Mid City Times

Fiscal Year 2023, which ended Sept. 30, marked the 16th year of the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation’s commitment to contribute to a Thriving Arlington.

Since 2017, the city’s largest charitable endowment has underwritten more than 500 programs or projects totaling $43.2 million for local nonprofits and City of Arlington departments. The Arlington Tomorrow Foundation believes in the power of philanthropy to ensure that residents are cared for physically and mentally, are enriched by arts, cultural and educational programming, and have access to meaningful resources and opportunities to help them achieve their American Dream.

In the past year, the foundation underwrote nearly $1.5 million in programming and capital projects designed to address food insecurity, enrich cultural experiences, house and protect families facing domestic violence, and support the nonprofit sector’s fundraising efforts during North Texas Giving Day.

“We remain committed to directing the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation’s financial resources to those projects which help enhance our community today and for generations to come,” said Carolyn Mentesana, Arlington Tomorrow Foundation executive director.

The foundation’s largest gift in the past year was $750,000 to Taste Project, a nonprofit bringing its pay-what-you-can community restaurant concept to the heart of Downtown Arlington. Taste Project, an organization designed to help feed, educate and serve Tarrant County’s food insecure residents, has served more than 125,000 diners since its initial Taste Community Restaurant opened in Fort Worth in 2017. Funding from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation will help the nonprofit open its second Taste Community Restaurant on Cooper Street, just north of The University of Texas at Arlington, in 2024.

Other projects supported include $500,000 to the Arlington Museum of Art for “Pompei: The Immortal City,” which will be the inaugural exhibition at the museum’s new Entertainment District location in 2024; $7,500 to the Lucretia Council Cochran Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution to launch its Wreaths Across America initiative to honor Arlington veterans; $10,000 to Trinity Kids, Inc. to support its Royal Family Kids Camp for foster children and $60,000 for the Safe Haven of Tarrant County’s emergency domestic violence shelter.

Also in 2023, the foundation hosted its 10th annual Arlington Gives! free community concert during North Texas Giving Day and awarded $75,000 in grants to support the city’s hard-working nonprofits. Over the past decade, the foundation has awarded 81 grants totaling $580,000 as part of the annual event.

Click here to read the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation's FY 2023 annual report.

Original source can be found here.