Pictured above: David Bucknall (centre), chair of the
Birmingham and Black Community Foundation and of property and
construction practice Rider Levett Bucknall, who has signed up to
become one of the first 100 Club members. Zoë Keens and David
Hersey both from the Foundation stand either side
The search is on for 100 people who believe that charity begins
at home and are willing to give £1000 each for three years to
support grassroots causes in the community.
Those who sign up will become members of the 100 Club, a key new
Birmingham Community Foundation (BCF) initiative that supports the
mission of the charity to provide sustainable funding for
disadvantaged communities in Birmingham and the Black Country now
and in the future.
Each year the high profile community focussed charity helps to
fund more than 750 local community and volunteer organisations and
distributes around £2.5m in grants.
These local groups work with the elderly, children and young
people who suffer disadvantage, which may be through poverty, age,
ill-health or disability.
The 100 Club aims to bring together leaders and opinion formers
who care about Birmingham and the Black Country to engage with
philanthropy that makes a difference to the lives of local
people.
Zoë Keens, development director of BCF "Despite having
experienced one of the worst recessions in living memory, the
desire of people to give something back to our local communities is
on the increase both through individual philanthropists and
companies seeking to do their part through Corporate Social
Responsibility.
"We are looking for 100 local businesses and individuals to
commit to making an annual donation of £1000 from individuals
and £2500 from business for three years."
"When 100 members sign up it will generate a minimum of
£50,000 a year to be used immediately for grants to support
local needs and £50,000 a year to be invested with the income
to be used to make grants in perpetuity. The figures speak for
themselves."
Benefits to 100 Club members will include networking and awards
events and the opportunity for friends, family, colleagues and
members themselves to visit the community and voluntary groups they
have funded and meet the people they are helping to make a
difference.
Over 7,000 charities and community and voluntary groups
undertake invaluable work in communities across Birmingham and the
Black Country.
Zoë added: "We all see, read and hear of community issues
on an almost daily basis and think about how problems can be
solved. The greatest impact to bring about change is made at a
grassroots level by local people who are finding local solutions to
their local communities needs.
"At the end of the day, helping our local communities to help
themselves via funding opportunities will make Birmingham and the
Black Country a better place to live, work, play and invest."