 3 million calls since the organization's
inception. NRS provides crisis intervention, referrals to local resources,
and education and prevention services to youth, families and community
members throughout the country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Over 10,000
youth have been reunited with their families through NRS' Home Free program
done in collaboration with Greyhound Lines, Inc. The NRS crisis hotline is
1-800-RUNAWAY. For more information, visit http://www.1800RUNAWAY.org.
SOURCE National Runaway Switchboard
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Related links:
http://www.1800RUNAWAY.org
CONTACT:
Joel Kessel of National Runaway Switchboard,
+1-773-929-6805, jkessel@1800RUNAWAY.org
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