Birmingham Promise teamed up recently with City Club Birmingham for the second annual “Night of Promise” to raise money for scholarships and internships for students in Birmingham City Schools.
The event was a great success, and Birmingham Promise is especially indebted to the presenting sponsors, Balch & Bingham and McKinney Capital. By supporting Birmingham Promise, these Birmingham businesses are supporting students in Birmingham City Schools and investing in the future of our city.
Both firms have a strong record of community involvement and business success.
Balch & Bingham was founded in 1922 and has long been regarded as one of Alabama’s top-tier law firms. It now has more than 200 attorneys throughout the Southeast, Texas and Washington, D.C.
McKinney Capital is a private, family-owned investment firm that grew out of a satellite-installation business started three decades ago by Roddy and Janice McKinney. It exclusively invests in field services businesses – that is, businesses deploying mobile technicians who serve commercial or residential consumers.
Thanks to the support of businesses like Balch & Bingham and McKinney Capital, Birmingham Promise is able to provide a range of college and career opportunities to students in Birmingham City Schools, including paid internships and up to four years of tuition-free college at public higher education institutions in Alabama. The goal is to remove financial barriers to a college education, foster professional skills and allow students to pursue their dreams.
“We couldn’t do what we do without the investments of our local business community,” said Samantha Williams, executive director of Birmingham Promise. “We are so grateful to business leaders who recognize that investing in education doesn’t just nurture the future of individual students but also the future of our city. We are literally unleashing our own potential when we provide a pathway to success for these students.”
Since its launch in 2020, Birmingham Promise has provided 1,000 graduates with tuition assistance and other supports for college, and has provided 200 Birmingham high-school students with paid internships.
“By facilitating these opportunities, Balch & Bingham and McKinney Capital are actively nurturing Birmingham’s next generation of leaders,” Williams said. “Together, we are working to secure an even brighter future for our city, one student at a time.”