Arlington Tomorrow Foundation Awards $30,000 in Grants During Arlington Gives Event

By Susan Schrock

Posted on September 22, 2016, September 22, 2016

More than 2,000 residents gathered downtown Thursday at the Levitt Pavilion to enjoy a Luke Wade concert and show support for the American Dream City 's numerous nonprofit organizations.

As part of North Texas Giving Day, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation hosted the free community concert and also awarded $30,000 in grants throughout the day to Arlington-based nonprofits.

North Texas Giving Day is an annual 18-hour online giving event, coordinated by the Communities Foundation of Texas, that is designed to encourage residents to make a contribution to the nonprofit organization of their choice. All contributions made between 6 a.m. and midnight on Thursday were matched in part by the Communities Foundation.

The Arlington Tomorrow Foundation 's annual Arlington Gives event is designed to help North Texas Giving Day contributors ' dollars go even further.

Shortly before the Arlington Gives concert, Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams offered his thanks to the nonprofit staff members, volunteers, donors and supporters who dedicate themselves to caring for and enriching the community.

"North Texas Giving Day is a chance for our region to shine and to shine a hot spotlight on the power and promise of philanthropy. For more than eight years, North Texas Giving Day has proven what is possible when we focus our collective efforts and our financial resources on the causes we believe make a difference in our lives and that benefit those around us," said Williams, who is also the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation Board Chairman.

"For the last three years, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation has used this day to concentrate on our local charitable sector to acknowledge their vital work and to remind Arlington's donor base that hundreds of groups are committed to caring for our community day in and day out. Tonight is about giving and gratitude."

Since its creation in 2007, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation has awarded nearly $18 million to Arlington nonprofit organizations, City of Arlington departments and neighborhood groups for projects that help the public.

Recent grants include $4.1 million to the Arlington Public Library Foundation for the new George W. Hawkes Downtown Library, set to open north of City Hall in 2018, and $1 million to the River Legacy Foundation to help underwrite new museum-quality interactive exhibits and enhanced educational programming at the organization 's Living Science Center.

Arlington Gives wrapped up with a performance by The Voice Season 7 finalist Luke Wade.

As he took the stage, Wade told the cheering crowd they were "the real stars who came out tonight to support all these wonderful causes."

Award Recipients

Grace Prep Academy received the first $5,000 bonus grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation for the highest number of donations received between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

St. Joseph Catholic School received the second $5,000 bonus grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation for the highest number of donations received between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The Levitt Pavilion Arlington received the third $5,000 bonus grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation for the highest number of donations received between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Arlington Classics Academy received the fourth $5,000 bonus grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation for the highest number of donations received between 7 p.m. and midnight.

Grace Prep Academy was also the winner of the People's Choice Award, which is a $10,000 donation from the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation based on votes from Arlington Gives event attendees.

During the concert, Shelter 2 Rescue Coalition and Destiny Empowerment Enterprises were each randomly selected to receive a $5,000 bonus grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation. The organizations selected had to be in attendance during the Arlington Gives event.