INDIANAPOLIS— Colts cornerback JuJu Brents is continuing to give back to the community that raised him. On Tuesday night, he’ll host his inaugural Brents & Folks Gala.
The newly formed JuJu Brents & Folks Foundation is focused on fostering generational change by helping single parents.
Brents was raised in single-parent households.
“Just watching my mother with those everyday struggles has definitely been inspiring,” said Brents. “Its allowed me to have a never quit mentality, keep going understanding that sometimes you’re going to be a storm but it’s temporary you're going to get over it.”
The Colts cornerback is one of five kids raised by his mom Serena Fowlkes.
“Food, big necessity. Rent being paid, also dealing with transportation, needs for our kids. I always wanted to have them in their own extra curricular actives and sports or anything they wanted to do and just didn’t have the means to be able to do that,” said Fowlkes.
Fowlkes also wanted to better herself by going back to school.
“Wanted to further my education with my youngest child, which I did but it was still hard. Daycare is not something easy for people to have access to as well.
It’s the first hand experience that led Brents and Fowlkes to create the nonprofit. The Brent & Folks Gala will raise funds to offer financial support, education, and guidance to single parents in central Indiana.
“Wanted to be able to benefit single-parent households, mothers, fathers and just provide them with financial security or help them with the everyday struggles they might be dealing with,” said Brents.
“Go back to the old basic values that our parents taught us many years ago and support them and show them that even though you’re a product of this environment you do not have to stay in this environment and feel like this all of you there’s so much out there for you we just want them to see that,” said Fowlkes.
Brents is now in his second year with the Colts and since being drafted, the Warren Central grad has worked to give back to the community that poured so much into him.
“Coming from a kid that's from the FarEast side of Indianapolis and getting to a position I’m at now to be able to give back I think is going to be an inspiration to a lot of kids coming up beneath me and giving them something to look forward,” said Brents.
The gala is being held at the Hawthorns Golf and Country Club from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
To buy tickets and sponsorships you can visit this link.
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