THRIVE Thomasville

Caring, sharing and building bridges for a brighter community.

We created the THRIVE Thomasville Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to put philanthropic investments in the hands of members from Historic Thomasville to address community concerns.

The THRIVE Thomasville Council is a unique resident-led advisory board dedicated to:

  • Shifting traditional philanthropy to the members of the community
  • Supporting resident leadership development to spark positive change
  • Supporting community involvement, making residents aware of available resources and how to access them
  • Acknowledging the history of the community and its current assets

THRIVE Thomasville Council Members, 2021–2022

Jeff Stanciel
Roderick Thomas, Jr.
Madrika Gray
Tarin Love
Angela James
Cinathia Perkins
LeTia “Talibah” Johnson

THRIVE Thomasville Community Liaisons 2022

Maria Dumas-White
Asante Fears
Anita Stanciel

Past THRIVE Thomasville Advisory Council Members

Dashia Adams (2019, 2020)
Annie Bridges (2019)
DeMarcus Stephens (2019)
Josephine Tyler-Jackson (2019, 2020)
Soisette Lumpkin (2021)

THRIVE Thomasville Support Team in Collaboration with CommunityBuild Ventures

Kysha Cameron
Natasha Harrison
Trequita Overton
Asile Patin

THRIVE Thomasville Community Partners


In-Kind Partners

CHRIS 180
FCS Ministries/Focused Community Strategies
Purpose Built Schools

Communications Partners

Bearings Bike Shop
Atlanta Thrive
APS/Thomasville Heights Elementary
Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF)
City of Atlanta- Parks & Recreation (Thomasville Heights)
Goodr
Housing Justice League
Norwood Civic Association
Thomasville Civic Association
HABESHA
Carver High School
The Nature Conservancy

2023 grant recipients

Through the 2023 grantmaking process, council members approved $48,850 to a mixture of ten (10) nonprofits, community groups and residents for projects that will support the Historic Thomasville community which includes Thomasville Heights, Norwood Manor and Forest Cove. Listed below are the grantees and their funded projects:

  • Thomasville Heights Civic League received funds to refurbish and restore signage and gardens at the entrance of the Thomasville Heights neighborhood with support of a professional to assess the area and help with design.
  • BK International Education Consultancy will tackle disparities stemming from structural inequalities to create equitable education through the "Being the CEO of Me" program. This initiative embeds STEAM, entrepreneurship, career exploration and connectedness.
  • Grind House University will provide a 3-day camp on basketball skills for K-12 youth.
  • Mr. Harris Foundation received funds to support an all-boys camp for 21 youth (12-15 yrs old) with a trip to the Youth Projects God’s Farm. Activities will focus on community service, career development, brotherhood and mentorship.
  • Norwood Manor Civic Association received funds to support distribution of promotional gifts to engage new residents to the Norwood neighborhood. Funds will also support a Neighborhood Chill Day event and purchasing items for the “Little Free Library” to promote literacy and education for both youth and adults in the neighborhood.
  • Thomasville Heights Historical Society received funds to support research and storytelling about the Thomasville Heights neighborhood and its local and national historic designations.
  • Divas In Defense will provide empowerment and safety training sessions for youth and women. Two self-defense classes will be included along with home safety kits.
  • Vasiny Long will teach youth (13-17 yrs old) weekly the business of hair braiding the styling. Funds will go towards purchasing supplies and equipment for each student.
  • Carver Early College received funds to support the Daniel’s Den Food Pantry which resides at the high school and is geared towards homeless students. Funds will help to purchase shelf-stable food, toiletry items and school uniforms.
  • Nichole Milan Beauty & Wellness will offer weekly fitness classes for youth ages 6-12 to support staying healthy and fit as well as wellness education resources.

2022 efforts

THRIVE Thomasville Council Members were actively involved with the grantmaking process, giving residents the opportunity to apply for funding for various causes. Grants from Spark Fund were as much as $5,000. The total award of $37,100 was distributed to the following individuals and organizations:

  • Bibleway Community Development Corporation distributed healthy foods to families, specifically children, on the weekends. Also, they created and distributed toiletry kits and snack bags to the homeless in the community.
  • BK International Education Consultancy created a STEM-focused program for youth, addressing community issues by strengthening real-world leadership skills and learning about entrepreneurship, urban planning and design.
  • First Mount Selah Missionary Baptist Church produced a health fair for residents conducting screenings for high blood pressure and diabetes, and offering medical referrals for mammograms and colonoscopies. They also provided PPE and school supplies, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables to community members.
  • Mimi’s Yoga Kids trained community members and students about effective, systematic stress relieving techniques, proven to improve critical thinking, creativity and analytical reasoning as well as oral communication skills.
  • The National Office of Gamma Beta Chi offered mentorship to 15 male youths to elevate their life coping skills, emphasizing social-emotional learning.
  • Pete Rorabaugh researched and created a proposal to City of Atlanta voicing the great need for speed bumps in the community, which has been requested by residents for many years.
  • Thomasville Heights Civic League purchased a golf cart to meet with senior residents in the community, going door-to-door and distributing a variety of resources and supplies.
  • Tyme to Thrive Beyond Grief provided support activities addressing gun violence and safety. Created place-based healing spaces within the community for children and families to promote cohesion and care.

2021 highlights

The COVID-19 restrictions dictated a shift in the council’s work from competitive grantmaking to providing direct support. The council approved the following direct support projects for the Historic Thomasville community using $20,000 of funding provided by SPARK donors:

  • Beautification signs for the neighborhoods of Norwood Manor, Forest Cove and Thomasville Heights
  • Gift cards to support the relocation of Forest Cove residents, in partnership with APD Urban Planning and Management
  • Masks for children and teachers at Thomasville Heights Elementary, Dobbs Elementary, Price Middle School and Carver Early College
  • Hygiene kits for youth and adults
  • Ribbon-cutting ceremony at a food pantry for homeless students at Carver Early College

Additionally, the council invested $2,500 for beautification projects in Norwood Manor and Thomasville Heights.

2020 highlights

Due to COVID-19 and gathering restrictions put in place by the City of Atlanta, all THRIVE Thomasville Advisory Council monthly meetings were held virtually throughout the year. The grantmaking process was altered as well. Advisory council members provided their ideas for how funding should be used, and the activities were implemented by the council. Using information supplied by the community, the council led the following initiatives with $20,000 of funding:

  • Beautification project: Purchased flowers and greenery to enhance the entranceway signage into the Thomasville Heights community
  • COVID-19 relief: Purchased care baskets with cleaning, toiletries and medical supplies for 55 senior members of Thomasville Heights and Norwood Manor
  • Weatherization help: Purchased 50 portable heaters for Thomasville Heights and Norwood Manor's senior members to keep their homes warm during the winter
  • Self-care focus: Created and distributed 200 healing care baskets to members of the Forest Cove community

2019 grant recipients

THRIVE Thomasville advisory council members attended monthly in-person sessions to learn about grantmaking, community healing, personal and community advocacy, power dynamics and event creation. Through the grantmaking process, $15,000 was allocated for distribution. The council approved six grants to local nonprofit and community groups, which have made positive contributions to the Historic THRIVE Thomasville community. Listed below are the grantees and their funded projects:

  • Amour Bracelets and Braids Creations teaches youth in the community the techniques and skills for braiding hair
  • Bibleway Ministries Food Pantry provides Thanksgiving food baskets to Thomasville residents
  • Maria White Dumas and Izzetta Dennis provide front yard clean-up services at the homes of 15 senior citizens
  • Silverleaf Baptist Church provides supplemental math and science classes to neighborhood youth
  • Thomasville Heights Civic League hosts a holiday meet-and-greet for community residents
  • Thomasville Heights Senior Tax Support Committee hosts monthly tax assistance sessions for senior citizens during the exemption-filing period in 2020

THRIVE Thomasville ended 2019 with a November celebration event, recognizing the grantees and the work completed by the inaugural advisory council member group to help their community. Watch the highlight video below.

In partnership with CommunityBuild Ventures

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For more information, please contact:

Katrina Julien

Katrina Julien
Senior Program Officer
404.588.3187
kjulien@cfgreateratlanta.org