The biggest slam dunk of a radiothon to benefit Detroit schoolchildren was getting Tom Gores to become an enthusiastic supporter.
The same factors that motivated Gores to buy the Detroit Pistons in 2011 – to use the platform of a professional sports franchise to benefit the region where his roots trace – are what brought S.A.Y. Detroit to life.
The idea behind S.A.Y. Detroit, founded by Detroit media personality Mitch Albom, was to use the carrot of athletic participation in a clean, safe environment to motivate Detroit schoolchildren to stay on track academically and help navigate pathways to productive and fulfilling lives.