Nonprofits get $100K COVID-19 relief grants

Groups focused on affordable housing, economic mobility.

Seven leading nonprofit organizations focused on affordable housing and economic mobility in Atlanta were each awarded $100,000 grants to help with COVID- 19 relief efforts.

The organization Beloved Benefit, which raises funds from corporate and community donors, gave a total of $700,000 to Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Atlanta University Center Consortium, Focused Community Strate- gies, Grove Park Foundation, Quest Community Housing and Westside Future Fund, according to a news release.

Beloved Benefit was set to hold a large fundraising event last June, but it was canceled because of the pandemic. The group held a number of virtual events instead, rais- ing the money for the latest round of grants. Since its formation in 2019, Beloved

Benefit has raised almost $6 million for Atlanta nonprofits and communities.

Donors included AMB Group, Ameris Bank, AT&T, Bank of America, Chick-fil-A, Choate Construction Co., the Coca-Cola Co., Mercedes-Benz Stadium, PNC, Truist, UPS and Wells Fargo.

are deeply grateful to Atlanta’s corporate leaders for continuing to support Beloved and our worthwhile nonprofit beneficiaries in such an economically challenging year,” Rodney Bullard, a co-leader of Beloved Benefit and vice president of corporate social responsibility for Chick-fil-A, said in a statement.

Jim Wehner, the president of Focused Community Strategies, a community development organization in south Atlanta, said the timing of the donation “could not be better.”

“2020 was a challenging year for all of us, and this gift is a reminder to our team that we are not alone in this work. The Beloved Benefit is a great example of how we can come together as a community to build a greater Atlanta,” Wehner said.