cityCURRENT is a privately-funded catalyst working to power the GOOD in the Mid-South and Middle Tennessee. A team of more than 100 businesses, comprised of some of the largest employers in the world to mid-size and smaller firms, have joined forces and funds to make a difference through philanthropy and volunteerism, hosting more than 150 FREE community events each year, and producing an array of positive-oriented media.
Our name cityCURRENT pays homage to our mission, goals, and efforts. It plays off our media, like our television shows, The SPARK and The SPARK Awards, inviting you to join with us in being the electric CURRENT powering GOOD in our communities, to be the cityCURRENT. It refers to our goal of having a CURRENT impact with our philanthropy, events, and media. And, it ties to our mission to POWER the GOOD. So, when you think of cityCURRENT, think of us as an opportunity, an effort, and your invitation to be the CURRENT to POWER the GOOD in your city.
Since our founding in Memphis in 2005 (originally as the Lipscomb Pitts Breakfast Club) and our expansion into Nashville in 2018, cityCURRENT has served the community by hosting seminars and workshops, weekly getCONNECTED lunches and panel discussions, bringing in national guest speakers with our Signature Speaker Series, and coordinating a variety of other events to enrich and engage the community. Our corporate partners underwrite these events, so they are FREE to attend.
We provide easy, turnkey opportunities for organizations and individuals to become more engaged in our community and we strategically leverage our charitable giving and collective resources to make an even more significant impact. We host a variety of volunteer days, nonprofit and school tours, and other experiential opportunities to see the GOOD. Recent examples include tutoring after school, mentoring, scrubbing graffiti off of buildings and bridges, washing the feet of thousands of kids and providing them with new shoes and socks, providing a wounded Veteran Hero a mortgage-free home, picking up over 90,000 pounds of trash from McKellar Lake and the Mississippi River, spearheading the Fallen Officer Memorial, creating and promoting the Power of the Dollar Campaign ("buy local"), launching a civic pride effort called "Memphis Rocks," and hosting a Film Festival screening and a telethon.
On the media side, we produce and host television and radio shows, along with a podcast. We have a weekly newspaper column and two books that focus on achieving success in life and business while helping others in the process, and both books give back to support youth literacy programs. We hire freelance journalists and produce videos that cover positive stories under the banners of GOODworks and River City Rising. And, we also contribute to national media outlets, like PBS and Forbes. All of our efforts are focused on spotlighting positive news and efforts, lessons learned, tips and ways you can join in the effort and become an even greater force for GOOD. Learn more in our Media Section.
Overall, cityCURRENT has received international recognition for our innovative approach to corporate philanthropy and social entrepreneurialism. We're working hard each day to create a new model and way for organizations and citizens to come together and make a difference; where engagement is FREE, volunteerism is easy, the GOOD is celebrated, and giving back is woven into every event and effort.
