Cookie and Michael Johnson have stayed more than active in working towards educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse and urban communities through the Magic Johnson foundation. Founded by Magic in 1991, Cookie is presently the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the foundation which lays special emphasis on working towards betterment and upliftment of the children. And this recently earned the duo a lifetime achievement award at Cannes, France for all their work so far.

Both Magic and Cookie Johnson took to their official Instagram accounts to share the news with fans. “Tonight was an emotional night for us. We received the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Lifetime Achievement Award in Cannes, France,” read the caption to the post. The couple also recollected the time they had met President Mandela in South Africa, while hosting basketball clinics for kids.

The duo praised the former South African president for everything he wanted to do for humanity and especially for improving the lives of children. “His mission was like ours, to try and improve the lives of those in the inner cities of America… Thank you to the President of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Dr. Linda Ncube-Nkomo for having us…,” added the caption to the IG post by the two.

The post also featured and appreciated the dance performance by the dance group — Ghetto Kids. Both Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson also made a promise of continuing their work in underserved communities across America.

Some recent notable works by Magic Johnson for a better cause

One recent instance of initiative for the youth came at Delaware State University’s annual event in December 2023. The guest list included appearances from Johnson, R&B group SWV, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Steve Ewing. An automotive executive, Ewing, extended a $1 million gift for the university as a part of raising scholarship. As per an article by Delaware Online, this was the largest ever contribution given by an alumnus in 132 years.

Additionally, the former NBA star donated $600k, and promised an additional $1 million as DSU grows. As per the article, Magic Johnson Enterprises, jointly with SodexoMagic, also provides food for the Dover institution. Notably, Johnson has partnered up another organization that battles to fight hunger among children — ‘FEED THE CHiLDREN’.

As per the official web, it is a non-profit organization that delivers food and other critical resources to children. “We believe in helping families and communities with their immediate needs while also providing the tools needed to achieve a bright future,” read the website. The former Lakers star, in partnership with Feed the Children, donated 25-pound boxes of food to 800 families during the holiday season in November 2023. Now, the recent honor at the Cannes is most likely to further fuel the fire in the duo to serve a greater cause.