We are proud to announce that two of our team members have been selected as part of the third cohort of the Truist Foundation Racial Equity Ambassadors through Purpose Built Communities. Director of Finance and Administration Danielle Clay and Community Development Advisor Candice Kelly will each participate in the eight-month fellowship.
Since 2020, there has been an increase in interest and conversations around racial equity, but for Purpose Built Communities, racial equity isn’t just a theoretical concept but a strategic priority. The non-profit empowers community development leaders to help neighborhoods achieve greater racial equity, economic mobility and improved health outcomes at a hyperlocal level. The eight-month fellowship will equip the following Atlanta-based leaders with training,
coaching and practical strategies to advance racial equity within their communities and
across the Purpose Built Network.
“The community leaders selected for the Truist Foundation Racial Equity Ambassadors Program are already doing great work to build healthy, accessible and equitable neighborhoods across the country,” said Michelle Matthews, senior vice president, Purpose Built Communities. “This opportunity will further enable them to implement nationally regarded best practices and a proven framework. Robust training and extensive coaching are critical components of the program and guarantee that we’re not just talking about racial equity, but we’re actually moving it forward.”
The fellowship program, which kicked off its first cohort in 2018, exemplifies Truist
Foundation’s own longstanding commitment to advancing racial equity and affecting
systems-change at the neighborhood-level. As the official supporter, Truist Foundation
has invested in Purpose Built and its Network Members through a $7 million grant,
expanding the organization’s racial equity programs to help leaders and field partners
around the country engage with racial equity work in a deeper, more strategic and
effective way.
“In all that we do, Truist Foundation aims to help level the playing field by supporting
organizations and people addressing the roots of inequity,” said Lynette Bell, president
of Truist Foundation and board member of Purpose Built Communities. “We believe
investing in community leaders through Purpose Built Communities’ Racial Equity
Ambassadors Program can be where systemic change starts, ultimately leading to
greater economic mobility for disadvantaged communities across the country.”
About Purpose Built Communities
Purpose Built Communities partners with local leaders to design, direct, and accelerate
neighborhood transformation initiatives across the United States with the shared goal to ensure
every resident experiences greater racial equity, improved health outcomes, and increased
upward mobility. The Purpose Built Communities model of holistic revitalization includes
affordable, mixed-income housing, a cradle-to-college education pathway, community wellness
programs and facilities, and a thriving commercial core that creates economic vitality, all within a
defined neighborhood, coordinated by a dedicated, nonprofit community quarterback
organization. The Purpose Built Communities Network includes 28 of these community
quarterback organizations in 15 states. For more information, visit purposebuiltcommunities.org.
Connect on Facebook @PurposeBuiltCommunities and Twitter @PurposeBuiltCS.
About Truist Foundation
Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire
and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic
investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more
opportunities for a better quality of life. Truist Foundation’s grants and activities focus on
building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. Learn more
at Truist.com/Foundation.
You can learn more about the Truist Foundation Racial Equity Ambassadors Program by clicking here.
