Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Stuckey's Helping Hand

Once in need of help himself, Rodney Stuckey gives back to underprivileged kids Helping Hand

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Sometimes star athletes looking to make a difference in the community have to search for a cause that strikes a cord with them. There was never any doubt which way Rodney Stuckey would turn.
Which explains why Stuckey was in a Southfield parking lot with an unseasonably hot September sun baking the asphalt, hosting an event for 500 kids getting ready to go back to school, passing out backpacks and Pistons knit hats to those who might not otherwise be able to afford either.

As a kid himself who not so long ago was at a dangerous crossroads, nobody knows better how much difference one caring adult can make in the life of a child who comes into the world without the blessings of a safe and stable home environment where basic needs are always met.

“I’ve been through a lot,” Stuckey said after signing autographs for as long as the line lasted in the basement of Orchards Children Services of Southfield, an organization that for 48 years has made helping at-risk and underprivileged children its mission. “My childhood … I lost a brother when I was little. I had to grow up at a young age. I had a daughter at a young age, so I had to grow up. Most importantly, I didn’t take school so seriously when I was really little, so when I moved in with my stepmom, she guided me in the right way and here I am now.”


The rest of the article here.

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