Today, the East Lake Foundation announced a $30,000 donation from the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, a joint effort from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta. These funds will benefit the East Lake COVID-19 Relief Fund and the Drew Charter School Opportunity Fund for COVID-19 relief.
This donation will provide $22,500 for immediate support for families at The Villages of East Lake Apartments experiencing economic hardship as a result of COVID-19 and $7,500 to support Drew Charter School families who are struggling during this trying time.
“We are incredibly thankful for this generous donation from our long-term partners at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta,” said Daniel J. Shoy, Jr., President and CEO of the East Lake Foundation. “These funds will help the East Lake Foundation and Drew Charter School provide targeted support in areas of need to stabilize families and help avert further crisis as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
To date, the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund has raised more than $25 million through collective resources. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta have together identified the areas of greatest need and the most vulnerable populations to determine where to deliver funds. This round of grants totals $5.3 million and will be distributed to 245 organizations in response to the region’s needs as a result of COVID-19. A grand total of more than $17.3 million from the Fund has been mobilized to benefit 320 nonprofits thus far.
About the East Lake Foundation
Founded in 1995 by developer and philanthropist Tom Cousins, the East Lake Foundation collaborates with public and private organizations to provide tools that enable Atlanta’s East Lake residents to build a better future through its integrated model for community revitalization.
The East Lake model includes cradle-to-college education at Drew Charter School and its early learning partners (Atlanta Speech School, the East Lake Family YMCA, and Sheltering Arms East Lake); mixed-income housing at The Villages of East Lake; and community wellness through its Resident and Community Support Program and partners’ programs including The First Tee® of Metro Atlanta at the Charlie Yates Course, Start:ME East Lake, a micro-entrepreneurship program with Emory University, and the East Lake YMCA’s East Lake Healthy Connections. This approach to building a strong community not only helps break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, but also creates a place where people of all ages and incomes choose to live.
The redevelopment of East Lake has become a national model for integrated and holistic community redevelopment in 26 other neighborhoods across the country through Purpose Built Communities. For more information, please visit www.eastlakefoundation.org.
About Charles R. Drew Charter School
Charles R. Drew Charter School opened in 2000 as the City of Atlanta’s first public charter school. Drew’s innovative Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach with an integrated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) framework and a strong foundation in literacy helps all students reach their highest potential. Drew represents the cradle-to-college pipeline in the East Lake community and is an integral part of a holistic neighborhood revitalization led by the East Lake Foundation.
About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been leading and inspiring philanthropy to increase the vitality of our region and the well-being of all residents. With nearly 70 years serving the 23-county Atlanta region and a robust team of experts, the Community Foundation expands its philanthropic reach and impact by providing quality services to donors and bold, innovative community leadership. The Community Foundation is a top-20 community foundation among 750 nationally, with approximately $1.2 billion in current assets, and is Georgia’s second largest foundation. For more information, visit: cfgreateratlanta.org or connect with the Foundation via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
About United Way of Greater Atlanta
United Way of Greater Atlanta, the largest United Way chapter in the nation, focuses on ensuring that every child in Atlanta has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. The organization invests in more than 200 programs in 13 counties through the Child Well-Being Impact Fund and works to help children succeed in school, improve financial stability of families, provide affordable and accessible healthcare and end homelessness. For more information, visit: unitedwayatlanta.org or Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
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Media Contact: Catherine Woodling, Director of Communications, (404) 550-7271, cwoodling@eastlakefoundation.org
