Singer Mario knows first hand what it is to experience a loved-one dealing with substance abuse, and now he wants to help kids.
The Baltimore native is using his non-profit to help prevent substance abuse in middle and high school students in the Baltimore area.
The Mario Do The Right Foundation will hold the program at the Reach School, a Baltimore school that focuses on getting kids into college.
The program will promote healthy alternatives to smoking, alcohol and drug use. It will also teach the kids techniques to resist peer pressure to engage in these activities. There will also be referrals for parents to the University of Maryland Medical Center for substance abuse treatment.
Mario will interact with the kids in the program through SKYPE.
Studies have found parental substance abuse interrupts a child’s normal development, which places the child at higher risk for emotional, physical and mental health problems, directors of Mario’s foundation have found.
