Press Release Courtesy of The Fifth Third Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jewanna Gaither, VP, Regional Communications Manager
678.237.4379
Fifth Third Foundation Announces 2017 Strengthening Our Communities Fund Award Recipients
ATLANTA – The Fifth Third Foundation has announced its 2017 Strengthening Our Communities (SOC) Fund grants for Georgia. The Fund awards grants to designated nonprofit programs that support homeownership, affordable housing, small business development and financial stability for individuals and families. Programs in these areas strengthen and stabilize our communities and make them a better place to live, work and thrive.
“The Strengthening Our Community grants are important because they result in people’s lives being positively changed and they grant organizations the opportunity to expand their reach,” said Heidi Jark, managing director, Fifth Third Foundation. “Through these grants, we are able to continue building lasting relationships and help strengthen communities where we serve.”
Locally, the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Georgia Advancing Communities Together, Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs and Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership each received $25,000 grants.
“We are committed to making community investments that improve lives in Atlanta and across our national footprint,” said Randy Koporc, president of Fifth Third’s Georgia region. “We believe these grants provide meaningful support to the efforts of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Georgia Advancing Communities Together, Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs and Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership to build and maintain strong, vibrant communities, and will provide pathways to opportunity in our community.”
“I believe I can speak for all the organizations awarded when I say that we are excited to be 2017 recipients and to work with Fifth Third, such a great partner committed to helping our local communities thrive,” said Nancy Flake Johnson, president and CEO, the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. “The Strengthening Our Communities grant will complement the existing work we are already doing to ensure affordability, self-sufficiency and small business development for residents in Atlanta and statewide.”
Fifth Third Foundation formally invited nonprofit organizations to apply for the funding and awards were made four times this year. Grant awards begin at $25,000 and are for a one year period. The maximum grant awards per region depend on the program and demonstrated need.
The Georgia recipients of Strengthening Our Communities Fund grants are:
Urban League of Greater Atlanta, $25,000
The $25,000 grant will support Urban League of Greater Atlanta’s Housing and Wealth Building Program which provides education, coaching and guidance to prepare first-time homebuyers to be sustainable owners. The funding will also be used to help homeless families secure transitional housing.
Georgia Advancing Communities Together, $25,000
The $25,000 grant will support Georgia Advancing Communities Together’s plans to create a capacity building program, aimed at enhancing nonprofit organizations’ ability to meet the housing and community development needs of their local communities. Capacity building activities will include technical assistance, training through its partners, and networking opportunities to address the needs of housing organizations.
Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, $25,000
The $25,000 grant will support Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs’ Business Advisory Services, geared at providing guidance to new and established small business owners. The program also serves as a resource for individuals interested in operating a small business. Services include individualized business advisory services, classes, workshops, online learning opportunities, professional coaching, access to capital, and networking opportunities.
Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, $25,000
The $25,000 grant will support Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership’s (ANDP) Neighborhood by Neighborhood initiative which provides quality, energy-efficient affordable housing to families in need while removing vacancies and uplifting neighborhood values. ANDP currently focuses on acquiring, rehabilitating, and repopulating homes in neighborhoods with a disproportionate amount of homeowners with underwater mortgages and has rehabilitated over 450 single-family homes since 2008.
About The Fifth Third Foundation
Established in 1948, the Fifth Third Foundation was the first philanthropic foundation established by a financial institution. The Fifth Third Foundation supports worthwhile organizations in the areas of education, health and human services, community development and the arts.
About Fifth Third Bancorp
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. As of Sept. 30, 2017, the Company had $142 billion in assets and operated 1,155 full-service Banking Centers and 2,465 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to more than 45,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third also has an 8.6 percent interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of Sept. 30, 2017, had $348 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $36 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor informationand press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender
