Giving Matters: The Community Foundation Newsletter

Giving Matters the newsletter of the community foundation of middle tennessee

summer 2011

Giving ...

Think Outside the Box Corporate Care Funds The charitable answer for employees in need

$1 million A donor’s special gift for The Women’s Fund

Giving Card A new way to make a difference

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board of directors Office rs

C ONTENTS Message from the Chair ................................................................................ 1 Why invest in The Community Foundation .................................................... 1 Community Foundation welcomes new Board Members ............................. 2 Q & A with retiring Vice President Lani Rossmann ....................................... 2 Scholarship recipient profile ........................................................................

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Ask Donor Services ....................................................................................... 3 Corporate Care Funds ................................................................................... 4 Corporate philanthropic solutions ................................................................ 5 News Briefs ................................................................................................... 6 Donor Spotlight ............................................................................................ 9 Professional advisor perspective ................................................................... 9 Giving ... think outside the box ....................................................... back cover

Connect with The Community Foundation on Facebook and Twitter to learn about what’s going on with us and to give us your feedback.

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Scan the bar code above with your mobile phone to visit The Community Foundation’s flood response website.

(Read more about the site on page 6)

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee 3833 Cleghorn Avenue | Nashville, TN 37215-2519 615.321.4939 | toll free 888.540.5200 | f. 615.327.2746 CFMT.org | GivingMatters.com | NowPlayingNashville.com

Ms. Deborah F. Turner, Chairman Mr. Francis Guess, Vice Chairman Mrs. Catherine T. Jackson, Secretary Mr. Charles W. Cook, Jr., Treasurer Ms. Ellen E. Lehman, President

B o ard o f Dire ct o rs Mr. Richard M. Bracken Mrs. Agenia W. Clark Mr. Ronald L. Corbin Mr. Ben Cundiff Mr. Farzin Ferdowsi Mr. John D. Ferguson Mrs. Irwin E. Fisher Mr. Jay Frank Mr. Gary Garfield Mr. Kerry Graham Mr. Henry B. Hicks, III Mrs. Carol Hudler Dr. Harry Jacobson Mr. Decosta E. Jenkins Honorable William C. Koch, Jr. Mr. Bert Mathews Mr. Robert A. McCabe, Jr. Mrs. Linda Rebrovick Mr. Michael D. Shmerling Mrs. Deborah Taylor Tate Mr. Steve Underwood Mr. David Williams, II

B o ard o f Trus t e e s Mrs. Judith Liff Barker Mr. Jack O. Bovender, Jr. Mr. George N. Bullard Mrs. Kitty Moon Emery Mr. Charles O. Frazier Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Jr. Mr. Joel C. Gordon Mr. James S. Gulmi Mr. Aubrey B. Harwell, Jr. Mr. Kevin P. Lavender Dr. John E. Maupin, Jr. Mr. Ralph W. Mosley Mrs. Donna D. Nicely Mr. Ben R. Rechter Mrs. Susan W. Simons Mr. William T. Spitz Mr. Howard L. Stringer Mr. Charles A. Trost Mr. Jack B. Turner Mrs. Betsy Walkup Dr. Jamye C. Williams Mrs. Jerry B. Williams

We want to help …

M essage F r om the C hai r

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ne of the many things I love about The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is its capacity to encourage people to think outside the box and then to help them turn their philanthropic ideas into action.

As we enter into our 20th year at The Community Foundation, I am proud to tell you that we now have over 800 Funds in place. Each Fund was created with the intent to make a difference in an area of importance to that particular donor.

Debbie Turner

Our donors are at the core of our work and our mission. Your passion and creativity paired with our ability to offer you meaningful, tailor-made giving opportunities is what fuels our work to create solutions for this community. Whether you have a few dollars or millions, your gift to The Community Foundation has meaning and impact.

It’s our goal to help you help others – in ways that matter to you.

Here are some examples of how we’ve helped others make their giving ideas become reality: That is what Steven Wilkinson and his four siblings did when they created a Fund in memory of their mother, DeLois Wilkinson. DeLois had a DeLois Wilkinson vision for this community.

As a community activist, she was passionate about civil rights and ensuring all people receive a quality education. She was a vocal advocate for the changes she thought would better the community she loved and invested deeply in solutions to its ills. How fitting that her five children established the DeLois Jackson Wilkinson Community Advised Fund to support the nonprofits and charitable causes she held dear.

Across town, the proud alumni of Lebanon High School, which graduated its first class in 1919, have established a Scholarship to benefit Lebanon High graduates who need assistance making ends meet for college. Many of the graduates have made their permanent residence in the area, and this Scholarship extends their continued support of the programs and goals of the tradition-rich school.

And then, corporate citizens like GAC (Great American Country) and its parent company, Scripps, came to us with an idea to jumpstart giving to help our community recover from the flood of 2010.

Not only did GAC think outside the box – they managed to put on a nationwide telethon a scant two weeks after the rain stopped. Their dream became a reality in partnership with the Music Industry and The Community Foundation. People across the entire country had the opportunity to see and hear about our community and then contribute what they could.

These are but three of the thousands of dreams we’ve been lucky enough to encourage and to aid in our first 20 years.

The Community Foundation is here to help you dream your own dreams of benefiting a cause near and dear to your heart, to carry on the name of a loved one, to help a child succeed despite the odds, and to make our community flower.

We make it easy to accomplish your dreams.

Before another 20 years pass, please pick up the phone and tell us how we can help you help others.

It would be our honor to serve as your partner!

Debbie Turner Board Chair of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

Why invest in The Community Foundation S t ruc t u re As a public foundation dedicated to pooling resources and leveraging charitable dollars to maximum effect, we offer customized giving options to accomplish your goals. The Community Foundation exists to be a knowledgeable, cost-effective philanthropic partner for individual, corporate and community

charitable opportunities, large and small.

We also provide philanthropic guidance to donors’ attorneys, accountants and other financial advisors.

St ewardsh ip Creating a legacy at The Community Foundation harnesses the power of personal philanthropy, a charitable

investment with long-term impact for causes about which you are passionate.

You can establish a fund to start your legacy now, and be assured support for the work of nonprofits making a critical difference in the community will continue in the future. We ensure your gift will be invested wisely in perpetuity. continued on page 2 cfmt.org | 1

The Community Foundation welcomes new Board Members

New Board Members include:

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he Community Foundation is honored to welcome seven new members to its distinguished Board of Directors.

Thanks to new members’ diverse fields of expertise, leadership experience and strong commitment to community, The Foundation will continue fulfilling its enduring mission to address Middle Tennessee’s needs and opportunities.

Ronald L. Corbin

Irwin E. Fisher

Jay Frank

Henry B. Hicks, III

Carol Hudler

Steve Underwood

Gary Garfield

On the Web For more information about The Community Foundation’s newly appointed Board Members, visit cfmt.org.

Q&A

with retiring Vice President, Lani Rossmann

Q. What’s one of your proudest accomplishments during your time at The Foundation?

Lani Rossmann and Ellen Lehman

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fter eight years with The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and a career in nonprofit management, Lani Rossmann is retiring. The Foundation Board and staff are incredibly grateful for her leadership and tireless dedication in this role, and wish her much happiness.

A. When I came on board, we were in the early phases of outlining the plans and processes we would need should disaster strike our community, and this organization be called upon to be the go-to resource to connect generosity with need. When the flood hit last May, years of preparation and the trust and relationships we’d built in the community meant we were ready.

I’m remarkably proud of this team’s work to ensure our ability to respond, along with how much they’ve given of themselves to help

address tremendous need in the flood’s aftermath.

Q. What will you miss the most?

A. The incredible creativity and energy that make this organization thrive. This is fueled by the commitment and competency of our staff, and their enthusiasm for bringing donors’ charitable ideas to life.

I’m also privileged to have experienced, and will miss working with such a talented and passionate group of local nonprofit leadership, The Community Foundation’s partners in meeting community needs. I’m grateful that through all of our work, made possible by

extraordinary generosity, someone in need of help in this community can access resources.

Q. What’s your hope for the future of The Foundation?

A. I hope more people will learn how The Community Foundation provides such a wonderful, flexible solution for those who want to make a difference and have some resources, which can be combined with others to make a huge impact.

We’re here to make giving easy and meaningful, whether or not you have great wealth.

To read more Q&A with Lani, visit cfmt.org.

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S ta b ili t y

Syst ems

Ex p ert ise

Since our inception in 1991, we have been dedicated to enriching the quality of life in Middle Tennessee, and as we approach our 20th anniversary, our mission and values remain the same. The donor’s intent is our touchstone in every decision.

Unlike private foundations, community foundations can have a new fund up and running in a matter of minutes rather than a matter of months.

Deeply rooted in Middle Tennessee, we are the local experts on every facet of philanthropy. The Community Foundation’s Board of Directors is composed of civic leaders from diverse segments of our community who

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Scholarships help Giles Co. student attend Vanderbilt

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Scholorship recipient Trevan Locke

ommunity Foundation of Middle Tennessee scholarships have helped thousands of students over the years reach their educational goals, as they support students seeking access to the opportunities offered by higher education.

Some Scholarship Funds help students from a particular school or area; others provide financial assistance to those pursuing a specific field of study; others assist students that are most in need.

Ask Donor Services Pat Cole

For Lynnville, Tenn., native Trevan Locke, Community Foundation scholarships have helped him continue his educational dreams at Vanderbilt University.

Scholarship Coordinator

While attending Richland High School in Giles County, Locke’s guidance counselor presented him with a variety of scholarship options he was eligible for, including those from The Community Foundation. After the application process, Locke was awarded the William and Clara Bryan Scholarship and the Teddy Wilburn Scholarship.

The William and Clara Bryan Scholarship was established by their son, Bill Bryan, in memory of his parents who believed in the power and possibilities of education. The scholarship is available to high school seniors, college freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are from Giles County, and have lived there for the majority of their pre-college schooling.

The Teddy Wilburn Scholarship was established in honor of country music star Thurman T. (Teddy) Wilburn, who despite not attending college because he went “on the road with his music,” chose to give much of his estate to help students attend Tennessee State University and Vanderbilt.

“Vanderbilt is not an inexpensive school and The Community Foundation has been a big help in paying for my needs,” Locke said. “It’s helped cover the cost of books, housing, and other general expenses. It’s been a great blessing.”

In 2012, Locke will graduate with a B.E. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and plans on going to graduate school to study pharmaceutics.

2011 Community Foundation Scholarships Thanks to the generosity of donors, this year, The Community Foundation is awarding a total of $334,200, through 215 scholarships, to deserving students pursuing secondary education.

have experience with local issues and knowledge of changing economic and social conditions.

F lex i b ili t y The Community Foundation can receive many kinds of assets, make grants to a

First off, congratulations! In creating a Scholarship Fund with The Community Foundation, not only are you investing in your community’s future by supporting the higher education of deserving students, the benefit will change the lives of the recipients, as well as your own.

After an initial gift (whether it be cash, IRAs, real property, etc.) of at least $10,000, you will be able to choose the scholarship’s name and craft the eligibility criteria as you see fit. It can benefit students from a variety of backgrounds, geographic areas or schools, educational goals and more. You receive the maximum tax benefit allowed by law because The Community Foundation is a charitable organization.

From there, we’ll take care of the rest. The Foundation will field calls, promote the Scholarship Fund, take care of the application process, and when the time comes, award deserving students.

Our experienced and esteemed volunteer Scholarship Committee will review applications and select recipients. As a donor, you will be informed about the students who embody your goals and who will benefit from your scholarship, and your generosity.

Interested in opening a scholarship with The Community Foundation?

Please contact Pat at 615-321-4939 or pcole@cfmt.org for more information.

wide variety of community organizations and can tailor a charitable fund to specific interests. Donors may establish named funds or remain anonymous; select a general charitable purpose or choose a very specific one; make modest gifts or large ones; create a fund and start making

grants now or build a fund’s assets over time. Our extraordinary flexibility helps create customized charitable giving opportunities and makes us a leader in philanthropy.

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Middle Tennessee companies help employees in need Corporate Care Funds with The Community Foundation provide a tax-deductible, turn-key solution for businesses

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fter more than 30 years working for Father Ryan High School, Regina Johnson has gotten support during some difficult times, including the death of her husband. When her Nashville-area home was devastated by the May 2010 flood, her Father Ryan family was there again to help, thanks to the Corporate Care Fund the school had created with The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Corporate Care Funds are a charitable avenue allowing companies to offer help to their employees facing serious financial hardship because of certain tragic or crisis circumstances, such as natural disasters (see “How it works” on page 5 for details). The Foundation provides a turn-key operational and administrative system, processing all applications and handling every detail.

Through the Father Ryan Faculty Assistance Fund of The Foundation, Johnson, a now part-time employee in the school library, applied for emergency financial help and received the maximum $3,000 of support available for any qualifying Father Ryan employee. The assistance, which helped her cover some basic expenses, including medical bills, came at a time when Johnson, who had been making it fine on her own, wasn’t prepared for a disaster of the flood’s magnitude or the emergency it would create financially.

“This support from my employer meant a lot – emotionally and financially, and gave me hope that I was going to work through this.”

— Regina Johnson Since The Foundation began offering the Corporate Care Fund program in 2009, more than 20 area companies have established these types of charitable funds.

One Nashville-based company, Correct Care Solutions, a correctional health care management company with 3,000 employees located here and across 17 other states, has long had a corporate culture of helping their own when tough times hit. Benjamin Sohr, director of strategic planning, said when he came on board several years ago he learned that the executive leadership team was so invested in employee well-being some were giving out of their own pockets when they heard of colleagues needing help.

“That’s well and good,” said Sohr, “But I knew as the company continued to grow, this wouldn’t be sustainable, nor would everyone’s needs be understood or heard.”

Employees benefit and pitch in to help colleagues

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hen the flood devastated Middle Tennessee in May 2010, the A. O. Smith Corporation was hit hard as a business, as water covered its 1.5 million-square foot facility, while its Ashland City, Tenn., employees also suffered personally, several losing their homes to the disaster. The company acted quickly to set up the A. O. Smith Corporation Employee Care Fund with The Community Foundation not only to offer help to those who’d lost so much, but also to respond to the calls from employees at their 38 locations around the globe who wanted to contribute something to helping their colleagues recover.

Ryan Hinton, division human resources director, said one of the biggest advantages for the company was being able to outsource to The Foundation the facilitation of contributions from hundreds of employees, in addition to The Foundation processing applications for assistance.

Employees responded enthusiastically and generously, adding nearly $100,000 in contributions, which joined with the company’s initial gift of $100,000 and expanded the Fund’s ability to help.

Ryan Hinton (right) with A.O. Smith Corporation Employee Care Fund recipients James Overfield (left) and Cass Jackson (center)

“We were anticipating about $25,000 in gifts and were blown away by the employees’ response.”

— Ryan Hinton, Division Human Resources Director

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When the company looked for a way to formalize a fair, streamlined process, it decided to partner with The Foundation. Since establishing the Dare to Care Fund in 2010, The Foundation has helped 37 Correct Care Solutions employees who’ve applied to the Fund, providing more than $43,000 in assistance.

“Everyone has seen the merit in it instantly and done what they could to support it,” said Sohr.

How it works The Corporate Care Fund program is a charitable solution for any size company that wants to help its employees, in the form of emergency support, for those experiencing serious financial hardship because of a qualifying situation including the following: • natural disaster, • life-threatening or serious illness or injury, • a death incident (employee or eligible dependent), or • catastrophic of extreme circumstance, such as a house fire.

When a Fund is created with The Community Foundation, which can happen in a matter of minutes, the company receives a tax deduction for the full amount of the establishing gift. It has the option to add to the Fund at any time, and to encourage employees to make gifts.

Companies benefit from The Foundation’s philanthropic expertise in structuring a Fund customized to their size and goals. Based on the company’s initial gift and long-term plans for example, The Foundation provides guidance on setting the maximum assistance available for any individual employee in a 12-month period, which can range in amount but is typically no less than $1,000.

Employees experiencing a qualifying circumstance are encouraged to apply to the Fund to help pay for essential living expenses including medical, housing and utilities. Distributions from the Fund are made to entities like the electric company or to pay medical bills directly; checks are not written to individuals, so there is no tax consequence to them.

The Foundation processes all applications against qualification requirements, insulating the company from decision making about helping certain individuals in time of crisis, and ensuring an objective evaluation process to distribute these charitable resources.

“The Community Foundation supplies a high level of integrity and fairness to this process.

I couldn’t have imagined another way of setting up this program.”

— Benjamin Sohr, Correct Care Solutions Additionally, The Foundation’s established systems allow companies to confidently outsource the program, so busy corporate officers aren’t charged with facilitating employee assistance requests, which ensures timely help for those that qualify.

“I couldn’t recommend this type of program highly enough,” concluded Sohr.

The Community Foundation offers variety of corporate philanthropic solutions

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he Community Foundation works with companies across every industry to faciliate customized charitable giving opportunities that align with their goals and fit their business model. In addition to Corporate Care Funds, we provide a number of other philanthropic solutions for businesses. To learn more about these opportunities, visit cfmt.org, or call us at 615-321-4939.

Corporate Charitable Fund Program

Cut costs and increase the scope and efficiency of corporate giving to a variety of nonprofits by “outsourcing” the administrative aspects, such as vetting charity requests, to The Foundation.

Giving Cards Customized

Recognize clients, prospects, vendors or employees with a gift card they redeem online YOUR COMPANY LOGO HERE to support the charity of their choice, anywhere in the country. Work with The Foundation on a custom branding Giving Card order, so your logo is aligned with the message you choose, one which clearly demonstrates your company cares about giving back. (For more information see back cover.)

GIVING CARD

Corporate Scholarships

Help employees, or their children, further their education by creating a scholarship; the company develops the criteria, while The Foundation applies it as its volunteer Scholarship Committee reviews applications and distributes scholarship funding.

Cause Marketing

Studies show aligning a product with a charitable cause can enhance the corporation’s public image, so consider creating a charitable Fund at The Foundation with a portion of a certain product’s revenue invested in the Fund. Then, recommend to us what charities to support.

Disaster Response Funds

Set up this type of Fund at The Foundation in response to disaster anywhere, creating a way for employees to make gifts to aid disaster relief. The corporation may choose to match gifts made to the Fund, and The Foundation tracks donations and makes grants to nonprofits the corporation recommends.

On the Web To find examples of companies like HCA, Kroger, Delek, Genesco, and more, using these solutions, visit cfmt.org.

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Photo by Anthony Scarlati

Jeffrey Steele & Friends make for memorable night Attendees of the fourth annual Jeffrey Steele & Friends benefit concert on March 10 got quite a show from country stars Billy Ray Cyrus, James Otto and others, all in honor of Steele’s late son, Alex LeVasseur. The intimate event, held at The Loveless Barn in Jeffery Steele Nashville, raised over $74,000 for the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Fund of The Community Foundation and its initiatives to provide safe, supportive opportunities for kids who share Alex’s passion for skateboarding.

Steele and his family were also eager to thank everyone for their continued support in the building of the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Skatepark, a facility at the Brentwood YMCA that opened in October 2010.

Along with performances, the event featured live and silent auctions, including items like an autographed event guitar signed by all performers, an autographed LeBron James basketball and more.

Flood Recovery Network streamlines resources for those in need of help For many Middle Tennesseans, recovery from the May 2010 flood continues. For flood survivors facing ongoing, unmet needs, a hotline has been established to help. The Flood Recovery Network, operating now at 615-567-3232, is a streamlined resource that ensures customized, timely assistance for flood survivors.

Callers to the Flood Recovery Network hotline will speak to a representative whose priority is to assess callers' specific needs and to schedule a visit with them to outline what’s needed for recovery.

There are no criteria to receive help. The hotline is staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and anyone calling outside those hours can leave a message to get a return call.

This resource is made possible by The Tennessee Conference of The United Methodist Church and partners throughout the state’s long-term recovery community.

Foundation’s flood website tracks ongoing response In The Community Foundation’s continued commitment to helping survivors of the May 2010 flood restore their lives, and to being 6 | cfmt.org

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accountable and fully transparent about our stewardship of flood donations and the grantmaking process, there is now an enhanced tool available to the community to track our ongoing response, online at CFMTFloodResponse.org.

The goal of the website is to provide in-depth, accessible, and continually updated information about The Foundation’s work as we invest in long-term flood recovery through grants to nonprofits helping people get back on their feet.

Big voice, big gift wow at The Power of the Purse® Luncheon The 13th annual The Power of the Purse® Luncheon was a hit for The Women’s Fund of The Community Foundation. The event featured Broadway legend Jennifer Holliday’s soul-stirring speech and the announcement of Jane Eskind’s $1 million gift to endow The Women’s Fund (see Grace Awh, Jennifer Holliday page 9 for more details). and Laura Smith Tidwell It also offered the 600 plus guests the chance to bid on a star-studded purse silent auction, including bags from Wynonna Judd, Dolly Parton, Deborah Roberts and Carrie Underwood. The Women’s Fund provides grants to local nonprofits serving the interests of women and girls through education, health and human services, victim’s support services, and more.

During the keynote speech, Holliday addressed her battle with depression and multiple sclerosis, and performed two songs, “A Dream Out There With Your Name On It” and “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going.” She is known for her groundbreaking performance as Effie “Melody” White in the award-winning Broadway musical Dreamgirls, a performance that earned her a Grammy Award and a Tony Award.

Luncheon co-chair Grace Awh was thrilled with this year’s event.

“Laura Smith Tidwell and I thank the Nashville community for their support,” said Awh. “The event sold out early, which underscores how our community recognizes the importance and value of the luncheon.”

To honor Eskind and another extraordinary philanthropist, Ruth Ann Harnisch, The Women’s Fund Advisory Board, present and past, and other Fund supporters and volunteers recently gathered at the home of Kate Ezell to toast their generosity and long-term investment in The Women’s Fund’s work. Harnisch was the first to commit to a $1 million gift to the Fund in her estate plans.

Annual ArtisTree event supports The Tomorrow Fund The Tomorrow Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee hosted its seventh annual ArtisTree art show, April 1-2, featuring local painters and photographers. A percentage of all art sales benefit The Tomorrow Fund and its grantmaking to support nonprofit programs for children in the Nashville area.

This two-night art show and sale was part of Lexus Nashville Fashion Week and raised a record amount for the Fund. Heidi Schwartz (pictured above) painted special interaction canvases for ArtisTree which were then auctioned and sold at the end of each night.

Thanks to sponsors Cabot Cheese, Downtown Development, Horizon Wine and Spirits, Lexus Nashville Fashion Week, UAL, Nashville Scene and YELP for their support of The Tomorrow Fund.

Big Kenny's Love Everybody Fund through The Community Foundation has supported numerous charitable causes since its inception in 2005, including helping finish the “Kunyuk School For Girls” in Akon, Sudan.

Earlier in the day, before the benefit, Big Kenny and the African Children's Choir performed at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, visiting with patients and their families afterwards.

Michael Stanley Fund offers hope with fun-filled evening In their continued effort to support the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital’s Child Life Services Program, the family of Michael Stanley hosted An Evening of Hope at the ICON in the Gulch on April 28, raising nearly $19,000. Proceeds benefit The Michael Stanley Fund for Children’s Hospital through The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, which helps Child Life specialists who work with patients and their families to help them cope with illness. The Fiesta-themed event featured a silent auction and a live mariachi band.

Philanthropy is fashionable at Lexus Nashville Fashion Week

Photos by Josh Marx

Big Kenny hosts fundraiser to build school in Africa

Music City showed off its chic, and its philanthropic spirit, for the inaugural Lexus Nashville Fashion Week which benefited the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation. Crowds came in droves to see collections from designers Christian Siriano, Betsy Johnson, and Melissa Tabor, among other local, regional and national fashion designers who displayed their works during runway shows and other events.

Big Kenny and his wife, Christiev (center) with members of the African Children's Choir

In his continued effort to spread the love, this Spring, Big Kenny Alphin welcomed guests to an intimate benefit concert for the African Children's Choir and their efforts to build a school in Uganda. The event featured an exceptional performance from the choir and a silent auction. Big Kenny, founder of the band luvjOi and known as half of the country music duo Big and Rich, also performed with the group. At the end of the evening, he and his wife, Christiev, presented a donation of $25,000 to benefit the choir.

Founded in 1984 by human rights activist Ray Barnett, the African Children’s Choir is an innovative approach to helping Africa’s warravaged children, by showcasing their talents through performance.

The Fund was the dream of Connie Cathcart-Richardson, Robert Campbell, Marcia Masulla, Scott McClure, Mike Smith and Cindy Wall. The group came to The Foundation to create a vehicle to support the next generation of fashion-related professionals with ties to Middle Tennessee.

“This Fund is an ongoing way of saying to our creative community that Nashville and Middle Tennessee believe in what you do," said Wall.

Nashville Fashion Forward Fund award recipients will be selected based on demonstrated skill and commitment to a career path in the fashion industry, whether they are designers, pattern makers, stylists, or are pursuing other fashion-related work. Recipients will be awarded support for internships, additional education or other opportunities to further their craft. continued on page 8 cfmt.org | 7

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Taylor Swift Launches Speak Now … Help Now Fund Taylor Swift kicked off her Speak Now Tour with a charity event that drew thousands to Bridgestone Arena May 21 for what Swift called a final “dress rehearsal” for the current tour.

Proceeds from the concert benefit The Speak Now … Help Now Fund of The Community Foundation, which Swift created after tornadoes ripped through Alabama, and through which grants will be made to nonprofits serving victims of that and other disasters. Swift has entrusted The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to help facilitate charitable contributions supporting tornado relief in the South.

“I was watching the coverage of the tornadoes backstage at rehearsals, and I wanted to do something for the families affected by the damage. I’ve never opened a rehearsal to the public before, but I felt that inviting my fans to the last rehearsal for the Speak Now Tour would be a great way to raise money,” Swift said.

With the heart as her symbol, often creating it with her hands during her show, Swift has hers in the right place, as she has donated to the disaster relief efforts here at home during the flood of 2010, as well as in Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

for summer’s best party.

The Brooks Fund’s 7th annual

Presented by

Bacon & Caviar Gourmet Catering and Bridgestone

Friday, August 12 Lane Motor Museum

Photo by Christie Goodwin

7 – 11 pm

Purchase $35 Wanderlust party tickets now at

www.TheBrooksFund.org.

Proceeds benefit The Brooks Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

On the Web 8 | cfmt.org

To see upcoming events online, visit cfmt.org/events.

D o n o r

Sp o t l i g h t

The Women’s Fund will continue to transform lives thanks to Eskind’s gift

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ince its inception in 1994, The Women’s Fund of The Community Foundation has worked to enhance the lives of women and girls in need in Middle Tennessee. Through the work of nonprofits, the Fund is addressing needs like economic self sufficiency, and physical and emotional health, while also investing in programs that empower women and girls to reach their full potential.

Now, one of its founders, Jane Eskind, has dedicated a generous gift to continue her commitment to its work, in perpetuity. At the 13th annual Power of the Purse® Luncheon on March 4, it was announced Eskind gave $1 million to create the Jane G. Eskind Endowment for The Women’s Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

“The ideals upon which The Women’s Fund was built have been the cornerstone of Jane Eskind’s life,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation and daughter of Eskind. “What became The Women’s Fund’s

priorities 17 years ago were, for most women and girls, a wild dream throughout the 60s and the decades before, and I am forever grateful to Jane and those who will follow in her footsteps to ensure these ideals are upheld and this population is served.”

Eskind, the first female elected to statewide office in Tennessee, helped co-found The Women’s Fund. Through the endowment gift, Jane’s intent is to nurture hope in the hearts of Middle Tennessee’s women and womento-be, and to ensure that strides made toward self-reliance and self-respect are never subject to backsliding.

“This gift will forever continue Jane’s hard work and empower generations of women and girls to join in building a better future for themselves, their families and their community,” said Irwin Fisher, immediate past chair of The Women’s Fund.

The Women’s Fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations serving women

Professional advisor finds philanthropic partner

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Laurie Vinson

or professional advisor Laurie Vinson, along with guiding her clients through the steps of financial planning, one of her main objectives is to offer them an opportunity to achieve their philanthropic goals as effectively as possible. Not only does charitable giving help the community-at-large, it offers specific tax benefits and can give a unique vehicle to help clients achieve other financial, personal or business goals.

Vinson, who joined the Jack B. Turner & Associates team in 2010 with more than 23 years of financial services industry experience, explained how a recent client, with no descendants, wanted to protect her estate, while being intrigued with giving back.

After some research into The Community Foundation’s charitable giving opportunities, Vinson called The Foundation’s Belinda Dinwiddie for more information. Dinwiddie, the director of donor education and services for The Foundation, drove to the Clarksville, Tenn.-based

Jane Eskind and Ellen Lehman

and girls and has helped support Middle Tennessee organizations providing domestic violence intervention, drug rehabilitation, job training, and other services.

On the Web To learn more about The Women’s Fund, visit TheWomensFund.com.

company and met with Vinson and her client. The causal conversation quickly confirmed for Vinson’s client, who chooses to give anonymously, the notion that charitable giving was not only a thoughtful step in her estate planning, but a deeply meaningful experience.

“It was a great, informative conversation,” Vinson said. “My client loved the fact that for some Funds, decisions are committee-based, and not solely up to one person. My client also was impressed that The Community Foundation allowed for the flexibility to support existing Funds, or to create charitable Funds reflecting a particular interest.”

Once the client decided what would work best, Dinwiddie drafted Fund documents that created a Donor Advised Fund for current charitable giving and through a bequest, two endowment Funds, with Vinson assisting through the process. “It was very straightforward,” Vinson said.

“My client appreciated the one-on-one advising and couldn't be more pleased with The Community Foundation," said Vinson.

To learn more about how The Community Foundation partners with professional advisors to help them help their clients fulfill charitable dreams, visit cfmt.org/advisors or call 615-321-4939.

Securities products and investment advisory services are offered through registered representatives and financial advisers of Walnut Street Securities (WSS), a broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC) and a registered investment adviser. Branch Address: 201 Main Street Clarksville, TN 37040. The Community Foundation is not affiliated with WSS. Laurie Vinson is a registered representative of WSS.

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Giving ... think outside the box with the new Giving Card

W

hen Rebecca Burcham is searching for gifts for friends who think they have everything, she turns to a gift card they can’t refuse, one that lets them give its value back to the community, through an organization they choose.

The Community Foundation’s recently launched Giving Cards help Burcham recognize special moments in loved one’s lives. Like any retail gift card, Giving Cards can be purchased and given as gifts, and recipients redeem the card through The Foundation’s website to benefit almost any qualified 501(c)(3) public charity or charities nationwide.

“Most of us don't need more ‘stuff,’ and Giving Cards are a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved,” said Burcham. “I know I’m giving a gift from a trusted organization which will have a positive impact, while my friends getting the cards can pick a vetted charity of their choice to benefit.”

Giving Cards are also great options for businesses, allowing corporations to recognize

a dedicated employee or a valued vendor with a gift that demonstrates regard for an individual’s interests, and a commitment to being corporate citizens who give back.

Giving Cards can be customized to fit any situation, for example, branded with a logo and a tailored message like a holiday greeting. Because each Giving Card purchase is a donation to The Foundation, the buyer is entitled to a charitable tax deduction for the full purchase price of cards.

Giving Cards are available in increments starting at $25, in any of 15 designs and themes from holidays to birthdays to a simple “thank you,” or with customized designs, to help you and your recipients experience a new avenue for meaningful giving.

Call us at 615-321-4939 to learn about Giving Card customization options.

On the Web To purchase a Giving Card or for more information, please visit cfmt.org/givingcards.