AT&T Launches ‘Believe Louisville’ Initiative to Improve Communities

Nearly $200,000 pledged to support education, homelessness and community programs

AT&T* is launching the Believe Louisville℠ initiative to increase access to opportunity through education and second chances. The effort is the latest in AT&T’s larger AT&T Believes℠ initiative – now active in more than 20 cities across the country. Believe Louisville aims to use AT&T’s strong base of local employee volunteers and company resources to better serve the community.

The effort will focus on four core areas: education and job skills in at-risk Louisville neighborhoods; support for Louisville’s homeless population, felony expungement and community engagement through employee volunteerism.

“Believe Louisville seeks to build on the good work of our more than 900 Louisville area employees who routinely engage in community works by focusing employee engagement to make a prolonged impact on the place we call home,” said AT&T Kentucky President Hood Harris. “With a fantastic team of caring people, we’re committed to supporting public education and community-focused organizations as we work to expand pathways to opportunity.”

Believe Louisville kicked off today with a commitment of $144,500 from AT&T and $53,000 from the AT&T Foundation, for a total of $197,500^[1] dedicated to its new initiative.

Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), a nonprofit program that partners with high school students to overcome barriers and prepare for college and career pathways, is the first Believe Louisville collaborator. With this funding from AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, JAG will be able to better serve young people at Doss High School and the Academy at Shawnee.

“Through the support of corporate citizens like AT&T we are better positioned to maximize impact for local students, helping to ensure they reach their full potential as leaders for their families, communities, Kentucky and our nation,” said JAG Kentucky President Lisa Handziak.

To kick off the campaign, AT&T employees will gather at the Academy at Shawnee to stuff 250 backpacks with classroom materials and personal hygiene products to ensure students start the school year prepared to succeed. The donated bags are part of an upcycling effort that turned materials from the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament into backpacks.

Details regarding AT&T’s collaboration and volunteer work with additional Louisville organizations will be released throughout the year.

To learn more about AT&T Believes initiatives across the country, please click here.