Marshaan Johnson is paying it forward using his Minneapolis nonprofit, Project 612, to mentor middle and high school athletes and at-risk youth.
“We want to keep some of those kids, that maybe didn’t make the team or didn’t reach their goals this year, out of trouble, out of harm’s way,” he says. “We know that basketball would be kind of the hook, to bring them in, keep them busy, but also give them opportunities to learn more.”
Johnson and a friend launched the project in February, and through a family connection, got an offer for $2,500-per-month funding from Kim Nordenstrom; at the time, she was the treasurer for the Isanti County Sheriff’s Foundation…