Once again Atlanta can look to Charlotte, N.C. for insights into improving the region’s economic mobility ranking. But the recent decision to sunset Leading on Opportunity, the organization that spearheaded Charlotte’s economic mobility efforts, may come as a surprise. Sherri Chisholm, executive director of Leading on Opportunity since 2020, shared her thoughts in a candid […]
Tag: United Way of Greater Atlanta
Posted inColumns
Raphael Bostic: ‘The work is not done’
Raphael Bostic moved to Atlanta in 2017 to become president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta – breaking norms as the first Black and first openly gay president of one of the 12 Federal Reserve banks. Bostic, 59, stepped down at the end of February from what he called “the best job” he’s ever […]
Posted inColumns
Hope Atlanta striving to meet growing needs for homeless services
Metro Atlanta is navigating through uncharted waters when it comes to serving the homeless and people in need of food, shelter and basic services. “Telephone lines are swamped, and waiting times have increased,” said Milton Little, president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Atlanta. “There’s an abundance of new people calling for help. […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
It takes a village: Reimagining schools as anchors of hope and opportunity
ICS, a school that serves more than 500 students from families representing over 60 nationalities and 31 languages, is leading a bold transformation. In 2025, ICS became the first elementary school in Metro Atlanta, and possibly in the entire state of Georgia, to fully embrace the Community School Model.
Posted inColumns
Metro Atlanta is dead last when it comes to economic mobility
Atlanta ranks 50th out of the top 50 metro areas when it comes to upward economic mobility. That’s according to Harvard University’s Raj Chetty and his research group Opportunity Insights, which published an updated economic mobility study in 2024. The initial economic mobility study came out in 2014. At the time, Atlanta’s rank was 49th, […]
Posted inLatest News
Kent ‘Oz’ Nelson of UPS (1937-2023): ‘A giant of a leader’
It’s hard to overstate the impact Kent C. “Oz” Nelson had on Atlanta. Nelson, who served as CEO of UPS from 1990 to 1996., died April 6 at the age of 85.
Posted inLatest News
Corporate Volunteer Council Atlanta highlights 30 years of service, stand-out leaders with annual IMPACT Awards
The CVC team and local corporate leaders were also joined by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, former Mayor Shirley Franklin and WABE’s Rose Scott for a panel discussion on moving Atlanta forward.
Posted inAllison Joyner
Wells Fargo ‘Open for Business’ Fund donates $20 million for local small businesses
The fund was created to help small businesses stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic. By Allison Joyner Wells Fargo announced today that they are donating $20 million to help small businesses in Atlanta — particularly those owned by minorities — create assets and make storefront improvements. “As a company, we commit to make the communities […]
Posted inLatest News
Reporter’s Notebook: Councilmember Norwood’s private election monitoring finds no issues
Let’s take a look at this week in Georgia History. On Jan. 14, 1940, Julian Bond was born. Bond was a leader throughout the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. In 1960, he helped form the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and organized voter drives. He was elected to the Georgia House in 1965, but the body […]
Posted inLatest News
Faced with a time crunch, city could cut COVID-19 housing fund in half
City officials could cut the $22 million COVID-19 housing assistance program in half, Atlanta’s chief operating officer Jon Keen announced on Tuesday.
Posted inLatest News
Reporter’s Notebook: Milestones, markers and still fighting COVID-19
Happy birthday to Jimmy Carter … and more.
Posted inLatest News
COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund awards $1.1 million to 10 nonprofits in latest round
In its latest round of grants, the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund awarded a total of $1.125 million to 10 local organizations in response to the region’s needs as a result of COVID-19.
Posted inThought Leadership
Volunteers show ‘true essence of living united’
Find ways to volunteer virtually, sign up for Day of Action June 20 By Bradley Roberts, Content Manager at United Way of Greater Atlanta A lot has changed since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, but one thing remains consistent: volunteers across Atlanta are eager to “lend a hand at this critical time,” and help those […]
Posted inThought Leadership
A United Way Forward
By Milton J. Little, Jr., CEO & President of United Way of Greater Atlanta I know I am not alone in finding myself deeply saddened by the senseless and unjust deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery – individuals who look like me, my sons and my grandchildren. Their deaths have reminded us […]
Posted inThought Leadership
Community Partners Collaborate to Help Homeless Students in Fulton
By Bradley Roberts, Content Manager at United Way of Greater Atlanta Think of a child in the Fulton County School System. He’s in fourth grade, in a few years, he’ll be in middle school and before you know it, he’ll be walking across the stage with diploma in hand. This little boy’s life hasn’t always […]
Posted inPhilanthropy, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
Be ‘thoughtful’ about how and who you give to
Kim Greene speaks candidly about her passion for United Way. She says if it hadn’t been for the nation’s biggest supporter of local communities, her career wouldn’t be the same. Greene is the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Southern Company Gas, the leading natural gas company in the industry with more than 4.2 […]
Posted inPhilanthropy, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
United Way’s College Bound Program Assists Students, Parents Apply for Student Aid
United Way of Greater Atlanta has launched a new program aimed at helping students in select high schools apply for college funding by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA] form. United Way hosted a pilot event for the program, which is sponsored by Delta Air Lines, last spring at Tri-Cities High School […]
Posted inUncategorized
See what kids can become if they are not hungry
The challenge was simple and straightforward: Create a video that tells the all too familiar story of more than 350,000 children across Greater Atlanta. These kids are hungry during the summer because they don’t have access to school lunches — that one daily meal they’ve become reliant on during the other 10 months of the […]
Posted inPhilanthropy, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
United Way Partners with Labor Families to Help Union Families in Need
For more than 75 years, United Way has partnered with the American Federation of Labor and National Congress of Industrial Organizations to help unionized employees in times of emergency. The first formal agreement encouraged labor representation on United Way — formerly Community Chest — boards and councils. United Way and the AFL-CIO agreed to collaborative […]
