ATLANTA (January 13) – Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton and United Way of Greater Atlanta announced today that they have awarded grants totaling $25,000 to Raising Expectations, a non-profit youth development organization that works to educate and empower youth in challenging circumstances, and Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, an intermediary that seeks to achieve shared prosperity by closing the racial wealth gap through community wealth-building strategies. 

The grants were made possible through Kilpatrick Townsend’s KT Education and Opportunity Fund (Fund) which is powered by United Way of Greater Atlanta. The firm and United Way of Greater Atlanta started the Fund in 2021 to provide a giving option in Kilpatrick Townsend’s annual United Way campaign that is aligned to the firm’s national Corporate Citizenship focus issues – Educational Equity and Economic Opportunities. The Fund supports educational equity and economic and job opportunities for underrepresented and underresourced populations in the Greater Atlanta community. It is an extension of Kilpatrick Townsend’s justice and equality commitment and community engagement strategy. 

The Fund is generously supported by the attorneys and professional staff of Kilpatrick Townsend. In the Fund’s initial distribution, Raising Expectations (Educational Equity category) was selected to receive a grant of $15,000 and Atlanta Building Wealth Initiative (Economic Opportunities category) was chosen to receive $10,000. Dollars raised through the Fund are set apart from overall United Way funding resources, and grant decisions are determined by a Kilpatrick Townsend advisory committee in collaboration with the United Way. Kilpatrick Townsend partners Jenn Deal and Kimberlynn Davis co-chair the Fund’s Grant Advisory Committee. The 2021 campaign raised nearly $26,000 for the Fund and our goal in 2022 is to nearly double that amount to $50,000. 

“Kilpatrick Townsend is proud to provide these grants to enhance the programming and support overall operations of two innovative organizations – Raising Expectations and Atlanta Building Wealth Initiative,” said Jenn Deal and Kimberlynn Davis. “We were seeking committed, local organizations providing paths to access and opportunity for underresourced populations and selecting just two was a difficult task. We want to thank Raising Expectations and Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative for all that they do to help our community thrive.”

“Kilpatrick Townsend will continue to support Raising Expectations and Atlanta Building Wealth Initiative beyond the grant,” added Katie Beacham, Kilpatrick Townsend Chief Corporate Citizenship Officer. “We will be volunteering and actively participating in the lives of these two wonderful organizations. This is just the beginning of our partnership.”

The Fund is the second impact fund established by United Way of Greater Atlanta and the first fund for a private sector organization. The Fund was the first to reach its initial goal of $25,000. 

“I want to thank Kilpatrick Townsend and United Way of Greater Atlanta for investing in the future of Raising Expectations and in the community overall,” said Maria Armstrong, Raising Expectations Co-Founder. “This grant will allow us, as we have done for over 25 years, to continue providing quality services to Washington High School Cluster students and other youth in the surrounding neighborhoods. Having the tools to support and empower students—particularly those in crises—to elevate academic, social, and civic expectations will not only facilitate high school graduation but improve college and career readiness for hundreds of Atlanta youth.”

For more information about Raising Expectations, please click here.

“This meaningful grant furthers the critical mission of Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative to support the engagement, capacity, and leadership necessary to address Atlanta’s racial wealth divide which has had drastic implications for many in the Black community,” said Latresa McLawhorn Ryan, Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative Executive Director. “Investing in Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative means empowering a community of investors, advocates, and activists working to transform systems and structures of capital to create opportunities for Black-owned businesses and the broader Black community. We are also excited about the opportunity to develop a deeper partnership with Kilpatrick Townsend to further assist the businesses and organizations that are the lifeline of our small business ecosystem. Thank you Kilpatrick Townsend and United Way of Greater Atlanta for your support.”

For more information about Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, please click here.

About Kilpatrick Townsend
With more than 600 attorneys in 20 offices worldwide, Kilpatrick Townsend serves clients throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia, bringing expertise in intellectual property, litigation, and corporate transactional matters. Our integrated connectivity gives us the accessibility required to successfully handle our clients’ complex national and international interests, while creating the best solutions worldwide. For more please click here.

About United Way of Greater Atlanta
United Way of Greater Atlanta, the largest United Way in the nation, engages and brings together people and resources to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of children, families, and individuals in the community. We have improved the lives of 82,000 children, but together, we can do MORE. The organization unites with more than 200 programs in 13 counties through the Child Well-Being Mission Fund to create an equitable future for all. Let's do MORE, together. Unite for MORE today! For more information, please click here.  

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