GIve Better
Hands-On Philanthropy Forget the word “donor.” Will Meredith models the next generation’s approach. by Monica M. Williams, photos by Joel Salcido
Will Meredith knows his stuff. We’re sitting at a tiny table in the coffee shop on the ground floor of Four Seasons Residences. He’s come armed with a stack of nonprofit brochures and a site plan of the Chestnut development project in East Austin. He has notes. He’s pre-answered my questions. Meredith is not your typical young professional with a few boards on his resume. He’s the son of Tom and Lynn Meredith, one of Austin’s wealthiest and most generous couples. It’s clear that they’ve passed on their philanthropy philosophy to Will, but he seems to have taken the ball and run with it. “Will has that sense of stewardship that is not a given when you’ve got means,” says Walter Moreau of Foundation Communities, who’s worked with the Merediths, “and that speaks of a level of maturity and thoughtfulness that’s uncommon.” Right now Meredith sits on the board of the MFI Foundation and works as a developer for MFI Real Estate, both family organizations. And while he’s involved in many other nonprofit projects, it’s clear that the Chestnut development project is his passion. The core of the area sits on E Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd and Alexander Ave,
and has a Capital Metro Rail Station at its center, as well as a bike and walking trails, bus lines and a potential street car stop. But despite its variety of transportation options, the tract remains mostly a blank slate to date. When the 22-acre site was purchased by his parents Tom and Lynn Meredith in 2001, the idea was to create a hub for families, social services, education and environmental advocacy. But it has taken Will Meredith to see that through. He’s met with area residents, worked with city agencies, talked to area nonprofits about their needs and even commissioned artists and engineers to help with the planning. There’s a park planned, a skate park, an amphitheater, a community garden and more. To date, the Merediths have donated about 17 acres to the city and for the future headquarters of Theatre Action Project, Sustainable Food Center, and the new headquarters of PeopleFund, which cut the ribbon in October 2011. Next door to the property is a Foundation Communities housing development called M Station, and in a new collaboration, it will partner with Open Door Preschool to offer comprehensive childcare services. “Instead of just donating the land,” says Meredith, “we are embedding it with these programs. We are using public-private partnerships to deploy resources and leaders who understand that it takes collaboration to create really sustainable solutions.” Karen LaShelle of Theatre Action Project says, “Will puts a lot of time and effort thinking about the project in-depth and as a whole. He’s taking the gifts he’s been given seriously to leave a legacy.” Fall 2011
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