AutoZone Awards $50,000 to Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis

May 2005 - The Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis received a $50,000 grant from AutoZone, headquartered in Memphis.

The AutoZone contribution of $50,000 will support the Foundation's grant-making efforts with a portion of the money designated to non"traditional training in partnership with the YWCA of Greater Memphis Women in Trades program.

Women in Trades prepares unemployed and underemployed women in technical skills for the information technology and building trades industries. The program seeks to remove unemployment barriers and facilitates successful employment of program graduates into high tech/higher wage jobs so that they are able to move from below poverty level wages to a earning a living wage based on their new skills.

"AutoZone has demonstrated its commitment and recognizes the importance of good corporate citizenship throughout the community," said Ruby Bright, executive director. "The Women's Foundation is especially proud to have them as one of our major corporate partners."

Ray Pohlman, AutoZone's Vice President of Community Relations, said AutoZone is committed to helping the Memphis community thrive.

"AutoZone continues to support the YWCA's non-traditional jobs program through the Women's Foundation because of its success with helping these women learn the necessary skills to enter the workforce with confidence," Pohlman said. "We believe the Women's Foundation plays a key role in our community's economic development by partnering with successful groups such as the YWCA."

As of May 7, 2005, AutoZone sells auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories through 3,505 AutoZone stores in United States and 73 AutoZone stores in Mexico and also sells the ALLDATA brand automotive diagnostic and repair software. On the web, AutoZone sells diagnostic and repair information and auto and light truck parts through www.autozone.com.

The Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis was founded through a gift in 1995 by the late Mertie Buckman to foster women's leadership in the community and advocate for programs, including those serving children, which enable women of all ages to reach their full potential. In the past seven years, the Women's Foundation has given nearly $2 million to 126 programs supporting women and children in greater Memphis.

Terry Lee
Sr. Vice President and Manager of Corporate Communications
First Tennessee Bank

Q: Why is assisting WFGM important to First Tennessee?

A: First Tennessee has a large percentage of female employees. In fact, we have a Women's Initiative Task Force that makes sure the company is focused on issues that are important to women. With so many women assisting us on a daily basis that naturally makes First Tennessee interested and supportive of any initiative that assists women. For several years now, First Tennessee Bank has been a funder and supporter of the Women's Foundation.

Q: How does WFGM's goals tie into First Tennessee's goals?

A: Being in the business we're in one of the things we're most interested in is the ability to be financially self-sufficient. Financial independence in the first step to setting your life on the course to where its under you command rather than someone else's and WFGM is doing a good job helping women to be financially independent.

Q: If you were speaking to someone about why they should assist the WFGM what would you say?

A: I would tell them that women's issues are at the very foundation of some of the biggest challenges we have in our community. By helping to address these issues, we are actually helping the entire community and empowering a segment of the community that for too long has been underpowered.

Kathy Bingham
Manager Community Relations
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

Q: Why is assisting WFGM important to BlueCross BlueShield?

A: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's outreach priority is to support the communities we serve emphasizing healthy living, health care access and quality of life. The Women's Foundation has given BlueCross an opportunity to further this priority. We are extremely proud to support their effort to train our communities' Hispanic women in nursing assistant vocations.

We are thankful for all Gayle Rose, the former Women's Foundation Board Chair, Ruby Bright and staff do to enhance educational and economic empowerment in the area of health training.