Quinton Aaron, best-known for his portrayal of Michael Oher, is promoting a Dec. 8 charity event in town.
Five years ago, actor Quinton Aaron created the Quinton Aaron Foundation to help at-risk youths. On Dec. 8, he’s hosting a party to celebrate the anniversary and Plant City is invited.
Aaron, best-known for starring opposite Sandra Bullock in the 2009 film “The Blind Side,” came to town Aug. 24 to shoot some promotional videos for the “Seeds of Success” fundraiser at Wishing Well Barn, which will benefit both his foundation and Tampa Bay-area charity Forgotten Angels, with which Aaron also works.
“We love Plant City … everybody’s just absolutely amazing,” David Tyler, executive director for the Quinton Aaron Foundation, said.
Aaron and Tyler started the Quinton Aaron Foundation in August 2012 with the goal of helping children overcome problems stemming from bullying. Aaron visits schools around the country to tell his life stories and personally meet with children with the goal of preventing them from hurting themselves, though he has also helped kids learn to make better choices in life and improve themselves in and out of the classroom.
“Before the movie, I didn’t really have the ability to do that on a bigger scale because I was struggling myself,” Aaron said. “After the movie I realized it gave me such a platform to be able to reach out and affect a larger audience.”
Aaron’s foundation also does regular follow-ups with schools and children to make sure things are going well, and to offer more support if needed.
He also works with Forgotten Angels, which assists foster children in high school who are aging out of the system but still need help. It’s fitting considering Aaron became famous for portraying NFL player Michael Oher, himself a foster child, in the biopic film. Oher lived with several foster families before finding success with Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, who helped him have a stable home life and raise his grades enough to go to college. He was drafted 23rd overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Starring in the movie gave Aaron the platform and resources needed to get his foundation off the ground, but he wasn’t the only person who took action because of it.
“The amount of people I get that approach me and tell me they were inspired by the film to help out people they normally wouldn’t help or stuff like that is amazing,” Aaron said.
After filming the promotional videos, Aaron and his team visited Smokin’ Aces Steakhouse — another Forgotten Angels supporter — where they enjoyed a free meal and met local fans. The restaurant will also participate in the Seeds for Success event.
Seeds of Success will begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 at Wishing Well Barn, 4302 Pippin Road, and is open to the public. The fundraiser will feature appearances by celebrities and Tampa Bay-area athletes, with actor Jae Head confirmed and several others in the works, according to Tyler. There will also be music and spoken-word poetry, and American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson will perform.
For more information, visit QuintonAaron.org or call Wishing Well Barn at 813-478-6554.
