The Balser Professional Advisors Council’s giving circle has announced a total of $25,000 in grants to three organizations working to improve opportunities for at-risk youth in the Thomasville Heights neighborhood in Atlanta. The grants were awarded after educational sessions where members of the giving circle learned about challenges that face the Thomasville Heights community and presentations from three organizations working to improve neighborhood outcomes.
 
The Greening Youth Foundation received a $20,000 award to support its Urban Youth Corps: Thomasville Heights. Chris 180 and Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (ALVF) each received a $2,500 grant.  
 
The Balser Professional Advisors Council is a network of professional advisors including accountants, wealth managers and estate planning attorneys who have demonstrated an interest in philanthropy, both personally and professionally.  The group is a joint program of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta to provide opportunities for education, knowledge sharing and networking.
 
For the last three years, the giving circle has empowered participants to learn more about their community and the challenges faced by local residents. Members pool funding to award grants to nonprofits, allowing for a more significant, collective contribution.
 
“The giving circle has been on a three-year journey to learn more about challenges as well as bright spots in Thomasville Heights,” said Christy Eckoff, managing director, philanthropic counsel at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “Through their localized focus and collective giving model they have been able to boost funding for strong nonprofits that are directly serving at-risk youth.”
 
The grant to the Greening Youth Foundation (GYF) will support its Urban Youth Corps: Thomasville Heights. The grant will provide activities that support low-income young adults from the Thomasville Heights neighborhood, providing hard and soft skills training to five youth interns along with a stipend for their participation in the program. Urban Youth Corps: Thomasville Heights introduces youth the natural environment while encouraging them to continue their pursuit of green jobs and opportunities in environmental and conservation fields.