CREATE recognizes local philanthropic groups, individuals with awards
Nov. 9—TUPELO — The CREATE Foundation of Northeast Mississippi honored individual donors and recognized charitable work being done by one community group with awards at its annual meeting on Wednesday.
Named for CREATE founders George and Anna Keirsey McLean, the McLean Award was created to honor at the heart of the nonprofit's founding and recognizes individuals who have made meaningful contributions to their communities and played a significant role in advanced philanthropic giving.
The James Hugh Ray Affiliate Award is named in honor of the man who worked with the McLeans as the economic architect of CREATE. It recognizes charities associated with the CREATE Foundation for special achievement.
Both awards are meant to remind others of the value found cultivating people and communities for progressively better tomorrows.
This year CREATE named three winners of the McLean Award: Dan and Frances Brasfield, of Tupelo, Albert and Billie Green, of Jackson, and Barry Wax, of Amory. The James Hugh Ray Award went to the Starkville Community Foundation.
Wax has a long history of supporting organizations that help children. One of his greatest joys in life is helping someone in need, who is in need through no fault of their own. His faith has led him to support churches of various denominations, especially those helping people in need. When the people of Amory and Monroe County needed assistance after the devastating tornado this past spring, he responded by providing one of the first and largest gifts to support disaster response. Virtually all of his giving has been done anonymously.
The Greens are residents of Jackson and have a passion for supporting organizations that benefit needy families, children and medical advancements. Some of the many charities benefitting from their generosity include Baptist Children's Hospital, the Palmer Home for Children, St. Jude Children's Hospital, Tupelo Children's Mansion and many more.
The Brasfields are lifelong Tupelo residents who say giving is simply the right thing to do.
"We've never given tremendous amounts, but we've given steadily through the years because we love the spirit of our community and want to do our part," Dan Brasfield said.
"He was never really able to volunteer because he worked so many hours as a radiologist," Frances Brasfield said of her husband. "I did as much volunteer work as I could, but donating was really the only way we could contribute as much as we wanted to, so we've always done that."
Some of their favorite organizations to support include the Amory/Monroe Disaster Relief Fund, Association for Excellence in Education, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Mississippi, Good Samaritan Health Services and many more.
Both were honored to be recognized with an award created in the McLean name.
"He was really a visionary and a great man," Dan Brasfield said of George McLean. "To take a newspaper and use it to grow a community, then use it to build a foundation whose impact is growing more every year, even well after he's gone, is just amazing. We're so honored to be recognized."
The James Hugh Ray Award this year recognized the Starkville Community Foundation, specifically for their dedication to education and to recent achievements in reviving the Helping Hands program to aid families in need in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
Giving to support local causes, helping others by letting our finances do the work of our heart, is the continuing mission of the CREATE Foundation. Founded in 1982, the CREATE Foundation is Mississippi's oldest and largest community foundation.
Upon George McLean's death in 1983, the CREATE Foundation became the sole stockholder of the Journal Publishing Company, Inc., which owns the Daily Journal. CREATE is a hub for endowments and funds built to provide for nonprofit work far and wide.
Today, CREATE oversees more than 1,000 funds and has more than $166 million in assets.
Kevin is the weekend edition editor for the Daily Journal. Contact him at kevin.tate@journalinc.com.
