Kick-off reception with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and founding investors for GreenLight Atlanta

Contact: Margaret Hall, National Executive Director
mhall@greenlightfund.org
617-912-8980

Fund intends to commit $5 meg in Atlanta over the next five years to concenter innovative, proven high-impact approaches to address local needs and help improve outcomes

Atlanta, GA, January 10, 2019 – The GreenLight Fund, with support from more than l local philanthropic investors, today announced the launch of GreenLight Atlanta to identify and address pressing needs of the region's low-income children and families.

Bernie Marcus of The Marcus Foundation, Inc., a co-founding philanthropic investor in GreenLight Atlanta, stated, "Our metropolis has many virtues – and pressing needs. The Marcus Foundation is pleased to join a wide grouping of Atlanta philanthropists to support the launch of GreenLight Atlanta. We are impressed by GreenLight'south visionary leadership team, their focus on implementing best-in-class anti-poverty solutions from across the nation and by the self-sustaining nature of their model. GreenLight's impact in other cities has been profound, and we believe that they will be transformative here in Atlanta."

Hala Moddelmog, president and CEO, Metro Atlanta Sleeping accommodation, added, "Metro Atlanta is known as a region of leaders that impacts the business ecosystem and affects social change on a global scale. The Metro Atlanta Chamber is pleased that the GreenLight Fund chose Atlanta for its newest market because it will help our region continue to introduce across the nonprofit sector and transform lives in the process. I'thou personally excited to meet how our business community has embraced GreenLight's mission and poured out their support."

GreenLight Atlanta'south record number of co-founding funders include Aaron'due south, Balloun Family, Depository financial institution of America, Mark Becker, Ron and Lisa Brill Family Charitable Trust, Martha and Toby Brooks, Chick-Fil-A Foundation, Customs Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Lane and Richard Westward. Courts Four, Catherine and John Crawford, Susan and Ed Croft, Robin and Stockton Croft, Deloitte, Mike and Debbie Dickerson, Mike and Michelle Dickinson, Jamie and Juliana Eastham, Emory University, Stacey and David Fisher, Lois and Larry Frank, The Freishtat Family, Fulcrum Disinterestedness Partners, The J.B. Fuqua Foundation, Georgia Ability Foundation, Inc, Goldman Sachs, The Gould Family Foundation, Harry Heiman and Abby Friedman, The Imlay Foundation, Invesco Ltd. CEO, Marty Flanagan, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Kaiser Permanente, KELIN, Mary Jane and Dave Kirkpatrick, Sartain Lanier Family Foundation, Jeff Levy and Liz Lapidus, The Marcus Foundation, Inc., Sig Mosley, Mr. and Mrs. C. V. Nalley, Three, Jeff and Michelle Neville, North Highland Worldwide Consulting, Beak and Melinda Nussey, Palumbo Family Charitable Fund, Wendell and Mary Reilly, Resurgens Technology Partners, Adrian and John Robinson, Jonathan and Heather Rodbell, Edith and Michael Rogers, Clay and Karen Rolader, Gary and Kathleen Rollins, John and Sue Simon, Chas Smithgall and Charles Smithgall, SunTrust, The Carol and Ramon Tomé Family unit Foundation, United Way of Greater Atlanta, Michael and Jill von Grey.

"An incredible group of Atlanta investors has rallied around GreenLight Atlanta and believes in its potential to assist the region address critical barriers to economical mobility facing low-income children and families," said John Simon, co-founder and board chair of the GreenLight Fund and a manager at Boston-based venture capital firm Sigma Prime Ventures. "Our locally-driven, action-oriented, proven approach to addressing problems will be amplified past the amazing borough spirit and generosity we've seen in our visits to Atlanta."

GreenLight Atlanta will work to transform the lives of low-income children, youth and families in the Atlanta area by: conducting an annual procedure to identify critical needs; importing innovative, entrepreneurial organizations with proven, measurable results; and galvanizing local community support to help programs reach and sustain impact.

Atlanta is the eighth community to bring together the GreenLight network. In other cities – Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area – the GreenLight Method has been used to address a wide diversity of problems including early childhood literacy, college access and persistence, teacher effectiveness, poor health outcomes, family income and asset-building, and youth aging out of foster care.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms stated, "Our vision for One Atlanta commits us to building an equitable, affordable and resilient city where all our residents can access the opportunities they demand to thrive. The GreenLight Fund'southward rails tape for anti-poverty solutions will enhance Atlanta's efforts to create a level playing field in areas such as didactics, affordable housing, financial literacy and the wellness of our working families. Equally Mayor, I am delighted to welcome Greenlight as a partner in our mission to address and solve our biggest challenges."

"We are thrilled to exist a part of the founding of GreenLight Atlanta and welcome GreenLight as a partner in putting the power of philanthropy to work for the people of the Atlanta region," said Alicia Philipp, president, Customs Foundation for Greater Atlanta. "GreenLight will exist community driven past local leadership and with the full back up and collaboration of longstanding organizations like the Community Foundation. Their approach to showtime listen and learn, and discover the bug affecting our communities, means putting resources and proven solutions where they will accept the greatest impact."

Milton Little, president and CEO, United Way of Greater Atlanta stated: "Atlanta has a track record of bringing people and resource together to tackle complex issues and drive sustainable positive alter to help our community thrive. GreenLight Atlanta helps us do that by tapping into innovative programs from around the nation to help us address our most pressing needs. We welcome GreenLight as part of our community-wide efforts."

In 2018 alone, GreenLight'due south 23 portfolio organizations reached more than 75,000 children and families across GreenLight'south cities with their innovative, replicable and effective programs. With seven GreenLight communities importing programs with demonstrated and scalable impact, GreenLight is on rails to reach 100,000 low-income children, youth and families annually in GreenLight cities across the nation in 2019 – with consistently proven results.

"We are proud to be part of a tape number of co-founding coalition supporters to launch GreenLight Atlanta," commented Gary and Kathleen Rollins, "GreenLight aligns with our involvement in developing side by side generation leaders and bringing innovative ideas and solutions to our city."

Mike and Debbie Dickerson, also co-founding investors in GreenLight Atlanta, are enthusiastic most GreenLight'due south track record as entrepreneurial, pragmatic, and community-focused in matching community needs to promising practices from effectually the country: "GreenLight's success in other cities gives us dandy confidence that the GreenLight Method is just what nosotros need to take our efforts and innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to problem-solving here in Atlanta to the next level."

GreenLight Atlanta will be led past a local executive director with advice and insight from a Selection Advisory Council made upwardly of Atlanta leaders from businesses, nonprofits, philanthropy, the community and government. The search for GreenLight Atlanta's executive director is underway; once hired, the local executive managing director will appoint the Choice Advisory Council in the annual GreenLight process to place issue areas, perform diligence and select an system for support. The first pick volition exist made in 2020.

Margaret Hall, GreenLight's co-founder and principal executive, said of the launch timeline, "Our earth-shaking beginning stride is to hire an executive manager to lead GreenLight Atlanta. With this person in identify, we plan to launch our offset choice procedure this coming jump and look forrad to keeping the community apprised and engaged with our progress."


About the GreenLight Fund

The GreenLight Fund is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) organization that aims to transform the lives of children, youth and families in high-poverty urban areas by creating local infrastructure and a consistent annual process to: place disquisitional needs; import innovative programs with proven, measurable results; and galvanize local support to help programs reach and sustain bear on. Current GreenLight cities include Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Atlanta is our newest and eighth city.

Learn more at: www. greenlightfund.org/sites/atlanta or contact info@greenlightfund.org