Cobb came together on April 23, 2026, to celebrate a year of shared generosity, collaboration, and impact at the third annual Activate Good signature, invitation-only event, hosted by Cobb Community Foundation (CCF), with Platinum Sponsors Brasfield & Gorrie, Genuine Parts Company, and Steve Imler. The evening marked the release of the organization’s 2025 Impact Report and recognized the powerful outcomes that result when neighbors, donors, nonprofits and businesses work side by side.
Held at The Foxglove in downtown Marietta, the event welcomed approximately 200 guests, including community leaders, fundholders, donors, nonprofit partners and other stakeholders. Together, they reflected on a year when individuals and organizations across Cobb County didn’t just give—they activated good, united by a shared commitment to making life better for all.
As Shari Martin, President & CEO of Cobb Community Foundation, put it, the evening “wasn’t just a celebration—it was a rallying cry. At CCF, we mobilize people, ideas and resources—but real impact happens only when the community is ready to be mobilized. And like it always does, in 2025, Cobb showed up.”
Together, CCF and the Cobb community accomplished extraordinary things in 2025:
- Over $6.5 million in grants and scholarships were distributed, with 73% staying right here in Cobb County.
- The Match Magic Giveathon raised a record-breaking $1.7 million in three weeks (including a $140,000 Match Pool) for 27 local nonprofits—more than double the $811,000 raised in 2024—driven by donors, volunteers, and partners who energized the campaign from start to finish.
- Access to early childhood education grew, families moved from surviving to thriving, and nonprofit leaders received critical training—all made possible by individuals and organizations who chose to give back.
- A new initiative, Vital Signs, in partnership with KSU and Neighborhood Nexus, was launched, combining data, community voice, and local expertise to better understand what’s happening beneath the surface in Cobb—where gaps exist, where needs are most urgent, and what’s driving residents to seek support in the first place.
Guests received the 2025 Impact Report and were encouraged to stay engaged—through fund creation, joining the Catalyst Society or Corporate Champion program, supporting existing projects, or simply sharing ideas.
The evening concluded with applause, gratitude and a shared sense of purpose.
As Marietta City Councilwoman, CCF Board Member, and Event Chair Cheryl Richardson shared, “We celebrated the generosity that makes this work possible, highlighted real impact across our community, and reinforced the power of connection—leaving everyone with a sense of pride in what we’ve accomplished together and a shared commitment to what comes next.”
We are deeply grateful to all our sponsors (listed below) whose generosity made this event possible. Your support helps us amplify our collective impact across Cobb County!
View the full Impact Report here and reach out to us at CCFTeam@cobbfoundation.org to learn how to activate good alongside Cobb Community Foundation.
About Cobb Community Foundation
Cobb Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to creating a thriving Cobb County through charitable contributions. By connecting donors with causes they care about, managing charitable funds, fueling community solutions, and equipping nonprofits with the resources they need to serve, CCF empowers individuals, businesses, and organizations to activate good—together.
A full room at Activate Good 2026
CCF President & CEO, Shari Martin, presenting
CCF Board Member, Award-winning Journalist, and Event Emcee, Condace Pressley and Shari Martin
CCF Board Member and SA White Oil CEO Kim Gresh; Marietta City Councilwoman, CCF Board Member, and Event Chair Cheryl Richardson; and Laurie Ann Wong-Burns, Founder and Executive Director of Reflections of Trinity.
Director of Programs, Lisa-Ruth Karnes presenting Vital Signs
Scavenger Hunt Winner Olivia Varnson of Early Learning Property Management with Condace Pressley and Shari Martin with a check for $1,000 for Adult Disability Medical Health
President/CEO/Lead Pastor at MUST Ministries, Ike Reighard, CCF Board Member and Partner at McWhirter Realty Partners, Dan Buyers, Judy Skeeles, and Steve Byrne of Mauldin & Jenkins
CCF Board Member, Partner at Dentons, and former Attorney General Sam Olens; Holly Quinlan of Cobb Travel and Tourism; and Melissa Cantrell, Cobb Chamber Board Chair and CEO of CDH Partners.
CCF President & CEO, Shari Martin with CCF Founding Chair, James L. Rhoden, Jr.
J.K. Murphy of the Marietta Daily Journal (MDJ) with guests at the buffet table
CCF Board Member and Event Platinum Sponsor, Steve Imler
Steve Cole, Adrian Pressley, Joyce Heinold, Larry Zenoni
Founder and CEO of Four Corners, William Johnson, Ike Reighard of MUST Ministries, Ann Watkins of GDCR, and Founder of The Keystone Financial Alliance, Morris Henderson
Betsy Mathews of The Extension Inc, Allison Gruehn of Johnny Walker Realty, and Patricia George
Judge Kellie S. Hill of the Superior Court of Cobb County and Kennesaw State University Trustee, Don Johnson
Karen Carlisle, Debbie Day of Special Needs Cobb, and Anna Longacre
Event Sponsors
Corporate Champions
