ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MIMagic Johnson visits Saginaw

(01/30/12) - Some might say Saginaw will need some magic to revitalize itself, and that's exactly what the city got Monday.

Magic Johnson, the basketball legend and wealthy businessman, came to Saginaw to talk about his company's partnership with the Saginaw school system.

The hope is the Lansing native's involvement with the schools will also benefit the city.

There have been a lot of chapters in the life of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, and this latest chapter might be titled "Helping Cities Like Saginaw."

"Saginaw reminds me of Lansing so much," Johnson said.

That's why Magic Johnson is in Saginaw, and why the company that he's majority owner of, Sodexo Magic, wants to use its food service contract with the Saginaw Public School District for the beginning of a partnership, not just with the schools, but the city.

"How do we provide scholarships, how do we partner with the mayor and the city and come and provide businesses here," Johnson said.

His trip to Saginaw was the first step in building partnerships in the city. The first partnership he has with Saginaw is the School District's Superintendent, Carlton Jenkins.

"You have a man here who really cares about the community," Johnson said.

Jenkins says the only way Saginaw can survive is by providing a good education for its young residents, and he believes Johnson's involvement will encourage other entities to help out.

"To bring someone of his caliber, it puts proof in the pudding, it's a new day, he's going to be able to assist not only this district, but the city and this region in revitalizing itself," Jenkins said.

Johnson says he and his company will help raise money for the Saginaw Promise, the goal of which is to provide funding for any Saginaw school student who wants to go to college.

"We are going to have a big fundraiser in April," Johnson said. Possibly a fundraiser that includes a prize that was auctioned off to help raise money in the Benton Harbor school district.

"We bid on trips to go to Los Angeles to see the Lakers, sit in my seats on the floor, we raised $47,000 in 10 minutes," Johnson said. "That's what we want to come back and do here, we can send a lot of kids to college with $47,000.

The Saginaw Promise has a fundraising goal of $500,000 by the end of this school year. No doubt, with Magic Johnson playing a role, the chances of making the goal are improving.