via hotmusic

It’s a big year for R&B sensation and Dancing with the Stars alum Mario. He’s been working all summer on his new album and additionally just launched his Do Right Foundation in his hometown of Baltimore. He’s been traveling since to meet up with and reach out to kids. The foundation aims to provide help for underprivileged kids who are growing up in households where parents have a substance abuse problem. And there’s no one better to do this than Mario, who helped his own mother overcome her addiction. We caught up with the amazing Mario to find out the inspiration behind his charity.

Mario’s mother had been paralyzed from a horrible car accident when he was a young boy. When the hospital drugs weren’t enough to numb her pain, she turned to street drugs. “It was really tough for me to experience this on my own,” he tells CGG. “I learned my mother was a drug addict when I was eight years old. She had had several overdoses. I had no idea I was the one who helped save her life.” After years of struggling, and with the support of her family, Mario’s mother was able to overcome her addiction.

And it’s the strength he learned in helping his mother that gives him the perseverance to help kids today. “When I meet kids I’ll pull them aside and talk to them for a long time. It's hard to reach everybody, but I do my best.” Having worked frequently with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Mario know the importance of being a mentor, and having someone to look up to. “If I surrounded myself with pimps, I’d probably be a pimp,” he jokes.

“The mentorship program starts with me,” he tells us. “It’s about sharing my story.” Mario has big ambitions for his charity, from starting educational programs to helping provide treatment for drug abuse. Today his mother is doing fine, but he admits that every day is a struggle. With family like Mario, we’re confident she’ll be alright. We know one thing, that this is only the beginning for Mario. For a guy with such a huge heart, we can’t wait to see where he goes next.