Tyler Perry's Gift to Minister Will Help Save Lives

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell praises Tyler Perry for his recent $98,000 donation to Project H.O.O.D., which will help construct a community center. She says the center will serve the audience that helped build Perry's career.

I love me some Tyler Perry.

On Friday, Perry closed out Black History Month by donating $98,000 to Project H.O.O.D.

The rooftop campaign, led by the Rev. Corey Brooks of New Beginnings Church, began on Nov. 22. The goal was to raise $450,000 needed to buy a boarded-up motel at 6625 S. King Drive, then replace it with a community center.

The publicity stunt was also supposed to focus attention on the city’s deplorable violence.

Brooks had been up on the roof for 94 days. During his self-imposed exile, Brooks managed to raise most of the money needed to purchase the blighted structure.

Although some of Brooks’ peers supported his bodacious effort, others snubbed the crusade.

“The lord didn’t give it to me to go up on the roof to raise money,” is the way one minister put it.

Perry’s hefty contribution, along with $85,000 from an anonymous donor, gave Brooks the victory over the Doubting Thomases.

“When I got the news, I was speechless and just cried like a big baby and even now at this very moment I am overwhelmed with joy because people understand the importance of this cause. We must stop gun violence!” Brooks said in an e-mail.

Read Mary Mitchell's entire column at the Chicago Sun-Times.