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When Philip and Gail Ross quit their jobs and devoted their lives to helping some of Atlanta’s inner city children, they knew it would be tough.

But they weren’t in it for the glory, and they certainly weren’t in it for the money. Still, they embrace the few really good days they have and they had one Tuesday.

Bright Futures Atlanta is the faith-based after-school program and summer day camp for inner-city children that they have founded. Philip Ross got the idea after spending a week as a counselor for underprivileged children.

“That week, as crazy as it sounds, changed my life,” he said. “Within a year, I had sold my business and got into full time ministry down here in the inner city of Atlanta working with the inner-city youth and their single mothers.”

Making sweet music is only part of what Alicia Keys wants to do with her life and says she is as committed to reaching out to children as she is to composing and singing.

“Helping to reach kids and people who really need someone to say, hey, this is possible. and show them different ways that it can actually, actually become realistic,” Keys said.

In every city her concert tour takes her, Keys meets with inner-city children to talk about setting and meeting realistic life goals.

“We just got a phone call out of the blue about 10 days ago,” Philip Ross aid. “One of their people just called and asked if we were interested in Alicia coming here.”

After the children got over their surprise, they got into her message.

“You should try to achieve your goals no matter what people tell you that you can’,” said 14-year-old Darius Bailey. “There’s no word can’t…you should try for success.”

This was a good day indeed — for the children, for Philip and Gail Ross, and, for Alicia Keys, too.

Reported by: Marc Pickard