May 4, 2005

For more information, contact: Kimberly Stark at (901) 333-4023 or (901) 489-4771 (Cell)

Assisi Foundation awarded Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy
Release written by: Kimberly Stark

The Assisi Foundation of Memphis will be awarded the Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy during the Commencement exercises for Southwest Tennessee Community College on May 13, 2005. The ceremony will be held at The Pyramid and begins at 10 a.m.

The Assisi Foundation was established in March 1994 as a charitable giving foundation. In the eleven years since its inception, the organization has contributed locally more than 80 million dollars to support health care, education and literacy, social justice and cultural enrichment.

The Foundation provides funding for worthy projects developed by area non-profit agencies and educational institutions. In addition, it actively facilitates the development of collaborative inter-agency initiatives to produce solutions for critical community needs. Recent proactive initiatives include collaboratives to improve literacy levels and to reduce obesity among both children and adults. It has supported Southwest for more than 10 years.

Southwest has been privileged to receive several awards from the Foundation. Recent examples include a grant to educate children in the Southwest childcare centers, and their parents, on the values of healthy eating and exercise (the Shape and Bake Program); a grant to improve workplace literacy skills among economically disadvantaged youth (the Youthlink Program); and an award that allowed faculty and staff to benchmark the best practices in nursing and biotechnology programs and incorporate these practices into plans for the expansion of Southwest’s nursing and biotechnology programs.
It is with great pleasure that Southwest is able to recognize this outstanding agency for all its contributions to the community.