APRIL 8, 2022 (WASHINGTON) – The Links Foundation, Incorporated, the philanthropic arm of The Links, Incorporated awarded its sixth $1 million Legacy Grant to the Obama Presidential Center, which is set to open in Chicago in 2025. With a focus on driving economic growth and development, bolstering tourism, and developing the next generation of leaders, the Obama Presidential Center’s vision and mission fully aligns with the goals and objectives of the Legacy Grant program.

“This is such a proud moment in our history,” said Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., national president of The Links Foundation, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated. “And we are honored to take part in cementing this historic milestone that celebrates our nation’s first African American president and first lady on the South Side of Chicago, the place they call home.”

Nestled in historic Jackson Park, the Obama Presidential Center will feature a world-class museum, forum, and a branch of the Chicago Public Library. The Obama Presidential Center will serve as a place to welcome visitors to honor history while inspiring young people to write chapters of their own. At the heart of the 20-acre Obama Presidential Center will be a public plaza named in honor of John Lewis. The late congressman lauded The Links, Incorporated in 2019 as a distinguished organization of outstanding community service and influence. “The Links is committed to supporting organizations like the Obama Presidential Center that also celebrates change agents like the late civil rights icon John Lewis who fought for rights and privileges we enjoy today,” remarked Rosalind Hudnell, national director of philanthropy for The Links Foundation, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated. The Links join a distinguished group of donors who have made significant pledges toward the completion of this historic center.

“We appreciate The Links Foundation’s support of the Obama Presidential Center which will inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders here in Chicago and around the world,” said Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett. “Support from organizations like The Links Foundation is crucial to helping us bring the Obama Presidential Center to life and invest in the community that means so much to president and Mrs. Obama.”

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

Since 1979 The Links Foundation, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) corporation, has donated more than $27 million to noteworthy charitable causes that impact lives and change communities for the better. Grants of scale support projects or institutions that are of regional, national, and/or international significance. The Foundation’s $1 million Legacy Grant recipients include the United Negro College Fund; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; The National Civil Rights Museum; the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC); St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and the Obama Presidential Center.

 

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

Photo Credit: Obama Foundation

March 30, 2022 (WASHINGTON, DC) – Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., national president of The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated received the President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Award on Sunday March 20th at the Army and Navy Club. Established in 2003, the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA), issued by AmeriCorps and the Office of the President of the United States, is given to individuals in recognition of their exemplary citizenship through service. Along with Dr. Jeffries Leonard, Brigadier General Terrence A. Adams, Dr. Prudence Pollard, and Dr. Calvin B. Rock were also PSVA recipients.

The award is a testament to Dr. Jeffries Leonard’s lifelong commitment to impactful public service through community leadership and hands-on organizational participation. “I am truly humbled and honored to receive this special award,” Dr. Jeffries Leonard said. “It is my hope that this incredible recognition from President Biden serves to encourage others to also serve their communities through volunteerism. The habit of helping others sharpens our sense of purpose, shares our expertise and widens our network of those working toward the same good end.”

Dr. Jeffries Leonard’s volunteer service has transformed communities around the globe and empowered thousands of women and countless youth in the areas of health, economics, education and voting rights. As national president of The Links, Incorporated, a more than 16,000 member volunteer service organization, she sets the vision and example for the organization of civic-minded professional women who track over one million service hours annually.

Award nominations were submitted by Lowcountry Rice Culture Project (LRCP), a Charleston, SC non-profit founded by award-winning artist Jonathan Green. Dr. Kim Cliett Long, LRCP Executive Director, presented the PSVA to the four honorees. “We were elated to facilitate Dr. Jeffries Leonard’s nomination for this award,” said Dr. Cliett Long. “Her lifelong commitment to service at the local, state, national and international levels embodies the spirit and intent of the award. Her leadership in service is influential and will demonstrate to many others the importance of service to our fellow citizens.”

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

Thomas Paine, one of the country’s founding fathers, once said, “It’s not in numbers but in unity that our great strength lies.” As African-ancestored women, we know inherently the power of that sentiment and embody its message.

Over the last year, we celebrated the inauguration of Vice President Kamala Harris, the country’s the first woman, first African American and first South Asian American, and a member of The Links, Incorporated, to hold the position. We could barely contain our joy when then newly elected President Joseph R. Biden thanked women of color for changing the political landscape, then vowed to name a Black woman to the Supreme Court. History was made, and we created the opportunity. President Biden’s words gave hope and honored our work, community commitment, and decades of sacrifice.

Today, the president has vowed to keep his election promise and will name a Black woman to the nation’s highest court as Justice Stephen G. Breyer retires. Members of The Links, Incorporated, more than 16,000 strong worldwide, thank him and are beyond grateful.

As women of color, we recognize the talent and capacity of those in our community. We see and experience those gifts every day. We also know there are several African American women who can fill the seat with integrity, intelligence, and creative spirit. We have labored and longed for this moment, and our beautiful, brown daughters, granddaughters, and nieces will be the direct beneficiaries. So we thank President Biden again and look forward to his selection. And now the real work begins.

November 5, 2021 (Washington, DC)—In commemoration of The Links, Incorporated’s 75th anniversary, the organization’s philanthropic arm, The Links Foundation, Incorporated, will donate $75,000 to the UNCF. The gift will support historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the students they serve, as well as help to preserve the legacy and ensure the financial viability of these institutional pillars in the Black community.

“We are mindful that this has been a challenging time for many of our HBCUs,” said Links National President Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D. “It’s important, particularly now, that we show our support to those who are educating our next generation of leaders. During our 2019-2021 programming years, our chapters funded nearly 3,000 HBCU scholarships. This gift to the UNCF complements the work our chapters are already doing in their communities and further demonstrates The Links’ commitment to increasing the retention and graduation rates of students attending HBCUs.”

The Links has a long and rich history with UNCF dating back to 1972 when the organization donated $64,000 to the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority students. Subsequent gifts resulted in UNCF becoming The Links Foundation, Incorporated’s first million-dollar Legacy Grant recipient in 1984.

“The commitment and generosity of The Links are unmatched. Thank you for your continuous support of UNCF and historically Black colleges and universities. For nearly 50 years, we have remained partners in this mission to foster the success of HBCUs and their students. Our work is never-ending, we know no boundaries, and we know what is at stake, the future of our HBCUs, our students, our nation. I accept this gift with great humility and wish you continued success as we join in celebrating The Link’s 75th anniversary milestone” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., president and CEO of UNCF.

The gift will be presented to President Lomax on Saturday, November 6, 2021 during The Links, Incorporated’s 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Gala and Concert, being headlined by GRAMMY Award-winning artist Patti LaBelle. The Gala and Concert is one of the signature events during The Links’ six-day virtual anniversary celebration. The Diamond Jubilee is proudly being sponsored by M Financial Group, AARP, AT&T, FedEx, Cadillac, Ochsner Health, Target, WK Kellogg Foundation, American Cancer Society, Anthem Foundation, Gilead Sciences, Georgia Pacific, Dove, and Crown Media.

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

Since 1979 The Links Foundation, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) corporation, has donated more than $27 million to noteworthy charitable causes that impact lives and change communities for the better. Grants of scale support projects or institutions that are of regional, national, and/or international significance. The Foundation’s $1 million Legacy Grant recipients include the United Negro College Fund; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; The National Civil Rights Museum; the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC); St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and the Obama Presidential Center.

 

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

November 4, 2021 (Washington, DC)— In honor of The Links, Incorporated’s 75^th anniversary, its philanthropic arm, The Links Foundation, Incorporated, is donating $25,000 to the Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This play space for children holds significance in The Links’ rich legacy, for in 1947 it was the sight of the organization’s founding chapter’s first service project—a picnic for children in the local community. The chapter has continued its support of this facility through the years, most recently during the campaign to renovate the iconic 44-foot Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide.

“We can’t talk about our illustrious history without talking about this historic playground that has welcomed hundreds of thousands of youngsters and their families annually,” said Links National President Kimberly Jeffries Leonard. “We are proud of our continued support of this treasure in the city of Brotherly Love and it is our hope that this wonderful playground can serve generations to come.”

“Smith has been a vital resource to the community for over 120 years, and The Links Foundation’s generous gift will play a significant role in helping us ensure that the children of our city become healthy, happy, and resilient adults,” noted Smith Memorial Playground’s Executive Director Frances Hoover. “We are very honored to be associated with the history of this important organization, and we appreciate their role as an ally and supporter of Smith.“

This donation further demonstrates The Links’ commitment to serving children. Through its Services to Youth facet, the organization implements transformational programs that are responsive to the academic, cultural, career-development, and mentoring needs of youth. The facet is just one of five programmatic thrusts. The four others are The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, and Health and Human Services. Annually, The Links impact the lives of millions of children.

The gift will be presented to Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse’s Executive Director Francis Hoover on Sunday, November 7, 2021, as part of The Link’s 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee, which is proudly sponsored by M Financial Group, AARP, AT&T, FedEx, Cadillac, Ochsner Health, Target, WK Kellogg Foundation, American Cancer Society, Anthem Foundation, Gilead Sciences, Georgia Pacific, Dove, and Crown Media.

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

Since 1979 The Links Foundation, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) corporation, has donated more than $27 million to noteworthy charitable causes that impact lives and change communities for the better. Grants of scale support projects or institutions that are of regional, national, and/or international significance. The Foundation’s $1 million Legacy Grant recipients include the United Negro College Fund; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; The National Civil Rights Museum; the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC); St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and the Obama Presidential Center.

 

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

March 16, 2021 (WASHINGTON) — The Links Foundation, Incorporated has been awarded a $350,000 grant from Gilead Sciences, Inc. to advance the organization’s work in ending the HIV epidemic that continues to disproportionately impact people of African descent. The grant will allow The Links to scale up its Links HELP (HIV Education, Leadership and Prevention) program.

The Links Foundation, Incorporated is the philanthropic arm of The Links, Incorporated, one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

Links HELP is an integral part of the organization’s Health and Human Services programming facet agenda. It takes a holistic approach to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is ravaging Black communities worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with other races, the Black diaspora has a higher proportion of new HIV diagnoses. In 2018, 1 in 5 new HIV diagnoses in the US were women. While significant progress has been made in reducing the number of new diagnoses among women, Black women represent the majority of women living with HIV as well as the majority of new infections among women. The Gilead grant strengthens The Links’ position in the global fight to prevent the spread of AIDS and eradicate the epidemic.

“Even though we are in this pandemic battling the novel coronavirus 2019, HIV has been a virus that we have been battling for 40 years. We cannot turn our attention away from it now. And, as with other issues, communities of African descent are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS with no vaccine and no cure. Our organization continues to be galvanized to make a difference and we are poised to deliver impactful and sustainable programs through those platforms that allow us the greatest reach to our members and into our communities,” said Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., national president of The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated.

“We are inspired by The Links Foundation’s commitment to addressing HIV in the Black community, particularly among women, where the impact is disproportionately high,” said Korab Zuka, VP, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences. “We are confident this grant will help the organization continue its important work making a global impact in ending the HIV epidemic.”

The Links will deliver expanded HIV education and prevention programs through impactful webinars and conference workshops for its membership and the larger community as well as live social media conversations and panels, while also collaborating with HBCUs and the organization’s national partners to move this vital work forward.

“Through this generous grant, it is our hope that our important work will help reduce the number of new HIV infections; increase awareness about HIV in our communities; reduce HIV-related disparities by increasing knowledge and combat stigmas that impact our domestic and international communities of African descent,” said Jeffries Leonard.

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

The Links Foundation, Incorporated has contributed more than $25 million to charitable causes since its founding. In 2018, it named its fifth $1 million grantee – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Other million-dollar grantees include the United Negro College Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the National Civil Rights Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American Culture and History in Washington, D.C.

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.