Funk Fest

In 1994, nearly 5,000 people attended a small, old school music festival in Mobile, Alabama. Amazingly, more than a decade has passed since that first Funk Fest. And from those humble beginnings, the event has blossomed into a multi city annual event that attracts more than 10,000 people in each city. The cities that Funk Fest can be seen in are Jacksonville, FL., Tampa, FL, Orlando, FL, Atlanta, GA, and Greensboro NC. Funk Fest is designed to expose and entertain a diverse audience with a variety of Old-School music. The categories of music range from Old School R&B, Funk, Old School Hip-Hop, Blues, Jazz and Comedy. Some of the artist that have performed at Funk Fest are, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Gap Band, New Edition, Whodini, Big Daddy Kane, Betty Wright, Rickey Smiley, Ohio Players, SOS Band, Cameo and many others. Funk Fest was formed to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Old School Music and has grown into a celebration of human expression. It is the mission of Funk Fest to provide the African – American community access to a means of expression that promotes social consciousness, positive entertainment and personal fulfillment. Variety Entertainment will create these means of expression through Funk Fest which represent quality, creativity, and uniqueness. Lifting As We Climb, Inc. About Lifting As We Climb, Inc. Mission: Lifting As We Climb, Inc. is a non-profit (501c3) that is dedicated to strengthening the collective community by providing support and assistance to disadvantaged youth and families. Programs and Services:

Clothing and Shoe Donations: Our organization hosts various clothing and shoe drives in support of disadvantaged communities. Employment Assistance: We provide employment preparedness assistance in the areas of resume writing, job application support, and interviewing skills. We collaborate with other organizations to ensure we maximize our client support. Financial Education: We work to erase the cycle of poverty by supporting our families with financial education programs and tools. Strategic Partnerships:

We believe that community partnerships and collaborations are essential to supporting the community. We provide support to other organizations that align with our organizations mission. Ways to Give:

Signature Fundraising: Our Funk Fest® music concert series attracts music enthusiast across the region to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Old School Music. It is the mission of Funk Fest® to provide the community access to a means of expression that promotes social consciousness, positive entertainment and personal fulfillment. Annually, we utilize our concert series to raise awareness and support and we partner with other non-profit organizations that align with our mission. In Kind Contributions: We accept in-kind donations for clothing and shoes from individuals, local businesses, and corporations. Volunteerism: Our volunteers are essential to our ability to support the communities in which we live. Financial Support: Your financial support makes it possible for us to provide the programs and services that impact our community.