Wachovia Community News

Media Contact: David Oliver
(404) 214-3970

Beltline Contact: Howard Lalli
(404) 790-0224

CCHR Contact: Victoria Lelash
(404) 419-9343

January 17, 2008
WACHOVIA FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION EACH FOR ATLANTA BELTLINE PARTNERSHIP, CENTER FOR CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS

ATLANTA, GA—Fundraising for two of Atlanta's most high-profile community initiatives received a big boost Thursday.

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Wachovia's Atlanta President, Kendall Alley, announced $1 million each in funding to the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership and the Center for Civil and Human Rights (CCHR) Partnership from The Wachovia Foundation. The gifts will go toward each initiative's capital campaign.

The $1 million gifts represent the largest individual Wachovia Foundation gifts made to Georgia-based initiatives in 2007.

"The City of Atlanta was built on collaboration and partnership between our political leadership and our corporate and civic community. Today, The Wachovia Foundation is continuing this history of Atlanta corporate citizenship," Mayor Franklin said. "The gift to the BeltLine provides continued momentum to the progress we're making with this unique sustainable project, and the CCHR gift is a fantastic kick-start to the $125 million we need to finance the construction of center."

"The Wachovia Foundation is pleased to contribute leadership funding for these generational projects that are so important to Atlanta's future," Alley said. "The BeltLine and CCHR will provide long-term community development, economic development and educational benefits for families, visitors and businesses. Today's announcement is the result of our work over the past couple of months to look closely at how our local Foundation dollars can have sustained impact."

Each initiative aligns with The Wachovia Foundation's core funding priorities. The BeltLine includes a significant emphasis on community development and workforce/affordable housing initiatives. The Center for Civil and Human Rights will be a landmark educational and cultural center, as well as catalyst for economic development.

"We are grateful for Wachovia's recognition of the BeltLine's extraordinary potential to positively transform the City of Atlanta," said Ray Weeks, Chairman of the BeltLine Partnership. "With this gift, Wachovia is in good company in the community of corporate supporters who have helped us reach nearly half of our total goal for the campaign within its first year."

"We are excited by Wachovia's visionary leadership in providing support for the Center. Their gift brings us closer to realizing an educational institution that instructs future generations on the lessons and inspirations of history," said Doug Shipman, Executive Director of the CCHR Partnership.

Including these gifts, The Wachovia Foundation provided $6.9 million during 2007 for funding Atlanta-area education, community development, health/human services and arts organizations.

About The Wachovia Foundation
The Wachovia Foundation is a private foundation that provides grants to eligible 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations to support four primary focus areas: Education, Community Development, Health and Human Services and Arts and Culture. The mission of The Wachovia Foundation is to build strong and vibrant communities, improve the quality of life, and make a positive difference.

About the BeltLine
The BeltLine (www.beltline.org) will combine greenspace, trails and transit, and will attract and organize new development along 22 miles of historic rail segments encircling the City of Atlanta. The BeltLine will connect neighborhoods; add 1,200 acres of greenspace incorporating public art; invest $240 million in affordable workforce housing; support the clean up of contaminated properties; and generate $20 billion of new economic development.

About the Center for Civil and Human Rights
The Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, scheduled to open in 2010, will commemorate the groundbreaking contributions of Atlantans and Georgians to the historic struggle for African-American freedom and equality, and also serve as a living Center for ongoing contributions to human rights struggles around the world. The Center will be a space for ongoing dialogue, study and contributions to the resolution of current and future freedom struggles of all people at the local, national and international level. For more information, visit www.cchrpartnership.org.

Adobe Acrobat documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't already have this software installed, you can download it for free from Adobe's Web site. Get Acrobat Reader now.

Contact Us
Community Relations
communityaffairs@wachovia.com

Community News

Navigation

About Wachovia Section Navigation

Main Sections of the Site

Search