Month: April 2023

NEW YORK, April 6, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Common Impact, a leader in skills-based volunteering, will host its flagship event, Skills for Cities, on April 20. This signature event will bring together Texas-based nonprofits working to further social equity with volunteers from leading corporations to find ways to solve their most critical capacity-building challenges.

Texas is home to an exciting growing hub of nonprofit innovators, social entrepreneurs, and community builders fighting for social equity. However, like many nonprofits nationwide, they lack the resources and tools to build these capacities needed to deliver on their missions. On average, nonprofits spend less than 10% on essential infrastructure like finance, human resources, technology, strategy, and marketing, while corporations tend to spend double or even triple this amount.

Skills for Cities is an opportunity to utilize cross-sector collaboration to address pressing capacity changes faced by nonprofit organizations. This signature skills-based volunteering event will join dozens of volunteers from companies across sectors, with large and growing footprints in the region, such as PayPal, Ameriprise, Truist, Wayfair, and PIMCO, with the leaders of several nonprofits, for an intensive, one-day virtual flash consulting event.

“Common Impact has done tremendous work with our skills-based volunteering initiatives, which has helped to build strong cross-sector partnerships and create lasting impacts in communities across the country. We are very excited to bring our signature event, Skills for Cities, to Texas, a region that is seeing a new wave of innovation in entrepreneurship and technology,” said Leila Saad, CEO of Common Impact. “Our event will aim to apply this wealth of corporate knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm to help advance the remarkable efforts these key nonprofits have made to advance social equity throughout the state and beyond.”

Four nonprofits with mission areas focused on social equity and community improvement will participate, including Inclusive Communities Project, Austin Recovery Network, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, and Financial Health Pathways. Teams of volunteers across companies will work together with nonprofit leaders on initiatives that will help improve website usability and boost audience engagement; develop financial visualizations to help with program planning and grant pitching initiatives; create a framework for a holistic employee wellness plan; and identify best strategic growth and expansion practices.

Skills for Cities will also feature a special Community Conversation with local Texas nonprofit leader Zion Escobar, the first Executive Director of the Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, which aims to preserve and protect Freedmen’s Town for future generations. Zion will discuss what the past, present, and future can teach you about equitable development and partnerships.

Nonprofits and corporate volunteers have noted the transformational impact of Skills for Cities events on their team members, organizations, and communities. Nonprofits have benefitted by learning new strategies and approaches to serve their communities better. Corporate volunteers have been able to grow their professional skills and gain a better understanding of the nonprofit sector. More details on Skills for Cities results can be found in the most recent report here.

For more information on Skills for Cities, please visit Common Impact’s site here.

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About Common Impact 
Common Impact is a national nonprofit that works to build a society in which individuals and businesses invest their unique talents towards a shared purpose: strengthening the local communities in which we live and work. Founded in 2000, Common Impact has partnered with Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of the country’s leading nonprofit organizations to create transformational change through skills-based volunteering. Learn more about Common Impact’s services, impact, and clients.

Media Contacts 
Chris Sullivan/Rosa Sobrino 
Craft and Capital  
rosa@craftandcapital.com 
+1 (212) 473-4442 

Originally published by Southern Company

April 6, 2023 /3BL Media/ – TOUR Championship officials announced a record $5.5 million charitable donation from the 2022 tournament, up from $3.7 million in 2021. The announcement was made during Atlanta Land Trust’s groundbreaking for The Trust at East Lake, a 40-townhome development that is being aided by the TOUR Championship’s charitable donation and will provide permanently affordable homeownership for East Lake residents beginning in the fall of 2025.

With the support of its Proud Partners Coca-Cola, Southern Company and Accenture, the TOUR Championship has now raised more than $48 million for local nonprofits since the event was first staged at East Lake Golf Club in 1998, including its five charitable beneficiaries: East Lake Foundation, Focused Community Strategies, Grove Park Foundation, Purpose Built Schools Atlanta and First Tee – Metro Atlanta.

“To be in a position each year to further invest in our local community through the TOUR Championship is a testament to the commitment of our incredible partners, the local business community and our loyal fans,” said TOUR Championship Executive Director Alex Urban. “Charitable giving is at the heart of what we do at the PGA TOUR and here at the TOUR Championship; to be able to give back in this manner is what it’s all about. And without the support of so many people, we would be unable to make such a positive and tangible impact in East Lake and across the Greater Atlanta Metro area. Today’s groundbreaking with the Atlanta Land Trust is just one example of how we’re helping those in our community who need it most.”

The East Lake Foundation, with the support of the TOUR Championship, is a philanthropic partner of The Trust at East Lake project, which will help further the Foundation’s efforts to expand affordable housing availability in the East Lake community and empower families to pursue economic vitality for themselves and future generations through affordable homeownership.

”The generous charitable contribution from the 2022 TOUR Championship has allowed us to close the remaining gap in our fundraising commitment to the Atlanta Land Trust,” said Ilham Askia, President and CEO, East Lake Foundation. We’re thrilled that the CF Foundation’s donation of the land and the East Lake Foundation’s support has enabled the Atlanta Land Trust to offer all 40 townhomes at an affordable price for families looking to purchase a home in East Lake.”

The TOUR Championship will also continue its support of First Tee – Metro Atlanta and the annual “HOPE Tee Shot,” a tournament tradition that selects one boy and one girl from First Tee – Metro Atlanta to hit the opening tee shots at the tournament. In 2022, the TOUR Championship announced the creation of the HOPE Shot Scholarship, which is funded by Accenture and provides $5,000 for each HOPE Tee Shot honoree to help achieve their dreams in golf and in life.

In addition to the 2022 tournament’s $5.5 million charitable total, the event raised $1.385 million through the TOUR Championship Charity Challenge – a nine-hole exhibition staged on the eve of the 2022 TOUR Championship – that featured former NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald; former Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine; former Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones; and 2022 Payne Stewart Award recipient Billy Andrade. The match, which was broadcast live on GOLF Channel, was supported through the efforts of Coca-Cola, Southern Company, and Accenture, along with several Atlanta-based corporations.

The 2023 TOUR Championship returns to East Lake Golf Club, August 23-27. Tickets are now on sale at TOURChampionship.com/tickets.

For more information about the TOUR Championship, please visit TOURChampionship.com. Fans are encouraged to follow the TOUR Championship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for tournament updates.

About the TOUR Championship

The TOUR Championship is the culmination of the PGA TOUR season and the FedExCup Playoffs where the TOUR’s top 30 global stars compete for the sport’s ultimate prize, the FedExCup. Since their inception, the Playoffs have concluded in Atlanta at East Lake Golf Club, which has an undeniable aura and historical significance as the place where the legendary career of Bobby Jones was born. The 2023 tournament will be played Aug. 23-27. The tournament has raised more than $42 million in charitable funds since 1998 and proudly supports the East Lake Foundation; Focused Community Strategies; the Grove Park Foundation; Purpose Built Schools Atlanta; and First Tee – Metro Atlanta. Accenture, The Coca-Cola Company and Southern Company are the exclusive Proud Partners of the TOUR Championship.

About Accenture 
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent and innovation led company with 738,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and nearly 3,900 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 21 billion-dollar brands, 19 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. These brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million residential and commercial customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy distribution company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers’ and communities’ needs while advancing our goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have earned the company national awards and recognition from numerous organizations, including Forbes, The Military Times, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, Human Rights Campaign and more. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.