"I can't tell you how cool it's been to play a small part in raising money for widows and orphans,” says Pierre. “You know, my Grandma's a widow and I have three cousins who have been adopted from an orphanage (and a fourth on the way!), so being able to work with the James Fund was not only a privilege but also personal to me in a way. It's a real honor that my music could be used for something so important. It really is far better to give than it is to get!"

The teen artist’s partnership with Family Christian Stores started in mid-Sept. and ended right after the holiday season. With a $10 donation to The James Fund, shoppers received Identity and a Barnabus bear that was given to an orphan in the consumer’s community or in a third world country.

“What a great partner Family Christian Stores and the James Fund have in Robert Pierre,” says Family Christian Stores James Fund President Steve Biondo. “Robert is a gifted young artist who has a heart for the orphan. His contribution to our Family Christian Stores’ James Fund promotion allowed us to set a new fund raising record for the event. Robert’s partnership will allow us to dramatically increase our impact in orphan care, adoption assistance, and widow care. “

Identity will release on thinkaboutit records to all stores nationwide in April 09 with three new tracks. The record is currently available on iTunes. Produced by Matt Bronlewee (DC Talk, Steven Curtis Chapman, Tobymac), Identity includes 11 tracks such as “Breaking My Heart,” “Don’t Miss This” and “I’m Not Perfect.” Four of the new songs were even written by the high school sophomore who titled his record Identity after performing for over a quarter of a million people on the road and realizing that his generation was having an Identity crisis and needed to be reminded of their Identity in their creator.

Family Christian Stores' Foundation, The James Fund, is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of orphans and widows around the world. God's direction and purpose for this mission is defined in scripture: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27 (NIV) Family Christian Stores http://familychristian.com/ , through The James Fund, partners with its customers in a shared mission: Reaching out to orphans and widows by showing them the love of our Heavenly Father. In addition, The James Fund provides adoption assistance to partner agencies as well as hands-on orphan care and quality of life initiatives that make differences in the lives of orphans and widows. The James Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Family Christian Stores in 2003 to meet the needs of orphans and widows in the communities it serves.

Robert Pierre is a 16 year-old sophomore who plays high school basketball, leads student worship at his church, is involved in student leadership at his school and is a national recording artist. Identity will be the follow-up project to Inside Out, Pierre’s freshman release on thinkaboutit records.