Collaborate and Celebrate 2024

Dear Family and Friends:

Twenty years ago, concerned citizens of Memphis came together to look at the landscape and seek a solution to a dreadful issue: the local infant mortality rate was that of a third-world country. Sixty percent of births were to single mothers, and in many areas of Memphis, 75% of children who lived with a single parent lived in poverty. The concerned citizens from Second Presbyterian Church, Hope Christian Community Foundation, The Urban Child Institute, The Irvin Lansky Foundation, Agape Child and Family Services, and others began collaborating, seeking a solution to support all families in Memphis and Shelby County. The initial effort was to create a program to equip churches to encourage marriage. Families Matter was formed because concerned citizens loved Memphis and desired better for our families and children.

Today, I invite you to be a part of our journey as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Families Matter at our ‘Collaborate and Celebrate’ dinner. Your presence and support are crucial as we continue our mission to strengthen Memphis and Shelby County families. The dinner will be held on June 20, 2024, where it all began, at Second Presbyterian Church.

Our focus is CHILDREN. We work intently to educate, encourage, and strengthen families by focusing on teenagers (boys and girls), young and seasoned men, and fathers. Our healthy relationship prevention programs will be highlighted during this event, as will our new intervention program, AFIRM (A Father’s Involvement Really Matters). As Mother Teresa stated, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” We believe much of the chaos we experience in Memphis and around the country today is due to FATHERS not being actively involved with their children.

As we celebrate our 20th year, we will honor our founding sponsors and thank Old St. Paul, Faith Temple, and Rising Sun Ministries. These churches have supported Families Matter since its inception. We are excited to introduce you to our programs, prevention, and intervention while sharing stories that excite and explode our emotions.

Your support as a sponsor for our 'Collaborate and Celebrate' event on June 20, 2024, is greatly appreciated. You can learn about our sponsorship levels and choose the one that's appropriate for you. A level to be considered is our $10,000, Preserver Level, which includes 12 tickets and all the other amenities. We are counting on your support to make this event a success and to honor and celebrate the founding sponsors.

For additional ‘Collaborate and Celebrate’ information, please contact me at (901) 351.1124 or carol@fmmemphis.org. A visit to our website at http://familiesmattermemphis.org will give you a glimpse of our work and the transformation of some of our most recent participants.

Please note a temporary change in our mailing address: P. O. Box 11445, Memphis, TN 38111

Sincerely,

Carol A. Jackson Executive Director