Stating Our Case

The Black Belt Community Foundation was established in 2004 in response to the need to address disproportionate rates of poverty, unemployment, teen pregnancy, illiteracy, chronic illness and poor health in the 12 counties that make up Alabama 's Black Belt region. However, this is not simply a local challenge. The shock waves of poverty are felt far beyond the county lines of the Black Belt. They resonate in neighboring counties, at our state capital, and in the halls of the United States Congress. We are your neighbors. And we are committed to making Alabama 's Black Belt a place where our families can live and prosper. But we need your help. Together, we can make a difference.

The Inspiration

Despite pervasive poverty, the Black Belt region is representative of important Alabama values such as hard work, strong families, faith in God and community pride. Add to these values the unique history of struggle in the Black Belt, and the region's experience with the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's, in particular, and we have the inspiration and foundation to build a better future for the families of our region.

Our Mission and Goals

The mission of the Black Belt Community Foundation is to forge a collective stream of giving from the community and other sources so we, the people of the Black Belt, can enhance our continuing efforts to lift ourselves by “taking what we have to make what we need.”

The Foundation supports efforts in the 12 counties of the Black Belt where residents and leaders address community issues covering a range of services, including: Environment, Health and Human Services, Education, Youth, Arts and Culture, and Community Economic Development.

The Black Belt Community Foundation's goals are:

- To build philanthropy

- To nurture the culture of giving in the Black Belt

- To support efforts that engage residents and leaders in addressing community issues

In 2005, BBCF awarded $120,000 to organizations to increase the availability of childcare, employ residents currently receiving public assistance, provide tutoring for students, revitalize a community park, provide computers and internet access for children, transition at-risk students back into the regular classroom, repair and upgrade community centers, offer music and arts enrichment programs, provide health care services and AIDS education, and promote youth leadership opportunities. Although alleviating poverty is a necessary step for the families of the Black Belt, it is also important to foster culture and the arts, strong communities, and civic pride and engagement. The BBCF is committed to supporting a wide range of initiatives to lift up the Black Belt region and improve the quality of life for all its families. While we will focus on identifying assets and resources within the Black Belt region to support these programs, we will also look to others outside the region to invest in the future of the Black Belt. By lifting up those in need, we lift up ourselves.

Our Opportunity

Together, we have an unprecedented opportunity. The BBCF was conceived five years ago by two distinctly different groups of people who came together to work jointly. For the first time in Alabama history, black and white, young and old, professional and blue collar, business minded and grassroots, put aside differences and collaborated in the effort for the sake of lifting the Black Belt. Our goals are visionary and ambitious. Successful execution of these goals will require an investment of leadership and resources. It will require the active support of all persons who are concerned about the devastating impact of poverty in our state. It will require the development of the needed organizational infrastructure within BBCF. To achieve these goals will require a considerable increase in our financial resources.

Your Invitation

This year we have received 119 grant applications requesting support for projects from youth to healthcare to aquaculture. These organizations embody our motto “taking what we have to make what we need.” Their inspiring work gives us all a renewed sense of hope for the Black Belt region of Alabama . We invite you to follow us as we take you on an exciting ride through the Black Belt, highlighting and supporting the organizations that are working for a brighter future.

The Reality

Of 12 Black Belt counties, 8 are among the 100 poorest counties in the entire United States .

While an astonishing 25% of children in Alabama live in poverty, that figures exceeds 40% in the Black Belt. A quarter of Black Belt families earn less than $15,000 a year. The 10 counties with the highest unemployment rate in the State of Alabama are all located in the Black Belt. Forty-five percent of citizens over the age of 25 have not completed high school. Women in the Black Belt are unemployed at over twice the national rate.

Join us on our journey!