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Contact: Brian Farley
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THE ARTHUR M. BLANK FAMILY FOUNDATION
AWARDS $5.1 MILLION IN GRANTS
ATLANTA, July 23, 2002 -- The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has awarded 96 grants totaling more than $5.1 million to nonprofit organizations in nine states to support youth development and other community causes.

The Blank Family Foundation supports programs and organizations that create opportunity, enhance self-esteem and increase awareness about cultural and community issues among young people. It awards funding primarily in five geographic areas: Georgia; Maricopa County, Arizona; coastal South Carolina (the counties of Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton and Jasper); New York City (the boroughs of Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island); and Park and Gallatin Counties, in Montana.

Recently approved grants include:

Arts and Culture
  • Alliance Theatre Company, Atlanta, Ga.; $100,000 to support the Student Reviewers Circle and the "Our Town: Atlanta" project.
  • Art Factory, Inc., Augusta, Ga.; $26,000 to support general operating expenses.
  • Art Start, Inc., New York, N.Y.; $40,000 to support the Hip Hop and Media Works projects.
  • ArtsConnection, New York, N.Y.; $100,000 to support arts education in city schools.
  • Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, Ga.; $61,000 to support the Family History Artbook project.
  • Atlanta Landmarks/Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Ga.; $27,000 to support Camp Broadway and Camp Opera.
  • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta, Ga.; $150,000 to support the Talent Development program.
  • Bronx Council on the Arts Bronx, N.Y.; $35,000 to support the WritersCorps initiative.
  • Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Brooklyn, N.Y.; $30,000 to support operating expenses for its new after-school music academy.
  • Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Charleston, S.C.; $10,000 to support its summer music scholarship program.
  • Commission Project, Inc., Staten Island, N.Y.; $10,000 to support the ongoing composer residencies in New York City schools.
  • East Atlanta Kids Club, Atlanta, Ga.; $19,500 for general support for its after-school program and for technical assistance.
  • Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga.; $78,500 for support of the operating budget and for technical assistance.
  • Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Boston, Mass.; $15,000 for general operating support for the Intensive Community program.
  • Hyde Square Task Force, Inc., Jamaica Plain, Mass.; $25,000 to support the arts and culture program for children and teens.
  • Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles, Calif.; $15,000 to support the Voices Within program.
  • Lower East Side Tenement Museum, New York, N.Y.; $20,000 to support the Playing a Role in History program.
  • Rosie's House, Phoenix, Ariz.; $48,000 to support music lessons for underserved youth.
  • Seven Stages, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; $25,000 to support scholarships for the Youth Summer Theatre Training program.
  • Several Dancers Core, Decatur, Ga.; $40,000 to support operating expenses and program expansion for Elder Stories/Younger Dances.
  • The Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn, N.Y.; $35,000 to support the Museum Team program.
  • Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, N.Y.; $20,000 to support Youth Insights.
Athletics and Fitness
  • Atlanta Bicycle Campaign, Atlanta, Ga.; $10,000 to support the Girls KidsBike Club in the Edgewood Community.
  • Lions Foundation of Arizona, Phoenix, Ariz.; $20,000 to support scholarships to Camp Tatiyee.
  • MACH Academy of Tennis & Chess, Inc., Augusta, Ga.; $13,500 to expand the Technology and Tennis for Life project and for technical assistance.
  • Peter Westbrook Foundation, New York, N.Y.; $25,000 to support its after-school and tutorial program.
  • Special Olympics Arizona, Phoenix, Ariz.; $40,000 to support a director of outreach position.
  • Special Olympics Georgia, Atlanta, Ga.; $100,000 to support Global Messengers, state competition and youth outreach.
Education Enhancement
  • Action Ministries, Augusta, Ga.; $30,000 to support the expansion of the Community Kids Connection after-school tutorial program.
  • Boys & Girls Club of Augusta, Augusta, Ga.; $30,000 to support the Educational Horizons program.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Ariz.; $45,000 to support SMART Girls and the Ultimate Journey environmental education program.
  • Bright Future Youth Center, Inc., Cordele, Ga.; $27,000 to support general operating expenses for youth programs.
  • Casita Maria, Inc., Bronx, N.Y.; $20,000 for general operating support for its after-school program.
  • Center for Latino Outreach and Research Services at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga.; $14,000 to support the youth program.
  • Citizens Committee for New York City, New York, N.Y.; $25,000 for the Youth Unlimited program.
  • Foundation for Excellent Schools, Cornwall, Vt.; $60,000 to support the BEST youth program.
  • Georgia Tech Center for Education Integrating Sciences, Mathematics and Computing, Atlanta, Ga.; $50,000 to support a Mentoring for Success pilot program.
  • Glenn Pelham Memorial Fund, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; $50,000 to support the Urban Debate League.
  • Higher Education Resource Center, Boston, Mass.; $25,000 to support its pre-collegiate education program.
  • Horizons Student Enrichment Program, Atlanta, Ga.; $25,000 to support expansion of its summer program.
  • Kids Voting Arizona, Phoenix, Ariz.; $50,000 to support after-school programs in Maricopa County.
  • Kids Voting Georgia, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; $30,000 to support operating costs.
  • Literacy Assistance Center, New York, N.Y.; $30,000 to support the Creative Literacy in After-School programs initiative.
  • National Black College Alliance, Boston, Mass.; $20,000 to support college preparatory work with Boston youth.
  • National Urban Coalition for Unity and Peace, Inc., East Point, Ga.; $3,500 for technical assistance.
  • Our Family Table, Atlanta, Ga.; $28,500 for general support of the Youth Self-Sufficiency and Entrepreneurial Development program and for technical assistance.
  • Refugee Family Services, Clarkston, Ga.; $43,000 for its after-school program.
  • Summerbridge Cambridge, Inc., Cambridge, Mass.; $25,000 for continued support of the Learning Through Public Service program.
  • Valley Leadership, Phoenix, Ariz.; $33,500 to support the Teen Leadership program and for technical assistance.
  • Youth Communication New York Center, Inc., New York, N.Y.; $30,000 to support the summer writing workshop.
  • YouthBuild USA, Somerville, Mass.; $75,000 to support the YouthBuild alumni project in Georgia, New York, coastal South Carolina and Phoenix.
Environment and Outdoor Activities
  • Environmental Careers Organization, Boston, Mass.; $120,000 to support The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Environmental Internship program.
  • Georgians for Clean Energy, Atlanta, Ga.; $30,000 to support the Youth Environmental Education and Action Campaign.
  • Horizons for Youth, Sharon, Mass.; $30,000 to support operating costs.
  • Los Angeles Conservation Corps., Los Angeles, Calif.; $25,000 to support the Clean & Green program.
  • Piedmont Park Conservancy, Atlanta, Ga.; $25,000 to support the Environmental Education program.
  • Student Conservation Association, Charlestown, N.H.; $35,000 to support its youth program in New York City.
  • The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y.; $20,000 to support the High School Intern Explainer program.
Fostering Understanding
  • Cornerstone International Youth Camp Foundation, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; $26,500 for its international summer camp, ambassador program and technical assistance.
  • Family Service Agency, Phoenix, Ariz.; $40,000 to support the Conflict Resolution middle-school program.
  • Living Roots, Savannah, Ga.; $25,000 to support the Living Roots Homestead youth project.
  • Parents Anonymous of Arizona, Phoenix, Ariz.; $20,000 to support children’s programs in Maricopa County.
  • University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.; $230,000 to support the GREAT Schools and Families project.
  • Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Inc., Bronx, N.Y.; $25,000 to support general operating costs.
Organizational Effectiveness
  • City Cares of America, Atlanta, Ga.; $132,000 to assist in the development of a centralized technology platform to benefit City Cares organizations in Georgia, Arizona and New York.
  • Georgia Center for nonprofits, Atlanta, Ga.; $300,000 to support organizational development.
  • South Carolina Association of nonprofit Organizations, Columbia, S.C.; $50,000 to strengthen its capacity to provide consulting and training services.
Young Women and Girls
  • Active Girls Initiative, Boston, Mass.; $15,000 for program support.
  • Girls Outdoor Adventure for Leadership, Atlanta, Ga.; $60,000 to support operating costs.
  • Girls' Vacation Fund, Inc., New York, N.Y.; $15,000 for its summer program.
  • Global Health Action, Atlanta, Ga.; $15,000 to support Transformation for Health workshops for girls.
  • Grand Street Settlement, Inc., New York, N.Y.; $25,000 to support the Girls and Young Women’s Initiative.
  • Ifetayo Cultural Arts Facility, Brooklyn, N.Y.; $25,000 to support the Youth Ensemble program.
  • Inner Summit, Inc., Decatur, Ga.; $30,000 to support and expand the STARS program.
  • Row As One Institute, Inc., Westwood, Mass.; $25,000 to support the expansion of Girls Row Boston.
  • SistaSpace Collective Inc., Mableton, Ga.; $3,500 for technical assistance.
  • Young Women's Christian Organization of Athens, Athens, Ga.; $10,000 to underwrite soccer scholarships.
Discretionary Grants
  • American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, New York, N.Y.; $32,500 to support conflict management workshops at The School for Peace.
  • Brain Injury Association of Georgia, Atlanta, Ga.; $5,000 to support the Information and Resource Center and Camp Hardgrove.
  • Business for Social Responsibility, San Francisco, Calif.; $50,000 to support leadership initiatives linked to the environment.
  • Camp Sunshine, Atlanta, Ga.; $280,000 to support Camp Sunshine House and Sibling Camp.
  • Challenged Child & Friends, Inc., Gainesville, Ga.; $500 to support operating expenses.
  • Child and Adult Crisis Center (CACC), Beaufort, S.C.; $15,000 for general operating support.
  • Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Island, S.C.; $100,000 to renovate education and museum buildings.
  • Davis Academy, Atlanta, Ga.; $5,000 for fostering understanding youth projects.
  • Greater Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Atlanta, Ga.; $25,000 for City of Atlanta management audits.
  • Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga.; $83,000 to support the Israel Emergency Fund.
  • Land Trust Alliance, Durham, N.C.; $15,000 to support capacity-building programs in coastal South Carolina.
  • North Carolina Outward Bound School, Asheville, N.C.; $70,000 to the Annual Fund.
  • North Georgia Community Foundation, Gainesville, Ga.; $25,000 to support the North Georgia nonprofit Networking Center.
  • Rotary Miracle League Fund, Conyers, Ga.; $50,000 in capital support to build a baseball field.
  • Second Helpings, Inc., Hilton Head, S.C.; $10,000 for operating expenses.
  • The Adaptive Learning Center, Marietta, Ga.; $8,000 for general operating support.
  • Stuyvesant High School Endowment Fund, Inc., New York, N.Y.; $25,000 to support The Murl Thrush Memorial Fund.
  • Tubman African American Museum, Inc., Macon, Ga.; $50,000 to support the capital campaign to build a new cultural museum.
  • Marcus Institute, Atlanta, Ga.; $1,000,000 to support the capital gifts campaign.
Arthur M. Blank founded The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in 1995 to share his civic values and the joy of giving with his family. Since that time, Foundation and personal grants paid total more than $86 million.
Mr. Blank co-founded The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. He is owner and chief executive officer of the Atlanta Falcons.