Atlanta's 'Beloved Benefit' to foster fellowship and raise money for local nonprofits

The Beloved Benefit is a concert and community impact event hosted at the Mercedez-Benz Stadium that aims to inspire positive change through greater economic mobility.

Danny Karnik / Associated Press

This Thursday a host of stars including Atlanta’s own Grammy Award-winning entertainer Usher and comedian Chris Tucker will take part in an event called the Beloved Benefit.

The Beloved Benefit is a concert and community impact event hosted at the Mercedez-Benz Stadium that aims to inspire positive change through greater economic mobility.

The event focuses on raising awareness, securing funds and inspiring action to help shape Atlanta’s legacy – with a vision of “cultivating a community free of poverty, hunger and homelessness, where racism and prejudice are replaced with love and brotherhood.”

This year’s event will also include a special tribute to the late Congressman John Lewis. 

The event is sponsored by many of the city’s largest companies and philanthropy organizations, including The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Chick-Fil-A, Inc., The Home Depot Foundation, Georgia Power, The Coca-Cola Company and many others.

Chick-fil-A’s Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, Rodney Bullard, joined Morning Edition to talk about the evening.

He says the 2019 Beloved Benefit raised more than $5 million for its beneficiary organizations.

The funds raised will be distributed directly to this year’s eight nonprofit beneficiaries, which prioritize economic and community development at the core of their missions. This year’s eight beneficiaries include:

·       Atlanta CareerRise

·       Center for Employment Opportunities 

·       The Goodr Foundation

·       Goodwill of North Georgia Career Training Center

·       Latin American Association

·       Quest Community Development Organization

·       The Village Market 

·       Westside Future Fund.