http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php en mentor@grizzlies.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/memphis-grizzlies-grizzlies-foundation-named-to-shortlist-in-sport-team-of http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/memphis-grizzlies-grizzlies-foundation-named-to-shortlist-in-sport-team-of#When:21:29:00Z The Memphis Grizzlies organization and Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation were named on Tuesday to the prestigious Official Shortlist for the Beyond Sport Awards 2012 in the Sport Team of the Year category. The Grizzlies were selected as one of 30 shortlisted organizations from almost 300 projects worldwide in this year’s awards. The Grizzlies Community Investment team and the Grizzlies Foundation join the Boston Celtics (United States), Queens Park Rangers FC (United Kingdom), Tottenham Hotspur (United Kingdom) and RIHP NTH QLD Rubies (Australia) in the “Sport Team of the Year” category. “It’s a tremendous honor to be named to the 2012 shortlist. This year, we presented the combined work of the Grizzlies Foundation and the Memphis Grizzlies, both which operate initiatives and outreach to advance education and youth development in the Memphis region,” said Jenny Koltnow, Executive Director of Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation.  “We’re grateful to our Grizzlies colleagues and partners throughout Memphis who’ve helped us achieve this milestone.” The Grizzlies TEAM UP Youth Mentoring initiative, Grizzlies Read to Achieve and Grizzlies Healthy Home Court initiatives were highlighted in this year’s application, as were partnerships with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, among others. Over 25,000 youth are served each year through these combined efforts. For reaching the Shortlist stage, Koltnow will represent the Grizzlies organization in London, England for the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards from July 23-25.  The Summit, an annual event that brings together the best sport-led social innovators with influential global leaders, will provide a platform for the Grizzlies Foundation to continue to develop the Grizzlies TEAM UP initiative and yield new resources for the Grizzlies’ community investment programs.  The event will culminate with the announcement of the winners of the Beyond Sport Awards 2012. Nick Keller, the Founder of Beyond Sport, commented: “The Beyond Sport Awards unearth leaders using sport as a tool for positive change and provide them with the resources, platform, contacts and opportunities to turbo-charge their growth and impact. We are delighted to reveal this year’s shortlist, which comes after many hours of deliberation from more than 25 experts in their field. To be chosen from more than 300 entries for a place on this shortlist represents a fantastic achievement on the part of all these projects.” As a nominated project, the Grizzlies also will be receiving additional support and opportunities leading up to the Summit, including a media and promotional pack to help spread the word and gain recognition for the nomination and eligibility to specific funding and support opportunities available through Beyond Sport’s clients and partners specifically for Awards nominees. Founded in 2004, the Grizzlies Foundation recruits and refers mentors, provides training and technical assistance to mentoring programs and actively raises awareness throughout the community.  The Grizzlies Foundation has donated over $28 million to Memphis-area nonprofit organizations since its inception.  To learn more about the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation and how to become part of the Grizzlies TEAM UP youth mentoring initiative e-mail mentor@grizzlies.com, call (901) 205-TEAM or visit grizzliesteamup.org.  The mission of the Memphis Grizzlies community investment department is to create opportunities for area youth through community outreach, education and sport development initiatives. For more information on the Memphis Grizzlies and Grizzlies Community Investment, please visit grizzlies.com, ‘like’ Memphis Grizzlies on Facebook or follow @memgrizz on Twitter. Beyond Sport is a global organization that promotes, develops and supports the use of sport to create positive social change across the world.  The Beyond Sport Awards program provides a package of funding and business support annually to projects across the world that use sport to address issues within their communities.  For more information, visit beyondsport.org. ........ | Featured, 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/dante-cunningham-and-jeremy-pargo-visit-veritas-prep http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/dante-cunningham-and-jeremy-pargo-visit-veritas-prep#When:21:29:00Z On April 24th, students who had just finished a long day of TCAP testing got a special visit from Grizzlies players Dante Cunningham and Jeremy Pargo, and Grizzlies television play-by-play announcer Pete Pranica. After getting ready for the playoffs at practice, the guys headed over to the school to share some stories with the students and teachers. Dante talked about his basketball battles with his older sister, Davalyn, who played in the WNBA. She routinely would beat him in one on one games until he finally reached his 6’8” height. Jeremy has a similar story as his brother Jannero plays with the Atlanta Hawks. Prior to signing with the Grizzlies, Jeremy spoke about what a difficult time he had playing in Israel because he was so far from home, family and the other things he was used to. Pete asked the the players questions and then later they handed out Grizzlies Team Up shirts to some of the students. Everyone of the students wanted autographs from the players and they signed something for everyone. | 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/position-available-for-vista-member-with-grizzlies-foundation http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/position-available-for-vista-member-with-grizzlies-foundation#When:21:29:00Z The Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation is seeking candidates for a position as an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) member to commit to a year of national service to support mentoring in Memphis. The VISTA member will be working to expand the capacity of the TEAM Mentoring Project, the internationally-acclaimed signature mentoring initiative of the Foundation, with duties serving selected school sites and engaging a variety of other community partners. For more information on the position and the benefits of AmeriCorps VISTA service and a link to the application, go to the AmeriCorps website. Questions about this opportunity can also be directed to mentor@grizzlies.com. | 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/grizzlies-foundation-supports-growing-career-oriented-mentoring-in-memphis http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/grizzlies-foundation-supports-growing-career-oriented-mentoring-in-memphis#When:21:29:00Z While perfect Florida weather and balmy ocean breezes dominated the landscape outdoors, Grizzlies Charitable Foundation Manager Alayne Shoenfeld and mentoring colleagues from five other states spent three days in intensive training sessions for C-CORE, a project of the Home Builders Institute (HBI) supported by MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership. Through a series of programs operating in 11 states across the country, C-CORE (Construction Coaching Opportunities to Reach Employment) matches adults with teams of three young people to explore the many options and opportunities for careers in the home building industry. The HBI/MENTOR collaboration was created to strengthen career-oriented mentoring programs by providing mentoring professionals with expertise in new mentoring and evidence-based practices. Alayne was tapped by MENTOR to serve as the TA provider for program sites in the Mid-South and Southeast. Speaking during several sessions and serving on a panel, she worked with C-CORE colleagues to connect the best practices in mentoring with the career-based outcomes of the various programs. This was Alayne’s third appearance at a C-CORE conference, and she provides ongoing technical support through monthly conference calls and webinars on topics of interest to the individual programs. The Grizzlies Foundation TEAM UP initiative is designed to connect caring adults with community youth and provide support to the Grizzlies Mentoring Alliance, a network of local mentoring organizations. The Grizzlies Foundation has been an active affiliate of MENTOR for four years and technical assistance and training are among the many services the Grizzlies Foundation offers to Alliance members. For more information on mentoring training and technical assistance, contact Alayne at 205-1253 or ashoenfeld@grizzlies.com. | 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/andy-grammer-visits-power-center-academy http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/andy-grammer-visits-power-center-academy#When:21:29:00Z On Tuesday March 27, the Grizzlies Foundation hosted an exclusive event at Power Center Academy with S-Curve Records recording artist, Andy Grammer. Andy spent time talking with the 9th grade students and discussed his rise into the mainstream music scene, the importance of service and creativity,  and how a burning desire to succeed can make your dreams come true. His charisma, sense of humor and humility won over every student and adult in the room. View photos of the event on our Facebook page! Fan loyalty was permanently secured when he performed his two hit songs, “Keep Your Head Up” and “Fine By Me.” Andy was joined by Dan Pearson, VP of Marketing and Promotions for S-Curve Records. Dan opened the program by talking about his journey through the music industry and the grind it takes to make it to the top. At the end of the event, the two –both superstars in the music business—fielded questions from Power Center Academy students. Also present were the volunteer mentors who spend time each week at Power Center through the Grizzlies TEAM Mentoring program. Andy met privately to shake hands, take pictures, and sign autographs with all the mentoring teams following the event. It’s safe to say that he earned himself a new crop of fans in Memphis, Tennessee! Follow Andy on Twitter at @andygrammer and the Grizzlies Foundation at @grizzliesteamup. | March 29, 2012 Featured, 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/team-mentoring-service-day http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/team-mentoring-service-day#When:21:29:00Z Saturday, February 25th was the annual Grizzlies TEAM Mentoring Community Service project.  This year’s event was hosted at the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) where the mentoring teams were set to make brown-bag lunches for local Memphis homeless shelters. Over 90 volunteer mentors and students participated in the project and ended up assembling over 1,000 lunches. “It was very enjoyable to see the kids so excited about helping,” said Carly Knight, a TEAM Mentor at KIPP Memphis. It was evident that everyone at the event seemed to have a great time serving their community. The relationships between mentors and students were also strengthened as a result. “I feel that this project brought us closer together because it put us on the same level as far as helping people in need,” Knight added. When all was said and done, the lunches provided Saturday afternoon meals for four homeless shelters: Memphis Union Mission, Salvation Army, Memphis Family Shelter, and Calvary Rescue Mission. “It was great to see the kids so positive and enthusiastic to serve their home community,” says Grizzlies Foundation Coordinator, Joel Katz. “When you’re able to get a bunch of people working together for a common cause, great things can happen. We witnessed that on Saturday!” Following the Service project, the Grizzlies TEAM Mentoring program will then shift gears and engage in five-weeks of Health and Wellness themed activities. | March 2, 2012 Featured, 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/staxtacular-2012-surpasses-all-records-from-previous-seven-years http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/staxtacular-2012-surpasses-all-records-from-previous-seven-years#When:21:29:00Z The Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation and the Soulsville Foundation today announced that Staxtacular 2012, the largest fundraiser of the year for the Stax Music Academy, surpassed all past records in attendance and money raised. The crowd of guests during the February 11, 2012 event was at capacity at almost 500 people, and the event raised approximately $120,000 from sponsorships, ticket sales, and online, silent and live auctions. To recognize the record-breaking achievements, there will be a special on-court presentation prior to tip-off of the February 29th game against the Dallas Mavericks. This was the eighth consecutive year for Staxtacular, which has always taken place in the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Hosts for the event this year were Memphis Grizzlies players Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph and 2012 NBA All-Star Marc Gasol. All team members, Head Coach Lionel Hollins and other Grizzlies front office management were in attendance. Entertainment was provided by the Stax Music Academy and the DMP Band. Known as one of the biggest parties of the year, Staxtacular is the annual soul-shakin’ throw-down and auction that benefits the Stax Music Academy and honors the Stax Records legacy. All proceeds from the event go to Stax Music Academy’s youth mentoring and music programs. The Stax Music Academy is a unique learning center that inspires young people and enhances their academic, cognitive, performance and leadership skills by utilizing music with a strong focus on the rich legacy and tradition of Stax Records. About the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation: Founded in 2004, the Grizzlies Foundation is committed to placing volunteer mentors in the lives of at-risk kids in Memphis. The Foundation recruits and refers mentors, provides training and technical assistance to mentoring programs and actively raises awareness and builds partnerships throughout the community. Shortlisted for the 2011 “Sports Team of the Year” Award by London-based Beyond Sport and winner of the 2007 Steve Patterson Sports Philanthropy Award Winner for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy, the Grizzlies Foundation has donated $28 million to Memphis-area nonprofit organizations since its inception. To learn more about the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation and how to become part of the Grizzlies TEAM UP youth mentoring initiative, e-mail mentor@grizzlies.com, call (901) 205-TEAM or visit grizzliesteamup.com. | February 29, 2012 Featured, 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/its-the-simple-things-that-make-the-difference http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/its-the-simple-things-that-make-the-difference#When:21:29:00Z Building camaraderie and sharing laughs is as simple as laying out a board and rolling the dice. This past week in Grizzlies TEAM Mentoring, the mentors and mentees had the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company by playing their favorite board games with one another. Who would have thought that something this simple would produce such a good time? Many of the students in the mentoring program had never played Taboo, Trouble, Jenga, or Monopoly before. That didn’t stop them from learning the rules quickly and challenging their mentors and teammates. While observing 90 students and 30 mentors across three days of board game fun, the question that kept coming up was, who’s having more fun here, the mentors or the mentees? Judging by the laughs and energy in the room, it’s safe to say that everyone had a great time. You don’t need to go over the top to create fulfilling experiences for your mentee. Grabbing a dusty old board game from your home is all it takes. The consensus among the mentors was how great it was to just sit around the board and enjoy each other’s company. The next time you’re figuring out something fun to do with your mentee, don’t think too hard. Just grab an old board game and let the good times roll! | February 14, 2012 Blog, 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/recent-press-clips-about-mentoring-and-the-grizzlies-foundation http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/recent-press-clips-about-mentoring-and-the-grizzlies-foundation#When:21:29:00Z The Memphis Business Journal recently wrote an article describing the new partnership between the Grizzlies Foundation and Duncan-Williams, who will become the sponsor of the Foundation’s Team Up Mentoring Initiative. Read the article here. Additionally, The Commercial Appeal ran two articles about mentoring. One featured letters from mentees thanking their mentors at US Dream Academy and Memphis Athletic Ministries, and the other written by Alayne Shoenfeld about the Grizzlies Foundation’s efforts with brief highlights of mentors. | January 31, 2012 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00 http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/grizzlies-charitable-foundation-announce-partnership-with-duncan-williams-i http://teamupmemphis.org/index.php/site/grizzlies-charitable-foundation-announce-partnership-with-duncan-williams-i#When:21:29:00Z The Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation announced an integrated partnership with Duncan-Williams, Inc., which will make them the title sponsor of Grizzlies TEAM UP, the Foundation’s internationally-recognized youth mentoring initiative. Additionally, through their corporate mentoring effort, Duncan-Williams, Inc. has actively encouraged employees and their families to serve as mentors as part of the partnership. “This is a significant milestone for the Grizzlies TEAM UP Mentoring initiative, and we’re grateful to have a passionate, committed partner in youth mentoring like Duncan-Williams,” said Jenny Koltnow, Executive Director of the Grizzlies Foundation. “This support will enable us to strengthen and expand outreach and more importantly, place volunteer mentors in the lives of many more kids. With their employee volunteerism and financial investment in mentoring, Duncan-Williams has become a model for the Memphis business community.” “Duncan-Williams is built on a principle of understanding. Our corporate tag line, “A firm understanding”, guides us in all our endeavors,” explained President Duncan F. Williams. “As corporate and private citizens of Memphis, we understand the role that we play in fostering a better community. In discussing how we could make a significant difference in the community, we realized that working with our city’s youth through mentoring initiatives would make a positive impact today and for years to come. Through the Grizzlies Charitable Foundation we found the ideal vehicle to help us achieve our goals by becoming the presenting sponsor of the Grizzlies TEAM UP Mentoring initiative. This partnership will allow Duncan-Williams to make a significant contribution to mentoring efforts in Memphis as well as provide an outlet for our employees to become mentors in the lives of our youth.” In celebration of the partnership and President Obama’s proclamation of January as National Mentoring Month, the Grizzlies Foundation hosted Grizzlies Mentoring Night when Memphis faced the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 30 at FedExForum. Special in-game features to recognize those who support youth mentoring included: o 400+ mentors and children attended the game o A special, on-court presentation of new Grizzlies Foundation partner Duncan-Williams, Inc. o An Ashley Furniture HomeStore “Mentor of the Game” was honored o 30 Mentors and children were in the pre-game fan tunnel o Grizz Girls wore TEAM UP shirts o All guest services and concessions wore Grizzlies TEAM UP shirts The Grizzlies Foundation-Duncan-Williams, Inc. partnership highlights the growth of corporate mentoring in Memphis. In the last 12 months, companies like Duncan-Williams, Inc. have aligned with the Grizzlies Foundation and have actively championed mentoring and engaged large numbers of employees in mentoring young people through an employee engagement program. These companies include: Smith & Nephew Orthopedics, Accredo, Baker Donelson, Pinnacle Airlines and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. In addition, Ashley Furniture HomeStore is a presenting sponsor for the “Mentor of the Game” recognition during eight games during the 2011-2012 season. About the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation: Founded in 2004, the Grizzlies Foundation is committed to placing volunteer mentors in the lives of at-risk kids in Memphis. The Foundation recruits and refers mentors, provides training and technical assistance to mentoring programs and actively raises awareness and builds partnerships throughout the community. Shortlisted for the 2011 “Sports Team of the Year” Award by London-based Beyond Sport and winner of the 2007 Steve Patterson Sports Philanthropy Award Winner for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy, the Grizzlies Foundation has donated $28 million to Memphis-area nonprofit organizations since its inception. To learn more about the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation and how to become part of the Grizzlies TEAM UP youth mentoring initiative, e-mail mentor@grizzlies.com, call (901) 205-TEAM or visit grizzliesteamup.org. About Duncan-Williams, Inc.: Duncan-Williams, Inc., is a Top 100 Brokerage Firm headquartered in Memphis, Tenn. Founded in 1969, the firm is a full-service brokerage and investment banking firm providing financial solutions to individuals and institutional organizations in 50 states and 11 foreign countries. Duncan-Williams, Inc., is a member of FINRA and SIPC. Duncan-Williams, Inc., has offices in Akron, OH, Atlanta, GA, Birmingham, AL, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL, Cleveland, OH, Gainesville, FL, Houston, TX, Jackson, MS, New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA and Tampa, FL. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council certifies Duncan-Williams, Inc., as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE). The firm was named to the 2010 and 2011 Inc. 5000, Inc. magazine’s annual ranking of the fastest-growing companies in America. | January 31, 2012 Featured, 2012-05-03T21:29:00+00:00