Grammy Award winning rapper and accomplished actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and his foundation, The Ludacris Foundation, are scheduled to receive the 2007 National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) “Spirit of Youth” award in Chicago this Nov., for their work and dedication in helping America’s youth.
Ludacris recently won a Grammy for Best Rap
Album for Release Therapy, which includes the tragic “Runaway Love,” a narrative commenting on the mental and physical abuse, which inevitably leads to children running away from home.
“Since the release of ‘Runaway Love,’ Ludacris and The Foundation’s commitment to helping runaway youth and letting people know about the help
they can receive by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY has only increased,” said NRS executive director Maureen Blaha.
Since The Ludacris Foundation and NRS came together in late 2006 the NRS experienced a 17 percent increase in calls, and a significant increase in the number of visitors to its website.
Ludacris and Roberta Shields, president of The Ludacris Foundation, will accept the award on Nov. 1 in Chicago.
The National Runaway Switchboard, established in 1971, serves as the federally-designated national communication system for homeless and
runaway youth.
The crisis hotline is 1-800-RUNAWAY. For more information, visit http://www.1800runaway.org.
Ludacris is currently mourning the death of his father, Wayne Bridges, who died Sunday in an Atlanta hospital after a long illness.