News Release
For Immediate Release
For 10 consecutive years, 100 % of Future Foundation program participants have graduated from high school and attended post-secondary institutions. On March 29, 2017, Future Foundation celebrated Atlanta’s past, present and future investments in education for underserved youth at its Keep It 100% luncheon. Led by event chair, Curley Dossman, President of Georgia Pacific Foundation, and a host committee of 21 business and civic leaders, this signature fundraising event for Future Foundation invites the metro Atlanta community to become 100% Circle Investors with the goal of raising $350,000. The Jean Childs Young Individual Leadership in Education Award was presented to Shan Cooper, Chief Transformation Officer of WestRock, and the Ann Cramer Corporate Leadership in Education Award was presented to UPS. These distinguished awardees were chosen for their significant investments in education for metro Atlanta’s most vulnerable youth.
The most important civil rights issue facing the United States today is education in underserved communities. Here in Atlanta, activists and philanthropists have long made education for our most vulnerable, at-risk youth their top priority; this is the core of the Future Foundation mission.
A young but powerful organization with a strategic model that utilizes education to change the trajectory for impoverished youth, Future Foundation enjoys the support of the Atlanta philanthropic community. The families of Jean Childs Young, former first lady of Atlanta and internationally known educator and advocate for children’s rights, and Bennett Brown, former NationsBank chairman who invested in education to improve the lives of resilient children who, like him, did not have easy access to higher education, are ardent supporters.
Ann Wilson Cramer, who has been committed to education and empowering children in Atlanta for decades through her corporate role with IBM and her personal advocacy as a community leader and co-founder of Communities in Schools, is also a trusted advisor and supporter. “I want to be part of a community in which every child– has the opportunity to grow up safe, healthy, educated, connected, employable, and then become a contributing, interdependent – not dependent and not independent – contributing citizen. That’s how I see Future Foundation,” said Ann Cramer. “The Future Foundation literally lifts up the community to that aspiration for all to be reaching their full potential.”
Attendees at the Future Foundation Keep It 100% Luncheon included former Atlanta Hawks Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Josh Smith; radio personalities Veronica Waters, Chubb Rock and SiMan Baby; corporate senior executives Eduardo Martinez, Shan Cooper, Gerard Gibbons, Tim Davies, Cyril Turner and Ann Cramer; and Atlanta City Council Members, Ceasar Mitchell and Andre Dickens. Collaborative partners in attendance included Communities in Schools co-founder Neil Shorthouse, Fulton County Schools, 100 Black Men of America, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, C5 Georgia, and others. It was a who’s who from the metro Atlanta educational philanthropic community. Ceasar Mitchell called the group in attendance, “A gang for good.”
This was somewhat of a coming out party for Future Foundation; an emphatic statement that “we are here and we are fighting for all children growing up in poverty in metro Atlanta.” And metro Atlanta listened. They contributed, they applauded, they are engaged and getting more involved. Attendees gave a standing ovation for Future Foundation alumni Shawanda Edwards for her personal testimony. “I started Future Foundation when I was in the 4th grade. I was a student at Park Lane Elementary School and was struggling in some of my classes. I was a very shy kid. Future Foundation helped me learn to talk to people, plan for my future and learn…And I stand before you now, a first-generation, college graduate with aspirations of one day leading a nonprofit so I can inspire the next generation.” Shawanda said as she addressed the crowd of 165.
Honorary event chair Curley Dossman, President of Georgia Pacific Foundation, spoke to his involvement with the Keep It 100% Luncheon. “I support Future Foundation because they have a proven track record and exceptional leadership in CEO Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim. They work with youth who grow up in risk-filled environments and yet achieve a 100% graduation rate. The Keep It 100% Luncheon celebrates that achievement and the great work of activists like Jean Childs Young and philanthropists like Ann Cramer who led Atlanta by example and paved the way for us all to continue developing youth today.”
The annual luncheon celebrates Future Foundation’s 100% Circle Investors. The metro Atlanta community is invited to become 100% Circle Investors with contributions of $5,000, $2,500 or $1,000 for individuals and small businesses, and $25,000, $10,000 or $5,000 for corporations and foundations. Donors giving in 2017, include AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Georgia Pacific, Sun Trust, Delta, UPS, Federal Home Loan Bank, Radio One, Cox Enterprises and many others.
To make a gift and become a 100% Circle Investor, go to www.future-foundation.com/keep-it-100 or call 404.766.0510. One hundred percent of Circle Investor contributions support Future Foundation’s programs and operations.
About Future Foundation, Inc.
The Future Foundation of Atlanta levels the playing field for more than 800 youth and their parents annually through high-quality, place-based education, health and life skills programs that mobilize cross-sector partnerships with schools, businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. With 15 years of history behind its work, Future Foundation has launched a new data driven model in partnership with Fulton County Schools to improve the graduation and college readiness rates of low-performing high schools. Planned efforts align with the implementation of the Fulton County School District’s Achievement Zone program. For more information on how to become a 100% Circle Investor, call 404.766.0510 or visit www.future-foundation.com/keep-it-100.
Future Foundation, Inc.
1892 Washington Road
East Point, GA 30344
www.future-foundation.com
For more information, contact:
Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim
[email protected]
404.766-0510
###
Social