CHATTANOOGA, TN – The Chattanooga State Foundation is proud to announce its first-ever ChattState Give Day, which will take place on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Thanks to the generosity of Unum Group, a leader in corporate benefits and services, this special day will provide a unique opportunity for donors to triple their impact through a 2:1 match from Unum Group. Funds raised will directly support student success by removing financial barriers. 

This means for every dollar donated by alumni, parents, friends, and other corporations and organizations, Unum Group will donate two dollars, effectively tripling every donation made to this important effort. They will match any size donation up to $5,000 per gift and have committed to an overall corporate donation of up to $30,000 in order to maximize the opportunity for the community to help students succeed.  

“All of us at Unum Group would like to encourage the community and beyond to participate in ChattState Give Day and join in the collective effort to empower students and strengthen our community,” said Cary Olson Cartwright, AVP, Corp Social Responsibility, Unum Group. “Whether it's a small contribution or a larger donation, every gift makes a difference and helps pave the way for student success.”  

Specifically, dollars raised will benefit the Tiger Cupboard, the Helping Hands Fund, and the SkillsUSA Fund programs. 

The Tiger Cupboard is the college’s food pantry, which ensures access to food for the campus community. Last year, the Tiger Cupboard helped meet the food needs of 255 students. 

The Helping Hands Fund provides emergency support to students experiencing a financial crisis. Last year, the Fund responded to just under 100 requests and distributed more than $33,000. 

The SkillsUSA Fund ensures that students can showcase their talents by participating in skills-based state and national competitions and no student competitor misses out on representing the school due to financial constraints. Students participating in SkillsUSA competitions earn impactful tools including job opportunities, scholarships, and grants. 

"We are excited to launch the first-ever ChattState Give Day this April 24th and invite the entire community to join us to help build a better future where every student thrives. In just 24 hours, we aim to raise $45,000 or more,” said Nancy Patterson, Vice President of College Advancement and Public Relations. “Every gift brings us closer to ensuring that financial obstacles never stand in the way of student success. Thanks to the generous partnership with Unum Group, we can help even more students in need." 

ChattState Give Day is April 24. To learn more or make a donation visit: https://chattanoogastate.edu/donate 

ABOUT UNUM GROUP 

Unum Group (NYSE: UNM), a leading international provider of workplace benefits and services, has been helping workers and their families thrive for more than 175 years. Through its Unum and Colonial Life brands, the company offers disability, life, accident, critical illness, dental, vision and stop-loss insurance; leave and absence management support; and behavioral health services. In 2023, Unum reported revenues of more than $12 billion and paid approximately $8 billion in benefits.  

The Fortune 500 company is recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere®. 

ABOUT CHATTANOOGA STATE   

The Chattanooga State Foundation fosters a loyal philanthropic community in support of the mission of Chattanooga State. Gifts to the Foundation help to accelerate the impact of the Chattanooga State experience by addressing our greatest needs across campus for things not covered by tuition and fees including annual and endowed scholarships for deserving students and professional development for faculty and staff. 

Chattanooga State Community College has provided students the tools to achieve their career goals for almost 60 years. With more than 100 programs including associate degrees, technical and institutional certificates, non-credit courses and transfer programs, students who start here can go anywhere. ChattState is home to the only fully embedded technical college on a Tennessee community college campus where students may obtain a career-ready credential in 12 months or less. Businesses and industry collaborations create and deploy customizable workforce training solutions and provide industry-recognized short-term credentials that lead graduates to in-demand careers.   

The College serves a six-county area that includes Hamilton, Rhea, Sequatchie, Marion, Bledsoe, and Grundy counties.