Former Detroit Lion and Benton Harbor Native Joique Bell announced on social media that Whirlpool has awarded the Joique Bell Charity a six-figure donation to be used toward a literacy initiative at Benton Harbor schools.
Recently, Bell partnered with Beyond Basics, a Detroit-area nonprofit dedicated to eradicating illiteracy and transforming the lives of students in vulnerable communities. In a YouTube video for Beyond Basics, Bell talks about why he started the program in his hometown.
“Illiteracy is a real problem facing Benton Harbor,” said Bell, in a press release. “I’m excited to team up with Beyond Basics to bring intensive intervention to students in my hometown. This academic program has the power to drastically improve the lives of every student who struggles to read.”
Pamela Rogers Klyn, Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations and Sustainability at Whirlpool, commented below Bell’s post, saying “Excited to partner with you on this exciting program for our community!”
Bell said Beyond Basics has the track record to significantly improve literary statistics in his hometown, where currently 513 out 540 students at Benton Harbor High School are reading below their grade level.
“I don’t want any student to walk into a library and feel like they don’t belong,” Bell said. “Reading is fundamental. It broadens the imagination and allows students to dream big and reach their goals.”
Attempts to reach Bell and representatives from Whirlpool were not immediately responded to.
