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Shaka and Maya Smart to raise $100,000 for FRIENDS

Shaka and Maya Smart unveiled a 30-day fundraising campaign this morning for FRIENDS Association for Children at the organization’s child development center on 26th Street. The Smart family plans to raise $100,000 for FRIENDS during the month of November through Richmond t-shirt startup BonfireFunds.com.

“Our family continues to be impressed with the impact this organization is making for children in the community,” Maya Smart said. “We hope Richmond stands with us this month to raise money and visibility for FRIENDS.”

Individuals and fundraising teams can purchase and compete to sell shirts through a special site set up at BonfireFunds.com/FriendsRVA. Top fundraisers can earn rewards including a limited edition Shaka t-shirt, dinner with the Smarts at The Roosevelt, an Ed Trask painting and a Samsung 55” SMART LED TV.

The team selling the most shirts will win Coach Smart for an hour. This hour could include a speech at a company meeting or leading the winning team in a workout. “We’ll have fun with it,” he said.

“I visited FRIENDS earlier this year and saw the organization’s positive influence firsthand,” Coach Smart said. “The kids are so bright, they have a great energy, and we need to keep lifting them up so they can reach their potential.”

FRIENDS Association for Children has been serving Richmond for more than 140 years and offers services that help children gain critical literacy and developmental skills. FRIENDS operates multi-service child development centers in Jackson Ward and Church Hill and serves nearly 1,000 children, ages six weeks to 17 years of age, with a broad array of services.