Amid the luster of the Super Bowl, the constant partying, and hundreds of events, one amazing charitable organization will be putting on a myriad of events to help the New Orleans homeless and indigent community.
The New Orleans based 501c3 Home Mission Inc will take part in a series of charity events created to allow people to party with a purpose. Home Mission Inc (HMI) has partnered with several celebrities, socialites, and known community leaders to present the I.M.P.A.C.T Weekend Charity Experience from January 31st – February 3rd.
BSO had a chance to interview the charity’s Executive Director Krystal Justice, to get an idea of what Home Mission Inc, the strategy behind I.M.P.A.C.T. Weekend, and what she hopes to accomplish for the city of New Orleans.
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Could you tell me a little bit about Home Mission Inc, and what it attempts to do for the community?
Home Mission Incorporated is a family organization that my father founded in 1986. It was originally founded in Los Angeles, but my father being a New Orleans native, decided to retire and move back to the city. He brought the structure and organization back here with him. Originally the goal was just give immediate tangible needs to the homeless community like food, clothing and toiletries. It grew a bit to where we started to renovate homes, and blighted properties were donated to the organization as well. Over the course of the years my father who is a minister as well, took on some additional duties with the church. He re-prioritized some things, and I took it over 2 years ago. We’ve been in the revamp process, every week we feed over 300 people in conglomeration with my church New Home Ministries. We are trying to get back to the point of getting grants from the state to provide housing as well, and get it back to where it should be.
Can you tell us some of the projects, events, and things that will be going on during Super Bowl weekend?
Well I.M.P.A.C.T. Weekend is a four-day event from Thursday to Sunday. On Thursday evening beginning at 10:00 P.M. we will have a welcome to New Orleans party. That will be hosted by New Orleans natives Toya Wright, formerly Toya Carter, Q93 radio personality Juggie, and Rocsi Diaz from Entertainment Tonight but formerly of 106 and Park. There will be seven Saints players in attendance including Mark Ingram, Martez Wilson, Cam Jordan to name a few. On Friday night the theme will be called Legends in the game. Deion Sanders will host that event. Their will also be a live musical performance from Scarface, and Mia X. On Saturday morning that will be our actual charity event, we called that the Charity Experience. We partnered with One Family Foundation which is Young Money’s actual Non Profit Organization. They are going turn the first floor of the venue into a player area for the children. We are going to invite children from the Kingsley House to come over. Lil Wayne is scheduled to make an appearance.
simultaneously we’ll be feeding the homeless. Our goal is to feed about 500 people and that will be all done on Saturday. The Saints players will be there, any additional players who want to volunteer will be there as well. Of course Toya will be there also. Everyone pretty much knows that’s the focus of the entire weekend. That evening Juggie who host the number 1 radio show in the city will do his Social Shakedown Saturday, but instead of doing it in the studio, he will do a live broadcast from the event. Then afterwards will be the Social Shakedown After Party hosted by DJ Khaled, with a live performance from Trae The Truth, an ABN/Grand Hustle artist. Sunday will be the Super Bowl Watch Party where we will watch the game from 6-10. A few local models will host with DJ Demps providing the music. The Watch Party will go straight into our Grand Finale party hosted by Kevin Hart.
Do you have a set goal you want to accomplish this weekend or do you just want to bring awareness to the organization?
I want to bring awareness to the organization, and I really just want this event to serve as a catalyst for the next project and the next events we have going on. I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring everyone together. The local personalities have let me know that anything else I may need from them, to just let them know.
How can someone who won’t be in New Orleans for Super Bowl weekend or who’s not necessarily from New Orleans help out the cause?
People can definitely visit the website. There are donation links, contact information on how to reach Home Mission Inc and there will always be calendars and information up.
http://impactweekend.eventbrite.com/
http://superbowlimpactweekend.com/
