The Black Eyed Peas’ Peapod Foundation

Band members from the GRAMMY-winning hip-hop group, The Black Eyed Peas -- will.i.am, Fergie, apl.de.ap and Taboo -- created The Peapod Foundation to encourage social change by uniting people, especially children, through the universal language of music.

From their very beginnings as an aspiring group from Los Angeles, The Black Eyed Peas have exhibited a passionate and energetic hip-hop spirit that attracts a diverse array of people to their music. They've earned fans worldwide with their inventive approach, inspiring people with loose rhymes, positive spirit and funkafied vibe. They took the international world by storm with the release of multi-platinum albums such as Monkey Business and Elephunk and now want to harness their success to help children realize their dreams through the power of music and the arts.

The Black Eyed Peas have a rich tradition of lending their support to worthy causes, giving back through free concerts, toy drives and volunteer projects. In response to the tragic Southeast Asia tsunami of 2004, the group organized their first Peapod benefit concert during GRAMMY week. The Black Eyed Peas and friends performed at the sold-out concert that raised vital dollars for tsunami relief. The event was so successful, the group now hosts the fund raiser annually to help children in need.

Last May, the group launched their first international charitable endeavor when they organized a free concert for more than 70,000 people living in rural South Africa. Performing alongside acclaimed South African artists and dancers, the Black Eyed Peas put a spotlight on the plight of children and made a vow during the internationally televised event to combat global issues affecting young people, especially orphaned, foster and impoverished children.

The Black Eyed Peas’ Peapod Foundation was established as a Charitable Service Fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a leading philanthropic arm of Hollywood. The Peapod Foundation supports innovative programs for children and focuses attention on universal needs including music/artistic education, shelter/housing and health care.

Through tonight’s benefit, The Peapod Foundation will provide funding to Peace4Kids to help launch the first Peapod Music and Arts Academy, a state-of-the art music educational center and recording facility serving foster children in Los Angeles. The goal of the new Academy is to help turn dreams into reality by giving kids the tools, opportunities, and mentoring support they need to help realize their fullest potential and grow up to be productive, enterprising adults.

The need to support these youth couldn’t be greater. More than 550,000 children in the U.S. are in the foster care system today with 100,000 of those children right here in California - 20% of the nation’s total and more than any other state in the country. Los Angeles is home to over 30,000 foster children alone - who are at the greatest risk of being abused, traumatized, homeless, poor; and later in life, jobless and incarcerated.

After an in-depth review of several programs in Los Angeles, the Black Eyed Peas selected Peace4Kids at the Watts/Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club as the home of its first Peapod Music and Arts Academy. Peace4Kids provides foster children and youth in need with a sense of belonging in a safe, nurturing environment through which they learn cooperation, conflict resolution, and build self esteem. Peace4Kids, a 501 (c) (03), is the only direct service program of its kind designed for foster children and youth in South Los Angeles. The program is currently being studied by foundations as a national model for other U.S. cities.

The first Black Eyed Peas Music and Arts Academy will open its doors early Spring 2007. For more information about the Black Eyed Peas Peapod Foundation and how to contribute, explore this website.