Businesses investing in a stronger Cobb County took center stage October 5 at Cobb Community Foundation’s Above & Beyond event, which celebrated the Corporate Champions whose commitment helps strengthen local nonprofits, expand opportunity and bring people together to address community needs.
Held at the TKE building’s Elevation Room, the evening recognized more than 40 Corporate Champions whose investments in CCF range from $2,500 to more than $100,000. Their ongoing commitment provides flexible funding that allows the foundation to respond to emerging needs, strengthen nonprofit leadership and help promising ideas become lasting community resources.
“Corporate Champions invest in our community’s ability to respond when challenges arise and act when opportunities emerge,” said Susan Tillery, CCF Board Chair. “This partnership brings the right people and resources together—and gives good ideas a chance to become something that makes a lasting difference.”
Throughout the evening, speakers connected that commitment to community progress. Al Martin, who has served on CCF’s board for eight years and chaired its Grants Committee for seven, highlighted efforts ranging from the Cobb Community Food Fleet’s response during COVID to investments in South Cobb, nonprofit leadership development and early learning.
Circles Cobb offered one example of what those investments can help set in motion. Working alongside community leaders Jeff Jernigan and Pastor Roger Vest, CCF helped bring together the leadership, funding and organizational support needed to establish the organization in 2022. Its first participant cohort launched in August 2023.
Today, participants, known as Circle Leaders, work alongside volunteer Allies to pursue their goals and build lasting financial stability. Circles Cobb recently received CareerRise’s Doug Hooker Award for Excellence in Workforce Impact. Its progress reflects participants’ determination and the commitment of volunteers, businesses and community partners. Corporate Champions helped give CCF the capacity to help launch Circles Cobb.
The evening also looked ahead to Cobb Vital Signs, an initiative combining neighborhood-level data with residents’ experiences to build an ongoing, shared understanding of community needs. Lisa-Ruth Karnes, CCF’s Director of Programs, described how that understanding can help businesses, nonprofits, government and other partners work together to address barriers involving access to services, affordability, caregiving and transportation.
Business leaders are already helping advance one opportunity: making childcare more affordable for working families. CCF and Quality Care for Children are helping employers understand Georgia and federal tax credits that can offset the cost of providing childcare benefits. Rick Bennett of Bennett Thrasher and Ray Rodriguez of C.W. Matthews shared their experiences and encouraged other employers to explore how these benefits can help attract and retain employees.
For Kim Gresh, President & CEO of S.A. White Oil Company, that ability to respond as community needs evolve is a reason to invest.
“It’s reassuring to know there’s an organization bringing people together to tackle whatever our community needs next,” Gresh said. “As a Corporate Champion, we help make that possible. We’re investing in a community we care about and helping it move forward.”
The evening’s message was clear: Strong companies need strong communities, and Corporate Champions are choosing to invest in both. Their commitment brings funding, relationships, expertise and leadership to the work of building a Cobb County where more neighbors can thrive.
Businesses interested in joining them as Corporate Champions can learn more at cobbfoundation.org.
About Cobb Community Foundation
Cobb Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that brings people, ideas, and resources together to address Cobb County’s needs and opportunities — helping businesses and individuals give with purpose and empowering nonprofits to do their best work. By connecting donors with causes they care about, managing charitable funds, fueling community solutions, and equipping nonprofits with resources they need to serve, CCF empowers individuals, businesses and organizations to activate good—together.
