The Benwood Foundation supports innovative community efforts that help make Chattanooga great. We believe that collective action is a crucial driver of civic change. Building a great city is everyone’s challenge, everyone’s opportunity, everyone’s work.

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Community Voices

Fifteen Chattanoogans share their voices and their visions for our city. Help them spark a conversation by reading on.

  1. Adera Causey
  2. Ann Coulter
  3. Christian Rushing
  4. Daniel Ryan
  5. David Cook
  6. Donna Williams
  7. Edna Varner
  8. Fynn Glover
  9. Harry Austin
  10. Justin Hoenke
  11. Monica Kinsey
  12. Robert Fisher
  13. Ruth Kerr
  14. Shayne Woods
  15. Sheldon Grizzle
  16. Tricia King
  17. Guest Contributor
  18. Benwood Staff

Our Contributors


  1. I believe some of the most exciting changes in our cultural scene are taking place beyond the walls of our longtime institutions.

    Exploring Our Creative Chattanooga

    Adera Causey on Arts

  2. To better ensure the success of kids, tweens, and teens living in our city, I say we begin to have these difficult decisions.

    Honest Conversations

    Justin Hoenke on Youth

  3. Now, more than ever, a healthy region is dependant upon a healthy urban core.

    A Good Start

    Christian Rushing on Urbanist/Design

  4. Our fine city has more gyms than Starbucks along with some of the best outdoor resources nationally. However, we can have all of these great resources and subject matter experts and still not move the needle health-wise in our city.

    Chattanooga: A New Standard of Wellness

    Shayne Woods on Health

  5. Chattanooga at its best has had people generating at lot of ideas, original ones or from other places, and people coming together to take action on those ideas.

    Civic Innovation Starts with Ideas

    Ann Coulter on Civic Innovation

  6. What really would cause a food desert to change, take root, and grow?

    Addressing Food Deserts from the Inside Out

    Ruth Kerr on Local Food

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