Callaway Foundation
It’s hard to imagine the city of LaGrange without the generosity of the Callaway Foundation. A town of 30,000 residents is not likely to enjoy the amenities we do, including The Thread, a beautiful walking trail, the Sweetland Amphitheater, and a vibrant arts scene, including the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, to name a few.
However, while most residents are aware of the Foundations—which includes Callaway Foundation, Inc. (CFI) and Fuller E. Callaway Foundation, Inc. (FECF)—I’d wager few know the true magnitude of the organizations’ impact.
In the late 19th century, Fuller E. Callaway, a born entrepreneur, built industry and infrastructure still prevalent today. His son, Fuller E. Callaway Jr., drew upon his father’s shrewd business sense to create his own legacy of philanthropy.
The Foundation was created out of a calling to strengthen the community and contributed to the aforementioned amenities and other causes, including many non-profits and church missions. Of particular interest, the growth of local churches and their ministries. In 1972, CFI began contributing a 50 percent match for funds raised by the surrounding church communities in LaGrange.
The matching gift was a gracious act of benevolence during an era in which the physical church building was the nucleus of the community. It housed worship and formation, but more, it was “home” —a place to rest, seek refuge, or recharge.
This mission continues today with a 20 percent match for Troup County religious organizations. In total, the CFI contribution to date for religious purposes is over $36 million.
As other nonprofit organizations have grown, the Foundation continues to serve as a critical partner for many, including United Way of West Georgia, Circles of Troup County, and Troup County Homeless Coalition.
In the most recent partnership with United Way, the Foundation, along with the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, created The Troup County Emergency Relief Fund to quickly address human needs amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Through the Fund, any nonprofit organization affected by the pandemic can submit grant requests through United Way, and CFI will match the amount to those recipients. To date, through this partnership, CFI has contributed over $50,000 to aid in pandemic relief.
“In all, over $130,000 in grants have been awarded to 20 local organizations to assist with PPE, housing expenses, telehealth equipment, and more,” says Tripp Penn, Foundation president.
In response to pandemic needs, further partnership opportunities were also uncovered.
“We’re proud to partner with United Way on the [The Troup County Emergency] Relief Fund. The program has created a new channel for the Foundation to partner with existing nonprofits already doing amazing work in LaGrange,” said Meredith Key, TCERF committee member and former CFI trustee.
“Through this partnership, we have been able to reach over 16,000 people in Troup County,” Mr. Penn reports.
Among those grant recipients and new partners is the Confident Missionary Baptist Church Community Outreach Program. This program assists with rent, utilities, and medication for those in need.
Reverend Michael Jackson, lead pastor at Confident Missionary Baptist Church, is grateful for the timing of the program: “It’s been a blessing. It allows us to continue to do ministry in many ways.”
One particular story came to mind as Reverend Jackson described the work his church family has been able to accomplish with the help of United Way of West Georgia and the Callaway Foundation’s match. During a trip to the utilities office to help a congregation member turn her power back on, another family observed his guidance, and approached him for information on any resources that could help them as well.
He assisted the family in completing the grant request and said, “The family was amazed because he was an African American pastor and he was helping a Latino family. Thank God for the Foundation and that we were able to minister in this time of need.” Reverend Jackson calls this “ministry chemistry” and is grateful for the opportunity to work across racial-ethnic lines.
Reverend Jackson estimates the administrative team at Confidence Missionary Baptist has been able to assist between 50-60 family members of their congregation by way of the grants totaling $6000.
“Thank God for Patty Youngblood and the team at United Way because they have been the hands to spread this work throughout the community. And a special thanks to my administrative team for helping make it happen.”
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Whether through the recent Relief Fund program or countless other channels, I dare to venture that every citizen of LaGrange has been directly impacted by the Callaway Foundations and family—myself included as a former employee of Hills & Dales Estate.
There’s no shortage of people doing Kingdom Work right here in LaGrange, GA. We have spoken with various people in various roles, and through these conversations, one clear theme has emerged: “with the help of the Callaway Foundation, we have been able to.” In hearing these words time and time again from local nonprofit leaders working in tandem with the Foundation, we begin to understand the ripple effect of one man’s vision for a community that cares for one another.
In fact, this very media channel, Lewis & Broad, created to highlight the good work in our community, was funded by none other than the Callaway Foundation. For one of our final posts of the inaugural Lewis and Broad podcast season, we felt it appropriate to show our gratitude for the organizational tie that has, and continues to bind mission efforts in our community.
It’s hard to imagine LaGrange without the generosity of the Callaway Foundation, and thanks be to God we don’t have to.