MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans partnered with the NFL Grassroots Program to award $50,000 to Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter Schools Monday for field upgrades at the Brownlee Road campus in Whitehaven.
The grant funds will be used to install bleachers, lighting, and a scoreboard.
The NFL Grassroots Program is a partnership between the NFL Foundation and LISC that has supported the construction or renovation of 431 football fields since 1998. The NFL Foundation has granted almost $61.8 million to upgrade playing fields in underserved neighborhoods.
The grant is part of $3 million from the Grassroots Program to fund athletic fields across the nation.
“Interscholastic athletics play a key role in the growth and development of young people, and the Titans are continually committed to increasing access to high-quality training and facilities,” said Josh Corey, Titans Director of Marketing, Youth & Community Engagement. “We are proud to partner with the Whitehaven neighborhood as they welcome the new Brownlee Road Campus Stadium and utilize the field for years to come.”
According to 2018-19 TNReady assessments, Freedom Prep is one of the largest charter school networks in Memphis and one of the highest-performing networks in proficiency and growth.
Roblin Webb, founder and CEO of Freedom Prep, expressed her gratitude for the grant and hopes the improvements will have a positive impact on students.
“Since the inception of our charter school network, our mission is for all our students to have the same competitive advantage as the most privileged children in America. Enhancing our field will not only improve visitor experience, but it will also directly impact the self-confidence of students and players – knowing they are receiving and enjoying the same high-quality accommodations as those of their peers,” Webb said.
This is not the first time the organizations made an investment in Shelby County. The Memphis-Shelby Police Activities League was awarded the same grant in 2022.
