by Brian Malone | Mar 25, 2020 | CMG News
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation is donating $3.25 million to multiple
food banks across the state.
The financial
gift will help Tennessee food banks meet the needs of the communities affected
by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Food banks can often purchase supplies
at a much lower cost than individuals can, stretching to provide as many as
four meals for each dollar they receive in cash donations.
“Every
day, families count on local food banks for help — and that’s especially true
now,” said JD Hickey, M.D., chairman of the BlueCross Foundation. “Tennesseans
can get through these challenging times by coming together, and we’re expanding
our support for food banks statewide as another way to bring peace of mind to
our neighbors.”
The BlueCross
Foundation will distribute food relief funds to the following organizations:
- $750,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank
(Nashville)
- $750,000 to Mid-South Food Bank (Memphis)
- $500,000 to Chattanooga Area Food Bank
- $500,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of East
Tennessee (Knoxville)
- $500,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of
Northeast Tennessee (Tri-Cities)
- $250,000
to Regional Inter-Faith Association (Jackson)
The
state of Tennessee declared a state of emergency to facilitate the treatment
and containment of COVID-19, a global pandemic, on March 12. And due to the
coronavirus outbreak, the demand for food assistance is expected to increase
with school closures and time away from work.
Community
members who want to help can find and donate to their local food bank by
visiting www.FeedingAmerica.org.
As the
philanthropic arm of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, which has offices in
Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis, Jackson, Knoxville and Johnson City, the
BlueCross Foundation also provided financial and volunteer support for Middle
Tennessee relief efforts after a devastating tornado swept through the region
earlier this month.
For
more on how BlueCross is responding to COVID-19, visit BCBSTupdates.com.
About BlueCross®
BlueCross
BlueShield of Tennessee is a taxpaying, not-for-profit health plan serving more
than 3.5 million members in Tennessee and around the country. The
Chattanooga-based company was founded in 1945 and is celebrating its 75th
anniversary of bringing peace of mind to its members and local communities.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the
BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company’s
news center at bcbstnews.com.
About BlueCross BlueShield of
Tennessee Foundation, Inc.
The
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation, Inc., was established in December
2003 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation organized to promote the
philanthropic mission of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. The foundation
provides funding for the BlueCross Healthy Place program, which creates active,
healthy spaces across Tennessee.
by Brian Malone | Feb 11, 2020 | CMG News
River City Capital Investment (RCC), an affiliate of Community Lift, was awarded $225,000 from the U. S. Department of Treasury as a part of their community development financial institution (CDFI) Fund.
“This is flexible, no-cost capital
that RCC can use to increase the volume of its products and services,”
said Babacar Thiaw, Lending Executive in Residence at River City
Capital. “This is great not only for us as an organization, but also
for the city of Memphis. We go beyond traditional lending, and this
is an opportunity for us to help people in underserved communities.”
The award is intended to expand
economic opportunities via CDFIs in economically distressed and underserved
areas. RCC plans to use the funds to help businesses in Whitehaven
along with other communities in the city. As such, they have been
working with organizations like the Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment
Corporation (GWERC) to identify businesses that may benefit from their
services.
“Economic opportunities like RCC
helps GWERC to remain true to our commitment of helping the Whitehaven
community to reach its full potential through the revitalization and
redevelopment of businesses and the promotion of economic development in the
area,” said Trey McKnight, Executive Director, GWERC.
For more information about River City Capital Investments,
visit www.RiverCityCapital.org.
About River City Capital Investment:
River City Capital Investment Corp., an affiliate of Community
LIFT, is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)
certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Our mission is to increase
economic development in underserved neighborhoods by attracting and leveraging
investment capital for community revitalization.
###
by Brian Malone | Feb 11, 2020 | CMG News
The Best in
Black Awards (BIBA) are
back for the 8th year. The local business community is sponsoring
this great event. Some of the businesses include the Downtown Memphis Commission,
AARP, Oteka Technologies, Complete Computers Services, Sims Financial Group, The
Wharton Law Firm, Regional One Health, Methodist Healthcare, Crumpy’s, A1 Printing,
Spotlight Productions, and Pete Mitchell Insurance.
The awards have become an anticipated
event among black-owned businesses in the Mid-South. BIBA is a vehicle for
hundreds of individuals and businesses to receive recognition for their hard
work while advertising their products, services, and talents before thousands.
The mission of the Best in Black Awards is
four-fold:1) To celebrate African-American owned and operated businesses and
professionals in the Mid-South;2) To identify those businesses most supported
by the African American community;3) To serve as a marketing and recognition
platform and; 4) Encourage aspiring business leaders.
The
2020 BIBA theme is “Stepping Up.” The
public is invited to join us Thursday, February 6, 2020, at the Central Station Hotel, located at
545 S Main St. The V.I.P. Reception will
begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the awards show at 7:00 p.m. Radio Personality
Stan Bell will serve as the Master of Ceremony for the event.
Tickets are still
available for $45.00, includes admission into the V.I.P. Reception, and can be
purchased at the event.
About Best
Media Properties
Best
Media Properties is the parent company of The New Tri-State Defender, which is
one of the longest continuously, published African-American newspapers in the
South. Under the leadership of its Board of Directors, it has evolved into a
progressive multi-media business with a distribution that includes print
newspaper, digital publications, website/social media pages and events. TSD’s
mission is to inform, inspire and elevate the quality of life of its growing
audience while serving as the primary vehicle for reaching African Americans in
the Greater Memphis market. The New Tri-State Defender multi-media platform reaches
85,000 people weekly. Visit us at www.tsdmemphis.com .
###
by Brian Malone | Dec 6, 2019 | CMG News
Six Shelby County Schools and more than 250 families will benefit from this partnership.
The Tennessee Valley Authority made a contribution to Mid-South Food Bank to create six Healthy School Pantries in local schools. More than 22% of children in Shelby County live in food-insecure households. The $100,000 contribution will assist in feeding more than 250 families. Students and their families will receive 50 pounds of nutritious food, the equivalent of 42 meals.
“This
is such a meaningful partnership for TVA,” said Mark Creech, TVA Memphis executive
director. “We are helping families who need nutritious meals, and our TVA
associates can rollup their sleeves and help create the food boxes that the
students and families will receive.”
This
contribution from TVA also includes the purchase of a minivan necessary for food
bank personnel to deliver the food for distribution to the school pantries and
emergency supplies.
“The
Mid-South Food Bank is thrilled to have TVA as a partner, and the volunteers
are a needed bonus,” said Cathy Pope, Mid-South Food Bank, president &
CEO. “This donation will help feed so many families that need healthy
food. We truly appreciate this new partnership.”
Like
Mid-South Food Bank, TVA is committed to service. It is TVA’s mission to make
life better for the people in Memphis – and for the people it serves across the
region.
The
six schools receiving the new food pantries are: Northaven Elementary, Ross
Elementary, A. B. Hill Elementary, Kipp Memphis Academy, Kirby Middle School
and Wooddale Middle School.
Attending
today’s announcement were TVA Board of Directors John Ryder, Ron Walter, and
representatives from each school receiving a TVA Healthy School Pantry.
About Tennessee Valley
Authority
The
Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that
provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving
nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no
taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of
electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its
electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for
the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and
local governments with economic development and job creation.
About Mid-South Food
Bank
Mid-South
Food Bank serves a 31-county area in west Tennessee, north Mississippi and east
Arkansas by providing food through a network of partner agencies and
programs. Last fiscal year, the Food
Bank distributed more than 16.7 million pounds of food.
by Brian Malone | Apr 29, 2019 | CMG News
More than 35 grant partners will benefit from this award cycle.
The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) will announce its 3rd year investment of $1.2 million into zip code 38126 at a news conference on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 10 a.m. at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. More than 30 new grantee partners will be announced at this news event.
The investment is part of
WFGM’s Vision 2020 Strategic Plan to reduce poverty by five percent in zip code
38126, the poorest area in the City of Memphis. The plan focuses on case
management, employment training, early childhood education, youth development,
and financial literacy to achieve the five percent reduction. Since launching
Vision 2020 in 2015, the Women’s Foundation has directly touched the lives of
more than 10,000 people in the area including but not limited to:
- $4.7 Million invested in 38126
- 1,084 people placed in jobs
- 76 individuals started a business or
micro-enterprise
- 49% increase in average household income
In April 2016, WFGM awarded
its year one investment of over $1 million to 22 grantee organizations to
support programs provided in 38126. In April 2017, WFGM awarded 1.2 million to 27
grantee partner organizations.
The 2019 grantee
partners and investment areas are:
Case Management &Wraparound Services
Catholic
Charities of West Tennessee
Family
Safety Center
Hope
House Day Care
Knowledge
Quest
Metropolitan Interfaith Association
Neighborhood
Christian Center, Inc.
Urban Strategies Inc.
Adult Education, Training, &
Entrepreneurship
Advance
Memphis
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis
DeNeuville
Learning Center
Dress for
Success
HopeWorks, Inc.
Karat Place, Inc.
Memphis Urban League
Shelby
County Chapter of the Links, Inc.
Southwest TN Community College Foundation
YWCA of Greater Memphis
Early Childhood Development
Early
Success Coalition
Families
Matter
Kindred Place (former Exchange Club)
Porter-Leath
Southern
Avenue Charter School of Academic Excellence
Youth Development & Employment
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mid-South
Booker T. Washington Middle & High School
Emmanuel Center, Inc.
Girls Scouts Heart of the South
Girls Incorporated of Memphis
Memphis Inner City Rugby
Mid-south
Peace and Justice Center
Mustard Seed, Inc.
New Ballet Ensemble and School
STREETS Ministries
U of M, Herff College of Engineering
Vance Avenue Youth Development Center
Financial Education & Asset Building
RISE
Foundation, Inc
South
City a Community of Opportunity Revitalization Empowerment (SCORE CDC)
Information about each
of the grantee partner programs and the investments in those programs will be
available at the news conference. There will also be opportunities to interview
grantee partners.
Immediately following
the news conference is an opportunity to interview the 2019 Annual Tribute
Luncheon keynote speaker Women’s National Basketball Players Association
Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson. The Tribute Luncheon is the WFGM’s
signature fundraising event. It is Thursday, April 25 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:15
p.m. at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The presenting sponsor is FedEx.
ABOUT THE WOMEN’s
FOUNDATION FOR A GREATER MEMPHIS
For
more than 20 years, The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) has been
uniting women and helping break the cycle of poverty through philanthropy,
leadership and collaboration. The mission of the WFGM is to encourage
philanthropy and foster leadership among women and support programs that engage
women and children to reach their full potential. #WomenEmpowerWomen #wfgm
by Brian Malone | Mar 31, 2019 | CMG News
Women leading the Leadership Roundtable Committees
Announced
Good negotiator, creative marketer, executive leader, and all around fixer is how the leader of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is described. Terri Carmichael Jackson is the Executive Director for the WNBPA and is the 2019 keynote speaker for Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis Annual Tribute Luncheon. The luncheon this year is April 25, 2019 at the Memphis Convention Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. FedEx is the presenting sponsor of this event.
“Terri is dynamic, engaging and a
powerhouse who has a track record of supporting young women and women’s issues,”
said Ruby Bright, WFGM Executive Director. “She embodies this year’s Tribute
Luncheon theme – Empowered Women, Empower Women.”
In her role at the WNBPA, Jackson
oversees board relations, executive leadership, financial governance and
stakeholder outreach. She is an attorney and married to former National
Basketball Association (NBA) player Jaren Jackson and mother of Memphis
Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson, Jr.
The volunteer corporate leaders working
with WFGM to develop these annual fundraisers are dedicated to the Vision 2020
strategic plan to reduce poverty by five percent over five years in the 38126
zip code.
“I’m proud to serve with these
incredible women on the Leadership Roundtable for the Women’s Foundation for a Greater
Memphis” said Brie Carere, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and
Communications Officer, FedEx Corporation and Corporate Sponsorship Chair. “The
success of these two events provides critical support for the families living
in the 38126 — one of the poorest zip codes in the city. –
At FedEx, we are focused on connecting
people with possibilities, and supporting the Foundation’s Vision 2020 is an
example of how we can move the poverty needle and connect people with a
brighter future right here in Memphis.”
The WFGM Leadership Roundtable Committee
Co-Chairs also includes: Dr. Marcia Bowden-Marche’, Owner/Founder, Bowden
Internal Medicine and Denise Carpenter,
Vice President & Managing Director
of Development/NW Region, Hilton Worldwide are co-chairs for the Legends Award
Reception; Teresa Dickerson, Public Affairs Manager,
The Kroger Co., Delta Division is the
Marketing and Public Relations Chair; and Toni Boland-Evans, Manager, Global
Community, Nike, Inc., serves as the Logistics Chair for both events.
The
Legends Award Reception is scheduled for Thursday, April 11, 2019 at The
Columns at One Commerce Square from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The award recipients
will be announced in two weeks. The presenting sponsor is Baptist Memorial
Healthcare.
Sponsorships and tickets are still
available for the Tribute Luncheon and Legends Reception. Tickets can be
purchased at www.wfgm.org.
About
WFGM
For more than 20 years, The Women’s
Foundation for a Greater Memphis has been uniting women and helping break the
cycle through our philanthropy, leadership and collaboration. Our mission is to
encourage philanthropy, foster leadership among women and support programs that
enable women and children to reach their full potential.
by Brian Malone | Mar 25, 2019 | CMG News
The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis is pleased to announce its 2019 Legends Award Honorees. This year’s honorees are Meri Armour, Rev. Cheryl Beard, Claudia Haltom and Dr. Indurani Tejwani. The Honorees will receive unique recognition at the Legends Award Reception on Thursday, April 11, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at The Columns at One Commerce Square, 40 South Main Street.
The Legends Awards
pay tribute to women whose visionary and innovative work embodies the mission
of the Women’s Foundation. This year marks the 10th anniversary of
recognizing legendary women who have made an impact in the community.
The Legends Awards recipients
will be honored through one-of-a-kind works of art and prose that exemplify
their accomplishments and contributions to the community. The works of art and
prose created in their honor will be unveiled for the first time at the Legends
Award Reception.
“We
are proud to honor four women who have made it their life’s work to make
Memphis a better place,” said Ruby Bright, Executive Director of the Women’s
Foundation for a Greater Memphis. “This year we are honoring a trailblazer in
education, a champion for social justice, an advocate for children and a
committed philanthropist. Each Legend is very deserving of this honor.”
Cheryl Beard will receive a Catalyst Award. Beard is a minister of the Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church and has been a passionate, tireless advocate for children and families for more than 30 years.
Claudia
Haltom will also receive a Catalyst Award. Retiring after
17 years in the juvenile court system, Haltom founded A Step Ahead Foundation,
a non-profit whose mission is to provide safe, long-term, reversible
contraceptives to women without the means to afford them.
Meri
Armour will receive the Innovation Award. Armour is the
President and CEO of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. She has been committed to
children, believing that all children deserve a healthy and safe childhood with
the promise of a bright future.
Dr.
Indurani Tejwani will receive the Philanthropy and Leadership
Award. Tejwani has supported women and children in Memphis through over 50
years as a philanthropist, obstetrician and gynecologist. She is also a
founding member of the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis.
Sponsorship opportunities are
available. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.wfgm.org.
About the Women’s Foundation
for a Greater Memphis
For more than 20 years, The
Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) has been uniting women and
helping break the cycle of poverty through our philanthropy, leadership and
collaboration. The mission of the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis is
to encourage philanthropy and foster leadership among women and support
programs that enable women and children to reach their full potential.
by The Carter Malone Group LLC | Jan 16, 2019 | CMG News, Events
The Aspire Public School’s Board of Directors voted today to make its Aspire Memphis region an independent, locally-operated charter management organization.
Over the next 12-18 months, with continued support from the Aspire home office, all operational responsibilities at the four Memphis schools–Hanley Elementary, Hanley Middle School, Coleman Elementary and Aspire East Academy–will be transitioned to a new nonprofit organization and managed by a local board of directors. The schools will officially transition at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. During the transition period, the schools will remain part of Aspire.
“Our team, our scholars and I have gained so much from the affiliation with Aspire Public Schools and their leadership,” said Dr. Nickalous Manning, Superintendent, Aspire Memphis. “The time is right to begin this transition and we believe it will benefit all of our scholars and families to have an organization fully based here in Memphis managing our four schools.”
Aspire Memphis serves approximately 1,600 predominantly low-income African American scholars across three neighborhoods: Raleigh, Orange Mound, and Hickory Hill. Academic achievement in math and reading across the four schools currently paces schools serving similar students in Tennessee.
“We have every confidence in Dr. Manning and the local team and look forward to seeing these Memphis schools continue to thrive,” said Mala Batra, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Aspire Public Schools. “Dr. Manning and his team have shown a deep commitment to high-quality academic instruction and have developed incredible relationships within the Memphis community. They are well positioned to take these schools to new heights in service of scholars and families.”
About Aspire Public Schools
Aspire Public Schools operates 40 high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools serving 17,000 scholars in underserved communities across California and Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1998, Aspire is one of the nation’s largest open-enrollment public charter school systems serving predominantly low-income students, delivering a rigorous College for Certain education across grades TK-12. Currently in its 19th academic year, Aspire is one of the nation’s first charter school systems. Visit Aspire Public Schools at www.aspirepublicschools.org.
by Brian Malone | Dec 13, 2018 | CMG News
Attorney Carlissa Shaw Shares Life Lessons in New Book
Preventing young women from making the same perceived mistakes she made in her twenties, Attorney Carlissa Shaw, shares her life experiences and gives sage advice in her new “Twenty Something” – Lessons, Reflections and Survival Tips for your 20’s and Beyond. The book and an accompanying workbook, published by Grace Publishing, will be available on Saturday, December 15, 2018. A book launch event will be held on Saturday at Sage, 94 S. Main in Memphis from 5-7pm.
Attorney Shaw honestly discusses the pressures of being all things to all people so early in her life; the “superwoman complex” a lot of young women take on and the importance of learning financial literacy at a younger age. “There are 10 specific items I focus on in the book,” said Shaw. “Some include financial literacy, self-esteem and the importance of goal setting. The workbook will help readers journal and navigate through their own life experiences.”
Additional chapters within the book include:
- Conflict Resolution
- Good Girlfriends
- Sinking Ships
- Travel
- Branding
- Fashion and Style
“Twenty Something” is targeting women, 25-29 year olds who are attempting to figure things out while they are still in their 20’s. The retail price for the book is $19.99, EBook $4.99 and the workbook is $9.99. To learn more or purchase the book, find us on Amazon or visit the website at www.carlissashaw.com.
by Brian Malone | Oct 16, 2018 | CMG News
The Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), as a part of the Livability 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), will host three public meetings to give the community the opportunity to see the progress that has been made and provide comments and feedback on the work that is being performed by the MPO.
This community’s input is extremely important for a successful transportation system in the region. “These meetings give us an opportunity to share the results we have found to date as well as continue to receive input that will make this region’s transportation even better,” said Pragati Srivastava, Administrator, Memphis MPO. “Everyone is affected by these decisions and we want to take the communities input and create the best possible plan.”
Below you will find all the locations for the October 23, 2018 public meetings.
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Address: Desoto County Board of Supervisors 365 Losher Street, 3rd Fl. Hernando, MS 38632
Date/Time: Tuesdsay, October 23, 2018 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Address: MATA Airways Transit Center 3033 Airways Blvd. Memphis, TN 38131
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Address: Collierville Chamber Board Room 500 Poplar View Parkway Collierville, TN 38017
For more information on this and other services provided by the Memphis MPO, please go to our website at http://memphismpo.org
