Lakers forward Ron Artest, who recently changed his name to Metta World Peace (and got eliminated from “Dancing with the Stars”), has donated $50,000 to Little Rock nonprofit Centers for Youth and Families’ UNITY Gang Prevention Program.
Artest’s name change makes for some awesome press release moments.
Mr. World Peace’s charitable efforts encourage people to find the hope to seek wellness professionals and promote personal recovery. The UNITY program’s mission is to alter youth behavior by sharing collective prison experience and lessons, along with introducing positive constructive alternatives to negative behaviors, and offer youth coping skills by discussing and modeling responsibility and self-control.
“Words cannot adequately express the gratitude we feel toward Mr. World Peace. This has been a dream since 2005. The recent AETN documentary about UNITY started getting the message out. Now, we’ll be able to develop it further and take the program directly to youth.” states The Centers’ Prevention Services (UNITY) program manager Pam Plummer.