FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Marion Chamber of Commerce Awards Connect 360 with
Prestigious Award of Excellence
Marion, IL – January 8, 2025 – The Marion Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that Connect 360 has been honored with the prestigious Award of Excellence. This award recognizes Connect 360's outstanding contributions to the community and its unwavering commitment to fostering a more inclusive and resilient society.
Connect 360 was founded by Carmen Allen-Adeoye and Terance Henry in response to the powerful protests following George Floyd's death in May 2020. Inspired by the powerful demonstrations across Southern Illinois, they aimed to create an organization that would be dedicated to addressing social education, justice, and financial literacy issues while fostering community engagement and empowerment throughout the region.
Mission Statement
"The mission of Connect 360 is to improve the
communications, relationships, and actions of racial and ethnic minority
populations through the development and implementation of policies, as well as
education and work programs, that will help eliminate disparities, thereby
ensuring a sustainable and resilient community. All members of the Connect 360
community recognize that we are an integral part of the community and will
respect, honor, and protect the dignity of all individuals."
Community Impact
Connect 360 organizes and provides events to bring people together, fostering fun, fellowship, and the celebration of diverse cultures. The organization partners with other groups to sponsor events that build relationships and support the community. Key initiatives include:
- Community Support: Organizing food drives, distributing items needed by community members, with the help of their subcommittee Men of Decency, that have yearly community yard waste removal for those 60 and over as well as volunteering during crisis situations.
- Educational Content: Creating and developing content to educate the community and youth about history, financial literacy, scholarships, hosting workshops, mentoring at risk adolescents while inspiring them to become more productive in the community.
- Scholarship – For the last 2 years Connect 360 has awarded an annual scholarship for local High School Students in Marion IL.
- Notable events hosted by Connect 360 include conversations with Miss Joanne Bland from Selma, AL, the "Hands and Toes" giveaway of gloves and socks, community food giveaways at Marion High School, the "Back to Teach" program, discussions about interacting with law enforcement, the “Black and Gold Scholarship” Fundraiser, the “Building Bridges to Success” program, and support for Illinois Youth Center Enrichment programs.
Recognition
The Award of Excellence from the Marion Chamber of Commerce
is a testament to Connect 360's dedication to making a positive impact in the
community. This honor reflects the hard work and commitment of the
organization's founders, volunteers, and supporters. If you would like to join us in celebrating Connect 360’s achievements and receiving of this award, please RSVP to the Marion Chamber of Commerce to get your tickets to our 104th Annual
Banquet and Award Ceremony that will be held at the Pavilion in Marion, IL on
January 17th from 5:30p – 9:00p. They and many others will be honored that evening.
Reserve your tickets
here!
Contact Information
For more information about Connect 360 and their contributions to the
community or about reserving tickets to the Marion Chamber of Commerce 104th
Annual Banquet & Award Ceremony, please contact:
Marion Chamber of Commerce
2305 W Main St
Marion, IL 62959
618-997-6311
Email: programs@marionillinois.com
Website: www.marionillinois.com
