Roland Parrish has donated $3 million to Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn.
The grant will fund construction of the Roland G. Parrish Center for Career Planning and Development at Fisk, which is one of the nation's leading historically black colleges and universities.
"I believe in the Fisk future and the university's leadership," Parrish said. "My hope is that this gift will inspire others to get even more engaged. The campus has been void of construction for a number of years. It takes something like this to remind people that Fisk is about succeeding, not surviving."
The philanthropist, who made his fortune with McDonald's restaurant franchises in North Texas, founded the Parrish Charitable Foundation in Dallas, which is active in local and international communities.
Parrish previously gave $2 million to his alma mater, Purdue University, to renovate a library that was renamed the Roland G. Parrish Library of Management and Economics.
$100K to Dallas Black Dance Theatre
The International Association of Blacks in Dance has awarded $100,000 to Dallas Black Dance Theatre from funds supplied by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to finance and strengthen nonprofit dance groups.
"This unrestricted grant gives Dallas Black Dance Theatre the financial flexibility to be more efficient and secure in executing season plans for dancers, choreographers and artistic programs and assists with mitigating the rising costs of employee benefits," said Dallas Black Dance Theatre executive director Zenetta S. Drew.
The Dallas company was one of five companies in the U.S. to receive funding.
"Despite their creative excellence and international acclaim, many smaller and midsized black dance companies have had to come to terms with inadequate capitalization and other business challenges," said International Association of Blacks in Dance president and CEO Denise Saunders Thompson. "These grants will enable five leading dance companies, which are all deeply vested in African-American neighborhoods across the United States as evidenced by their operations of dance companies, facilities, programs and schools, to pursue greater innovation and take new risks, both organizationally and artistically."
To learn more, visit dbdt.com.
DIFFA/Dallas disbursements
DIFFA/Dallas has disbursed $500,000 to 18 HIV and AIDS service organizations in North Texas.
The grants support basic needs, transportation and education for people affected by HIV/AIDS, especially low-income women and children.
DIFFA's next fundraiser is the 10th annual Burgers & Burgundy party on Oct. 5 at the eyeball sculpture and private park across from the Joule hotel.
Tickets aren't on sale yet. Visit diffadallas.org for updates.
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