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Future’s Freewishes Foundation Hosts 9th Annual Toy Drive At Target

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1000 families were gifted with a shopping spree at Target for the Freewishes foundation’s 9th annual Christmas toy drive. FreeWishes hosted the 9th annual I AM A DREAMER Holiday Pop Up at Target. Children and their families were treated to a shopping spree at the Target courtesy of the foundation. 

The FreeWishes Foundation is one of Georgia’s most visible foundations. They makes an enormous impact throughout the Atlanta metro area all year round.  From scholarships to health and wellness initiatives or assisting Senior citizens,  giving back has always been a priority for Future and the foundation. The foundation was founded by Future, his sister, Tia Wilburn and mother, Stephanie Jester 13 years ago. The foundation has been a major resource for those in need throughout Atlanta. The holidays are no exception to the rule.

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“Christmas has always been another opportunity to give and not receive for the foundation. We’ve been committed to giving back to those in need for over ten years,  especially in metro Atlanta and the neighborhood we grew up in, Kirkwood,” said Tia Wilburn.

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“I’m so happy that everyone was able to get the things they need for their children and family members. We are doing our part to service our communities. In over a decade we’ve never waited for anyone else to help our community. We have always stepped up to the plate. Our commitment to the community is very faith based. God has been a blessing to our family and we want to continue to service the community,,” said Stephanie Jester.

For the last nine years the Freewishes Foundation held an Annual Winter Wishland Extravaganza in Atlanta for over 1,000 kids and their families.  Covid halted the in-person extravaganza in 2020. Last year the foundation started the holiday shopping spree for kids which they say works better. 

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Target Progresses on Investing $2 Billion in Black-owned Businesses

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In April of 2021, Target made a commitment to spend  $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025. The general merchandise retailer vowed to expand the number of Black-owned brands available in Target stores as well as spend more with Black-owned suppliers. Target plan is exemplifying their purpose through an end goal that creates more equitable experiences for Black guests, obtains new resources for Black entrepreneurs, and harnesses the full impact, scale, and size of their economic resources.

Today, Target is honoring their dedication to these goals and upholding transparency. They are launching a new media fund initiative through an in-house media company, Roundel. Since 2020, Target’s spending budget in conjunction with Black-owned companies and suppliers has increased by over 50 percent. Additionally, the number of Black-owned brands across their assortment has doubled to more than 100. Target’s clarity in their endeavors moving forward keeps power in the hands of their mission. The Roundel Media Fund, which serves to offset the cost of marketing programs at Target will award over  $25 million in media to Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) brands by 2025. 

In May, Target announced ‘Forward Founders’, the accelerator program for early-stage CPG companies looking to better understand retail. It’s designed to help historically under-resourced founders be the next wave of wealth-building companies. 

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A closer look at some of Target’s progress since the start of this initiative includes over 30 Black entrepreneurs supported through Forward Founders, over 2,000 underrepresented entrepreneurs have been granted access to free resources through Target’s virtual Forward Founders program, over 100 Black-owned brands are now available at Target across every major category, a 65% increase in Black-owned beauty brands at Target over the past year, and over 200 books from Black authors added to this assortment over the last year. 

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