by cmgadmin | Feb 18, 2020 | News
$5.4 million investment will create revitalized space for community activity
The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation has announced that the first project under its new strategic focus, the BlueCross Healthy Place℠ program, will be an expansive, revitalized public space at David Carnes Park in Memphis.
In total, the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation is investing as much as $5.4 million in the Whitehaven neighborhood park. Up to $4.5 million will go toward construction of the park and its facilities, along with a $900,000 endowment earmarked for its maintenance and care.
The BlueCross Healthy Place program provides neighborhoods with communal spaces for healthy activities, improving the overall wellbeing of Tennesseans.
“Concentrating our giving on BlueCross Healthy Places will allow us to have a bigger impact within our communities, reaching both urban and rural areas across the state,” said Scott Neal Wilson, BlueCross director of community relations and health foundation. “We’re excited about the potential of these projects, and we are honored to partner with the city of Memphis to launch this new focus.”
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee gathered feedback for the Memphis project during a community meeting held at Greater Faith Tabernacle Ministries on Monday, April 16. Mayor Jim Strickland and Councilwoman Patrice Robinson were in attendance, along with Kevin Woods, BlueCross Memphis market president.
“The BlueCross Healthy Place program shares one of our top priorities: healthy, inviting public spaces for our citizens. That’s why we’re so grateful for this partnership with the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, and we’re looking forward to enhancing this park for neighbors here in Whitehaven,” said Strickland.
BlueCross Healthy Place projects are collaborations with the communities they serve. During the planning phase, representatives meet with community members to hear their ideas and ensure the space is tailored to the needs of area residents. Finalized BlueCross Healthy Places may include a number of elements, such as athletic fields, walking tracks, playgrounds and fitness areas.
The Memphis site was selected in partnership with the city and in response to community residents who previously expressed interest in having more resources for the park.
“Input from residents is crucial to the project’s success. The space will be an asset to their community – an area where they can be active and form new connections. It will truly be a hub of renewed civic activity and a jewel in the Memphis park system,” added Woods.
The project will be completed with PlayCore, a national play and recreation company. Efforts will be made to work with local and diverse suppliers.
Additional competitive funding opportunities for future BlueCross Healthy Place projects across the state will be announced in the fall. For the latest updates on the Memphis project, please visit www.bettertennessee.com.
For additional resources related to the BlueCross Healthy Place program, please visit https://bcbstnews.com/mediaresources/bluecross-healthy-place-program.
by Brian Malone | Feb 11, 2020 | Events
Today former Aspire Public Schools Memphis Region shared with the community the name and
branding for the new charter organization – Journey Community
Schools (JCS). The event was held at Hanley Elementary School with community
leaders and partners in attendance to share in the new branding review
celebration.
The new slogan for the network is “Paving Pathways to Success.” The vision is to develop a community of lifelong learners who excel in all areas of life. The Journey Community Schools mission is to engage families and community partners in scholars’ learning journey; cultivate a safe, positive and joyous learning environment; and empower teachers and leaders with support to
deliver an inclusive, innovative and rigorous education. The new logo speaks to
collective work efforts, a clear path, equipping scholars and working towards
achieving academic goals.
This process was a community effort. “As
we embark on this new journey as a locally-operated charter organization, it
was imperative to me and our leadership team to include the voices of our
families, community, staff and external partners. We also believe that schools
and communities should work alongside one another in partnership,” said
Dr. Nickalous Manning, Executive Director,
Journey Community Schools.
“As a board member of JCS, we are
excited for the future,” said Karen Hartridge. “The new branding speaks to the opportunities
that lie before us. Today’s event was a great way to engage with our
communities while sharing more about the path forward.”
The Journey Community Schools network
includes Hanley Elementary School, Hanley Middle School, Coleman School and
East Academy.
For more information on Journey
Community Schools visit the website www.myjourneycs.org.
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by Brian Malone | Feb 11, 2020 | CMG News
River City Capital Investment (RCC), an affiliate of Community Lift, was awarded $225,000 from the U. S. Department of Treasury as a part of their community development financial institution (CDFI) Fund.
“This is flexible, no-cost capital
that RCC can use to increase the volume of its products and services,”
said Babacar Thiaw, Lending Executive in Residence at River City
Capital. “This is great not only for us as an organization, but also
for the city of Memphis. We go beyond traditional lending, and this
is an opportunity for us to help people in underserved communities.”
The award is intended to expand
economic opportunities via CDFIs in economically distressed and underserved
areas. RCC plans to use the funds to help businesses in Whitehaven
along with other communities in the city. As such, they have been
working with organizations like the Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment
Corporation (GWERC) to identify businesses that may benefit from their
services.
“Economic opportunities like RCC
helps GWERC to remain true to our commitment of helping the Whitehaven
community to reach its full potential through the revitalization and
redevelopment of businesses and the promotion of economic development in the
area,” said Trey McKnight, Executive Director, GWERC.
For more information about River City Capital Investments,
visit www.RiverCityCapital.org.
About River City Capital Investment:
River City Capital Investment Corp., an affiliate of Community
LIFT, is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)
certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Our mission is to increase
economic development in underserved neighborhoods by attracting and leveraging
investment capital for community revitalization.
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by Brian Malone | Feb 11, 2020 | CMG News
The Best in
Black Awards (BIBA) are
back for the 8th year. The local business community is sponsoring
this great event. Some of the businesses include the Downtown Memphis Commission,
AARP, Oteka Technologies, Complete Computers Services, Sims Financial Group, The
Wharton Law Firm, Regional One Health, Methodist Healthcare, Crumpy’s, A1 Printing,
Spotlight Productions, and Pete Mitchell Insurance.
The awards have become an anticipated
event among black-owned businesses in the Mid-South. BIBA is a vehicle for
hundreds of individuals and businesses to receive recognition for their hard
work while advertising their products, services, and talents before thousands.
The mission of the Best in Black Awards is
four-fold:1) To celebrate African-American owned and operated businesses and
professionals in the Mid-South;2) To identify those businesses most supported
by the African American community;3) To serve as a marketing and recognition
platform and; 4) Encourage aspiring business leaders.
The
2020 BIBA theme is “Stepping Up.” The
public is invited to join us Thursday, February 6, 2020, at the Central Station Hotel, located at
545 S Main St. The V.I.P. Reception will
begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the awards show at 7:00 p.m. Radio Personality
Stan Bell will serve as the Master of Ceremony for the event.
Tickets are still
available for $45.00, includes admission into the V.I.P. Reception, and can be
purchased at the event.
About Best
Media Properties
Best
Media Properties is the parent company of The New Tri-State Defender, which is
one of the longest continuously, published African-American newspapers in the
South. Under the leadership of its Board of Directors, it has evolved into a
progressive multi-media business with a distribution that includes print
newspaper, digital publications, website/social media pages and events. TSD’s
mission is to inform, inspire and elevate the quality of life of its growing
audience while serving as the primary vehicle for reaching African Americans in
the Greater Memphis market. The New Tri-State Defender multi-media platform reaches
85,000 people weekly. Visit us at www.tsdmemphis.com .
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