At a time when America is standing down with advancements in diversity, one Jacksonville institution is standing their ground. Established as a collective giving initiative of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, the A.L. Lewis Fund was established in 2o22 with a focus on health, education and economic development in Jacksonville. Since its inception various organizations have been recipients of their philanthropy serving our communities. Most recently, the Fund has distributed a total of $79,500 in grants to 40 grassroots nonprofits, a collection of strategic investments designed to create transformational change in Jacksonville.
The Fund is named after A.L. Lewis, Florida’s first African-American millionaire and co-founder of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company. It continues Northeast Florida’s rich tradition of Black philanthropy. Since inception, the A.L. Lewis Fund has made a total of $380,000 in grants. Now in its 61st year, the Foundation manages more than $700 million in assets as of 12/31/2024 and has made more than $850 million in grants since inception.
“Collective giving is a powerful tool to bring new people into the important work of philanthropy,” said Wanda Willis, VP of Civic Leadership at The Community Foundation. “We welcome people of all backgrounds and any means to join us in our work.” As the A.L. Lewis Fund looks ahead, the steering committee is actively seeking to grow its membership. Anyone may join the fund by reaching out to Wanda Willis, VP of Civic Leadership at The Community Foundation, at (904) 356-4483, or wwillis@jaxcf.org.