Ne-Yo’s Mothers Day bash
Ne-Yo with mom Loraine Smith, left, and sister Nikki Smith
Ne-Yo made Mothers Day special for his own mom and dozens of others.
His Compound Foundation hosted the third annual Celebration of Mothers on Sunday. The elegant brunch event, which featured live performances and a keynote message from State Rep. Alisha Morgan, was held at Opera nightclub in Midtown and saluted the efforts of foster mothers throughout Georgia.
Monyetta Shaw says her man is kind and respectful thanks to the "amazing" job by his mother
“Our initial thing is about helping out kids in the child welfare program,” the R&B artist said.
He was accompanied by lady friend Monyetta Shaw, who confessed her man is a bit of a mamma’s boy. “She did an amazing job,” Shaw said of H. Loraine Smith, the artist’s mother.
Smith and Ne-Yo’s sister, Nikki Smith, took a spin down the red carpet as the event kicked off.
“This is a very happy Mothers Day,” Loraine Smith said. “I have both of my children here.”
Ne-Yo said the best piece of advice his mother ever gave him was simple: “Never go to bed mad.”
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5 comments Add your comment
NE-YO’s 3rd Annual Compound’s Foundation Mother’s Day Brunch…[video & pics] :: Hotlanta Buzz Online
May 10th, 2010
11:04 am
[...] info source [...]
Awe!
May 11th, 2010
3:19 pm
Sweet story! I like this.
The Compound Foundation, Inc.
May 12th, 2010
2:00 pm
RECAP—
On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9, 2010, Grammy Award Winning R&B Singer-Songwriter, Ne-Yo paid homage to exceptional foster moms with the 3rd Annual Celebration of Mothers. The annual celebration, in the past, featured acts like John Legend and Chrisette Michele. This year’s performer was none other than Raheem DeVaughn, a fellow singer-songwriter, who helped Ne-Yo honor women who provide a family environment for youth in need. With Mother’s Day being particularly hard for many youth in foster care and May being National Foster Care Month, the Annual Celebration of Mothers seeks to help fill that void, even if just for one day.
“I had the privilege of speaking with some of the moms here and I am so very proud to be sharing Mother’s Day with you,” said Queenyona Boyd, a young mother and Program Assistant (Compound Foundation, Inc.), as she spoke on stage. “Being in foster care for 16 years, it was women like you that helped me see past my situation and encouraged me to become the best woman I can be.”
Developed by Reynell Hay and Shaffer “Ne-Yo” Smith, The Compound Foundation, Inc. was founded to address issues facing youth in foster care, as well as provide support and resources to the non-traditional family structures the foster care system calls for. Attending the event with his mother and sister, Ne-Yo, addressed the foster moms, commending them all for their efforts with children in need.
“I just want to tell you that I think you are all very special and I just wanted to make this a special day for you,” said Ne-Yo, as he introduced his friend and headliner for the event, Raheem DeVaughn.
Singing his hit songs “WOMAN” and “Customer”, Raheem DeVaughn gave a fitting performance for the moms. But not before Ne-Yo’s Compound Foundation honored 5 exceptional foster moms, with the Luminary Moms presenting gifts on the organization’s behalf, for their dedication and commitment to children in foster care. The foster moms honored have stories that were amazing for the audience to hear.
Doris Flowers (of Fulton County) was honored by Luminary Mom, Sylvia Reed (mother of Mayor Kasim Reed), has been a foster parent for over 25 years; Sandy Bunn (of Spaulding County), honored by Janice Faulkner (mother of NBA star Lou Williams), for dedicating her life to raising children “out of foster care and runs an in-home day care for foster care children; Carsandra Favors (Spalding County), honored by Loraine Smith (mother of Ne-Yo), has been fostering for 11 years and she serves as the President of Spalding County’s Foster Care Association;
(continued, pg. 2)
Sandra Ransom (Spaulding County), honored by Nikki Smith (singer-songwriter and sister of Ne-Yo), had been fostering for 18 years before having to close their home due to family illness last month; and Mattie Smith (of Paulding County), was honored by Alfredia Scott (wife of US Congressman David Scott), for her 31 years of service to children in foster care.
Gifts to the over 120 foster moms attending were provided by Carol’s Daughter beauty line and Design Essentials hair styling products, as well as the Atlanta Tribune, O.P.I nail care, Nick Chavez hair care products, and LEAP Frog educational product. Additional performers and speakers including, poets Michael Molina and Crystal Williams, a foster care alumni and advocate. As well as Saniyyah Griffin of Carol’s Daughter and keynote speaker State Representative Alisha Morgan, giving an inspirational words of encouragement to the foster moms and teen moms in foster care attending the Celebration.
About the Compound Foundation:
Launched in early 2007, the Compound Foundation is a national 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization established to increase awareness about the status of children in the child welfare system in America. The aim of the Compound Foundation, Inc. is to support and partner with residential care facilities through programs aimed at teaching entrepreneurship and life skills that will empower them to become productive, successful, independent adults. For more information, please visit http://WWW.COMPOUNDFOUNDATION.ORG.
KD
May 14th, 2010
4:11 pm
NE-YO, DOES HE HAVE A BROTHER NAMED YO-YO
linda
May 14th, 2010
5:20 pm
@KD is “yo mama” named DK? Stop being a D…