Month: March 2023

ALBANY, Ga., March 30, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Today, Albany Community Together, Inc., a leading network for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), announced it has received a $1 million grant from Truist Foundation. The grant will help Albany Community Together, Inc., in partnership with Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education, Inc. and Phoebe Putney Memorial Health Systems, create an ecosystem to address the social determinants of health that are barriers to economic prosperity by repurposing a former grocery store into a Community HUB called The Table of Southwest Georgia. The Table of Southwest Georgia will offer a holistic, multi-faceted approach to creating a healthy, financially viable community by closing the accessibility gap to critical areas of wellness, including food, finances and healthcare.

“Our mission is building wealth and creating economic opportunities in Southwest Georgia by providing affordable access to capital and business support for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners,” said Thelma Adams Johnson, President/CEO of Albany Community Together, Inc. “We are excited to bring this project to Albany to provide opportunities for our business community, including small businesses, food-related businesses and small rural farmers, to access capital. By helping minimize the effect of the social determinants of health on wealth creation and building, we can create a healthier, more prosperous community.”

Led by Southwest Georgia Project in partnership with Albany Community Together and Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, The Table of Southwest Georgia will provide opportunities for black and rural farmers to scale their operations by aggregating their products to increase income; connect culinary entrepreneurs with space, resources and consumers; and reduce barriers to entry to the food truck industry by giving food service vendors access to commissary kitchens, commercial kitchens and food truck vendors.

“Truist Foundation is deeply committed to ensuring all communities have an equal opportunity to thrive and we believe The Table of Southwest Georgia will help revitalize the Albany community,” said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. “Through this innovative partnership, Albany Community Together will provide access to capital and business development services for food enterprises and agriculture-related businesses of color, acting as a catalyst for change in the local economy as well as the health of local residents.”

The Table of Southwest Georgia will create a thriving, centrally located marketplace for SWGP’s network of 101 farmers, as well as others. It will expand the production and marketing of local fruits and vegetables from small farms through an aggregation and distribution center as well as a direct-to-consumer farmers’ market. The farmers’ market will increase the income and intergenerational wealth of local farmers while simultaneously increasing access to affordable, healthy foods for community residents.

Phoebe Putney Health System will create a Health Equity Institute within The Table of Southwest Georgia, using data from the community to develop programs to address the population’s healthcare needs. The programs aim to decrease the chronic illnesses in the area through education and integration of policy and advocacy – ultimately creating an environment of health and wellness rather than a community driven by healthcare needs.

Albany Community Together, Inc. (ACT!) provides Capital, Coaching & Connections with a focus on African Americans, other populations of color and low-income persons. We work in partnership with banks to meet the credit needs of small business owners. CDFIs are lenders with a mission to serve small businesses underserved by mainstream finance and a proven model for moving capital into the hardest to serve communities. Our programs serve to close the financial gap, to make the business owner “whole” financially. There are more than 1,100 CDFIs working in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. For more information, contact Albany Community Together, Inc. at (229) 420-4600.

About Truist Foundation

Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. Truist Foundation’s grants and activities focus on building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.

3M and The Washington Post Creative Group are partnering to highlight innovative solutions that address the world’s most pressing climate issues. The year-long collaboration will feature content exploring the areas of circular economy, construction, energy, infrastructure, and transportation. With a focus on products and technologies at work in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Japan and South Korea, the program demonstrates that science-based solutions already exist and can be scaled to drive further positive impact.

“Now more than ever, we need to find solutions to address climate change,” said Gayle Schueller, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer at 3M. “3M is committed to tackling climate change by collaborating and applying our extensive knowledge of science to produce solutions for the most pressing climate challenges. Together with The Washington Post Creative Group, we will showcase how science can build a brighter future and inspire communities around the world to reimagine what’s possible.”

From a global feature on active science-based solutions around the world to an interactive 360 Immersive Experience and live programming sponsored by 3M in Washington DC, Mexico City and Seoul, the collaborative campaign will give audiences an in-depth understanding of climate issues and the solutions driving positive change.

It is the most expansive global campaign yet by The Washington Post Creative Group, with content translated into English, German, Japanese, Spanish and Korean—increasing accessibility to critical information and resources around climate change.

“We are excited to work with 3M, which is committed to using science to drive sustainability around the world and exemplifies how companies can make a significant impact in the fight to save the planet. This is a large and global program that aligns with the Post’s deep commitment to telling stories about the most pressing issues related to climate and the environment,” said Mary Gail Pezzimenti, Head of Creative at Washington Post Creative Group.

Washington Post Live, the newsroom’s live journalism platform featuring top-level government and business leaders, recently launched its “This is Climate” program series about the impact of climate change around the world. Throughout the year, experts from 3M will be featured in sponsored conversations during these news programs, sharing their perspectives and insights on climate issues, existing innovations and best practices for the future. Key areas of focus during 3M’s segments will include sustainable infrastructure, circular economy, electric vehicles, urbanization, and renewable energy. Following each Washington Post Live program, a recording of the discussion will be made available at www.washingtonpostlive.com. The latest recap of the sponsored conversation with 3M can be found here.

Recently, 3M expanded its research and development into emerging climate technologies focused on decarbonization and renewable fuels, such as green hydrogen and low-carbon intensity energy separation solutions. 3M’s investment in solutions to address changing climate is bolstered by positive progress from its environmental and operational commitments. This includes 3M’s accelerated transition to renewable energy – part of the company’s decarbonization roadmap – as well as collaborations across the public and private sectors with organizations such as the Global Alliance for Sustainable Energy and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

At The Washington Post, health, science and environmental reporting has significantly grown in recent years with its expanded climate section. The Washington Post also recently announced its first-ever Climate Coach, an advice column that helps readers navigate the choices they face when seeking to live a more climate- and environmentally-friendly life. As a result of all these efforts, The Washington Post was named the top news source for its climate reporting according to the recently released 2022 Erdos and Morgan Opinion Leaders study.

About 3M 
3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what’s possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we’re working to improve lives and make what’s next at 3M.com/news or on Twitter at @3M or @3MNews.