$300,000 Donation to Jessye Norman School of the Arts

The Chestnut Family Foundation is pleased to announce its continued support of the Jessye Norman School of the Arts (JNSA) through a two-year commitment totaling $300,000. We are proud to see the continued growth that JNSA has experienced over the past few years, and we are looking forward to seeing more students benefit from its after-school programs.

The mission of the Jessye Norman School of the Arts is to develop students to become creative, caring, visionary, responsible citizens through the transformative power of the arts. The broad-ranged fine arts program challenges students academically, integrates technology and lays the foundation for extraordinary life experiences.

$90,000 Donation to Corners Outreach

The Chestnut Family Foundation is excited to announce a $90,000 donation to Corners Outreach in support of the Workforce Development programs. The funds are intended to expand the impact of these programs by allowing Corners Outreach to seek additional certifications support through partnerships. This funding will also help participants cover the cost of transportation to attend their classes and will enable the organization to outfit a computer lab. We are looking forward to seeing these programs expand as we believe they deliver essential skills for job-readiness.

Corners Outreach mission is to equip Metro Atlanta's underserved students of color and their families to lead full lives through educational development and economic opportunities.

$300,000 Commitment to ArtsNow’s Richmond County Partnership: 2024-2027

It is with much joy that the Chestnut Family Foundation announces it renewed support to ArtsNow, a long-standing partner of the Foundation. The Chestnut Family Foundation has committed a total of $300,000 over the next three years in support of ArtsNow’s partnership with Richmond County. ArtsNow continues to deliver high quality arts-integrated in-school curriculum through the support and partnership of schools and district leadership. ArtsNow’s partnership with Richmond County began in 2018 with the Chestnut Family Foundation’s support.

The mission of ArtsNow is to transform lives through customized solutions to meet educational needs utilizing arts integration and innovative strategies.

We continue to be impressed by the impact that ArtsNow’s programs have on the students in Richmond County and are excited to see what the next three years of additional support will bring!

$15,000 Gift to Out of Hand Theater’s Creative Kids Program

The Chestnut Family Foundation has provided a $15,000 donation to Out of Hand Theater in support of its Creative Kids program. CFF is proud to continue supporting this important initiative that provides free theater training to students across Atlanta schools.

Creative Kids aims to improve students’ confidence, creativity, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills through theater lessons. Out of Hand’s school programming provides lessons on storytelling, playwriting, script analysis, staging, character development, and performing for an audience. Since 2001, Out of Hand has collaborated with dozens of community partners to produce programs that combine art to open hearts, information to open minds, and conversation to process feelings and thoughts and make a plan for action

We are proud to see this program continue to grow and expand as more students benefit from Out of Hand’s important work.

$587,500 Gift to Moving in the Spirit

The Chestnut Family Foundation has made a gift of $587,500 to Moving in the Spirit. The donation will be used to expand the size and scope of services, deepen the experience of its students, and strengthen the sustainability of the organization.

Moving in the Spirit uses dance as a medium to teach young people the social, emotional, and cognitive skills they need to thrive. Through programs that integrate high-quality dance instruction with performance, leadership, and mentor opportunities, Moving in the Spirit impacts 250 children and teens annually in Atlanta, GA, encouraging them to overcome the obstacles they face each day and realize their highest potential. Moving in the Spirit seeks to develop its students to be confident, resilient, compassionate leaders, poised to succeed beyond the stage, and make a difference in their communities.

We are delighted to continue our partnership with Moving in the Spirit as it continues to grow and increase the impact of its programs on our community.