Arthur Blank Family Foundation

ATLANTA, September 4, 2007 - The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation today announced it is awarding $175,000 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank to support the Atlanta Prosperity Campaign, a concept designed to help low-income families become more self-sufficient and food secure. The foundation continues to support children and family services through its Better Beginnings initiative, aimed at ensuring a healthy, nurturing environment for children from birth through age five.

The grant will allow the Atlanta Community Food Bank to teach community partners how to enroll low-income working families into Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Food Stamps programs. A portion of the funds will be used to increase access to federal poverty programs and additional benefits through EarnBenefits, a web-based resource tool the foundation invested in bringing to Atlanta.

The Atlanta Prosperity Campaign aims to tackle a wide range of poverty-related issues in the city and help employers connect low-income employees to existing economic benefits available to them.

"We know that family economic security can lead to much more successful outcomes for young children," Blank Foundation President Penelope McPhee said. "Creating this large collaboration among a variety of partners is key to having a greater impact on this issue and to improving the circumstances for large numbers of Atlanta children and families."

For more information on the campaign, visit www.atlantaprosperity.org

Formed in 1995, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is focused on improving early childhood development, enhancing education, preserving green space, sustaining the arts and sparking collaboration among its nonprofit partners, primarily in Atlanta.

Arthur M. Blank is owner & CEO of the Atlanta Falcons and Georgia Force. He co-founded The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. Through his generosity, the foundation, along with Blank and his wife's personal giving, has granted over $220 million to various charitable organizations.