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Westside Future Fund (WFF) , and Believe AtlantaSM, an Atlanta-based AT&T volunteer program, brought together approximately 500 AT&T employees to share their time and talents to bring major improvements at Truly Living Well (TLW) Collegetown Center for Natural Urban Architecture, which will help bring the urban farm in compliance with American Disability Act (ADA) standards and create a healthier green space for Westside residents.
WFF is committed to transforming the lives of current and future residents of the Historic Westside neighborhoods for the better by establishing mixed-income communities that are safe, support families, stimulate local businesses and ensure sustainability for multiple generations. The nonprofit is focused on the holistic revitalization of the historic neighborhoods of English Avenue, Vine City, the Atlanta University Center and Ashview Heights, where Truly Living Well is located. WFF is committed to lifting up these neighborhoods and improving the lives of residents in four key areas: safety and security, mixed income communities/affordable housing, and cradle-to-career education and community health and wellness.
“We are place-based and people-focused, and volunteering is an essential component of our community engagement. I am so pleased to partner with AT&T to support Truly Living Well,” says Raquel Hudson, WFF Volunteer Services Director. “It’s exciting to be on the ground with 500 AT&T volunteers as they work to make this urban farm a thriving center for everyone in the community.”
The volunteers did everything from building wheelchair-friendly pathways, new picnic tables, a chicken coop and storage shed to creating a new sensory garden, raising and widening planting beds, planting 14 fruit trees and upgrading the greenhouse and children’s garden.
“Commitment to community is a guiding principle for us at AT&T and, today, we are excited to help Truly Living Well bring their Westside garden into compliance with ADA standards, ensuring this special place remains a centerpiece of the community that everyone – regardless of their abilities – can enjoy,” said Venessa Harrison, president of AT&T Georgia. Harrison continued: “The thousands of men and women who work for AT&T and call Atlanta home, believe in Atlanta, and through Believe AtlantaSM we are working to cultivate an environment where we collaborate with community organizations to ensure these neighborhoods receive the resources needed to make this great city a better home for all Atlanta residents.”
Truly Living Well is an essential part of the Atlanta urban farming movement and its programs have provided Ashview Heights residents with agricultural training, nutrition, education and job opportunities since opening in 2006. Through these programs, Truly Living Well shows how food can be a bridge across diverse cultures, backgrounds and experiences.
“AT&T volunteers poured their passion and hard work into transforming spaces within Collegetown farm, so Westside residents can enjoy and reap the benefits from our urban agriculture center,” said Carol Hunter, Executive Director of Truly Living Well. “AT&T’s commitment to community is evident in the time shared and the quality of work done. Our community is better because of companies like AT&T.”
“We are honored to partner with AT&T to support one of our key impact areas, community health and wellness, through this volunteer event benefiting Truly Living Well. The Westside Future Fund and our community partners are devoted to supporting thriving and livable communities in the Historic Westside neighborhoods,” said Beverly Tatum, Westside Future Fund Board Vice Chair. “Access to healthy food is fundamental to community health and wellness, and the improvements AT&T volunteers are making to Collegetown Farm will allow even more residents living in these historic neighborhoods the opportunity to benefit from TLW.”
About Westside Future Fund
Westside Future Fund is a nonprofit formed by Atlanta’s public, private and philanthropic partners who believe in the future of Atlanta’s Westside and are committed to helping Historic Westside neighborhoods revitalize and develop into a community Dr. King would be proud to call home. WFF serves as a “community quarterback” organization for the holistic redevelopment of English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights, Atlanta University Center, Just Us and the Booker T. Washington neighborhoods. In collaboration with residents, community leaders, and a wide variety of public and private partners, WFF is driving change by focusing on four impact areas: mixed-income communities; cradle-to-career education; community health and wellness; and safety and security. Grounded in a compassionate approach to revitalization aimed at community retention, the organization is focused on creating a diverse mixed-income community, improving quality of life, and elevating and celebrating the Historic Westside’s unique history and culture.
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About Truly Living Well (TLW) Collegetown Center for Natural Urban Agriculture
Since its beginning in 2006, Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture (TLW) has used its expertise to demonstrate how food can be a bridge across diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Our goal is to use food production as the plate on which we create a culture of health and wellness in our community. Our programs and activities provide agriculture training, nutrition, education and job creation.
By regularly harvesting healthy produce throughout the year, TLW provides our community with a dependable, consistent source of fresh produce, much of which can be earmarked specifically for those who cannot afford to purchase it otherwise. Truly Living Well grows better communities by connecting people with the land through education, training, and demonstration of economic success in natural urban agriculture. We demonstrate sustainable and economically viable solutions for helping people to eat and live better.
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