• Blount Chamber Foundation, Maryville College, and United Way Collaborate on Summer Seminar for Nonprofits

Chamber Foundation 

Sharon Hannum, Chair

The Blount County Chamber Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization existing to meet special educational, cultural, charitable and scientific needs in our community. 

For more information on the Chamber Foundation contact Tammi Ford, 865-983-2241 or email her at tford@blountchamber.com   

Board of Directors

Sharon Hannum, Chair
Cathy Cate, Vice Chair
Phyllis Moyers Handly, Secretary
Dave Bennett, Treasurer
Jeff Rose
Teresa Horn
Regina Jennings
Jim Woroniecki
Carl Van Hoozier, Jr.
Fred Forster
Tammi Ford

Organizations served by the Blount County Chamber Foundation include:

• Empty Pantry Fund

• Martin Luther King Celebration

• Fine Arts Blount

• Richard Williams, Jr., Leadership Academy

• Experience Your Smokies

• One Community

• Blount County Fire Department

• Stanley Shields Scholarship

• Wilderwood Service Dogs

• Patch Ministries

• Maryville Farmer's Market

• Karitos Aviation

• Friends of Camp Montvale

• Downtown Association
  
  
• Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation
  
  
  Make an online donation to the Chamber Foundation
  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information please contact:
Michelle Hankes: mhankes@unitedwayblount.org
Aaron Killian: akillian@unitedwayblount.orgr call 865-982-2251

Blount Chamber Foundation, Maryville College, and United Way
Collaborate on Summer Seminar for Nonprofits

Ever upward.

With those two words, nationally renowned speaker Peggy Morrison Outon kicked off the Nonprofit Training and Enrichment Seminar June 4 at Maryville College to representatives of over fifty area nonprofits, churches, and other social work organizations. 

Outon emphasized that one way organizations can move "ever upward" is through collaborations, the theme for the seminar, which itself was a collaborative effort of the Blount County Chamber Foundation, the Center for Strong Communities at Maryville College, and United Way of Blount County. 

"Unleash the collective brainpower of your team," Outon said.  "Look at ways to work together and serve to create effective collaborations and alliances." 

Dr. Billy Newton, director of the Center for Strong Communities at Maryville College, also noted how effective partnerships can benefit nonprofit organizations. 

"In collaborations, we're discovering that not only do we connect with colleagues for support, but we're able to create more impact than we could alone in our own silos," said Newton. 

The theme of collaborations was even featured during the seminar's lunch break, offering attendants themed tables, featuring topics such as education, faith-based initiatives and affordable housing. 

Chairman of United Way of Blount County's Nonprofit Training and Resource Center Ken Smither remarked, "The face to face networking was one of the best things we had to bring people together.  My table discussed housing issues the whole hour." 

The seminar ended with a panel discussion on building successful collaborations and featured representatives from each of the three of the seminar's sponsoring organizations. 

State Representative Doug Overbey facilitated the panel. 

"It's important for different organizations in a community to know each other, understand each other, so that they are able to work together for the greater good of the community," Overbey explained. 

Sharon Hannum, who chairs the Blount County Chamber Foundation, emphasized how sharing resources is beneficial to an organization as a whole. 

"Don't worry about fishing with a rod.  Cast your net," Hannum said.  "When you cast your net, you'll get multitudes."

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