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The Jonathan Bender Foundation ("hereinafter the Foundation"), is a nonprofit charitable 501(c)(3) corporation established by its founder, Jonathan Bender a former veteran of the NBA Indiana Pacers Professional Basketball Team.  Bender established the Foundation after his community experienced the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina and he witnessed first-hand the tremendous needs of children in his community.

The mission of the Foundation is to empower children in the community by providing them the tools to obtain life skills that address their educational, health and social needs. Our goal is to ensure and enhance the quality of life for children in the community, striving to achieve equal opportunity for all.  The Jonathan Bender Foundation Program aims to improve self esteem and self-confidence of youth through a variety of sports and non-sports related activities.  To that end, the Foundation implements programs and activities that will enhance and enlighten the minds the bodies of youth in the community.

As stated above, The Jonathan Bender Foundation will target youth in Southern Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast areas.  Boys and Girls ages 6-17 will be referred to The Jonathan Bender Foundation Program from local Boys and Girl clubs, City and Public Housing Programs, recreation programs, youth counselors, teachers and parents.

We conduct training and educational programs designed to improve children's academic skills.  Literacy is clearly a high priority for obvious reasons.  It is paramount to ones success as a student and eventually as a productive citizen.  We offer health-related screenings and educational sessions to promote and encourage children's healthy lifestyles.  We empower children by teaching and promoting good decision-making and problem-solving skills.  We teach children the importance of team work, sportsmanship, and other life-lessons through participation in a variety of sports related activities.   

A group of "incentives" and "rewards" will be given to participants based on personal progress during the year. Positive attitudes, perseverance, regular attendance, community service, academic improvement and other similar achievements will earn commendations as participation in special events.

Risk taking, accepting dares and a propensity for rebellion have been a part of the adolescent experience for generations.  Children daring each other to do negative inappropriate behavior have been one of the results of peer pressure.  The Jonathan Bender Foundation takes a different stance, and encourages youth to challenge one another in a more positive manner. 

The Jonathan Bender Foundation Program is a challenge - a massive positive request - Youth to Youth, child to child, and program to businesses - challenging them to get involved and be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of children in the community.

Local public schools systems and their professional staff have been expected to halp resolve youth educational, health and social problems at the community level.  Recent research from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and U.S. Bureau of Justice regarding adolescents indicates minimal success in this approach to solving the problems of poverty, literacy and at risk behaviors.  The following table compares data between the U.S. and the two states targeted by the Foundation, Louisiana and Mississippi.

 

These staggering figures indicates that it has become impossible for the problems of our community to be controlled by school systems alone.  The problems can only be addressed with programs that have professionally formatted guidelines, adequate funding, proper training, effective means of determining the success of techniques employee, and ongoing evaluation.

The problem-solving objective of The Jonathan Bender Foundation focuses on a model which will allow children to analyze events and happenings in their lives.  It will enable them to identify causes, evaluate possible effects, and to handle adverse situations in a positive manner.  We realize that the overall success of our program is directly related to the degree by which we are able to instill in youth a desire to set productive goals and a determination to work towards their achievement.  This goal-oriented behavior will assist us in fostering a sense of self-worth in our community's children.  Positive accomplishments serve to encourage greater goals and a heightened awareness of one's ability to be the best they can be, without the false encouragement of drugs and other at risk behaviors.

GOAL:

Our goal is to enhance the quality of life for children in the community, striving to achieve equal opportunity for all.  The Foundation will identify and sponsor community programs, as well as develop targeted programs unique to the Foundation. 

Education:

Conduct on-going training and educational programs designed to improve children's academic skills.

Health:

Promote and encourage a healthy lifestyle by offering health related screening, athletic and supporting activities, and educational programs on diet and nutrition as they relate to good health.

Social:

1) Empower children by teaching and promoting good decision-making and problem solving skills.

2) Teach children the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship and other life-lessons through participation in a variety of sports related activities.

• Design comprehensive quality programs that enhance wellness through the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
• Provide a range of programs to meet the diverse needs and interest of  specific youth populations, such as appreciation of cultural diversity, th importance of the arts and humanities, and education and literacy programs for persons living in poverty.
• Provide opportunity for children to be exposed to different occupations through lectures by role models in the community such as health care providers, sports figures, community leaders, music industry professionals, financial and real estate investors, etc.
• Provide opportunity for children to learn skills in conflict resolution and problem solving skills through Non-Violence Conflict Resolution Training and Instruction.
• Provide children and Youth an opportunity to enroll in after school and summer programs that offer mental, social and physical development.
• Utilize the high profile status of sports to introduce young people to the various aspects of how education and health will affect their quality of life.  Activities include camps, tournaments, and various athletic competitions.

Jonathan Bender was raised in Picayune, Mississippi and as a senior in high school, the Forward averaged 23.1 points, 15 rebounds, five blocked shots and four assists. He scored a record 31 points at the 1999 McDonald's High School All-America Game, breaking the previous mark of 30 points set by Michael Jordan in 1981.  At Magic Johnson's Roundball Classic, Bender scored 11 points along with seven rebounds and three blocked shots in 24 minutes.  Bender was also a first round draft pick in the 1999 NBA Draft when he was only 17 years old, and was fifth pick overall.

Despite a very promising career in the NBA, Bender was forced to announce his retirement in Spring 2006 due to a worsening knee injury.  However, this hardworking, driven young man has not missed a beat and has been channeling his stunning work ethic  into other endeavors.  Bender has invested in several high-end real estate properties, including commercial and resort/vacation properties; has formed NexNow Productions, which develops, acquires, and produces television and film projects; has built a state-of-the-art recording studio in the New Orleans area; and has recently established a non-profit organization, The Jonathan Bender Foundation, which strives to empower children in his community by providing them with tools to obtain life skills that address their educational, health and social needs.

Bender also is helping to improve the housing situation for low income families in New Orleans.  He has bought several properties, including apartment buildings, single family homes, and triplexes and has been renovating the properties to rent or sell to low-income families and families living on Section 8.  He also purchased 8 acres in East New Orleans and has hired an architect to draw up plans forf a development with town homes, apartments, and a community center in th middle of the property that will provide literacy programs, after-school programs for children, computer classes, and classes for parents wanting to get off of Section 8.

In addition, Bender has plans brewing to manufacture an energy tea drink called "Mardi Gras Tea" to distribute in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.  He is also working with a boxer in Houston, Guadalupe Martinez, who is 14 and 1.  Bender has always been interested in the sport of boxing and has hired a promoter to book Martinez in more fights this year.   He hopes to be working with other boxers in the near future.

Bender's hobbies outside of basketball and his business ventures include working with stereo and recording equipment, playing golf and pool, and working out at the gym.  His favorite actors are Martin Lawrence and Chris Tucker, and his favorite book is the Bible.  He spends his time between his homes in New Orleans, Houston, and Indianapolis.

 

OFFICERS 

 

 JONATHAN BENDER

Executive Director

MATTIE J. HOBLEY

President

 

SARAH PERRIN                           JOHNNY J. GEORGE                       HEIDI BUECH

        Secretary                                       Treasurer                               Public Relations

 

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Deidra B. Dudley

Barbara Lewis

Valarie McDowell

John E. Morgan Jr.

Dottie F. Reese

Dean Shaw

Mackie Shilstone

 HONORARY BOARD

Sullivan Bell

Prune Ellis

See the Donation Section on the home page to print form.

© 2007 Jonathan Bender Foundation

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