Meet two Investors making a Difference

Who's feeling this August heat?

We're inching (slowly) toward cooler months now, even if Memphis hasn't gotten the memo yet. And somewhere in that space between summer winding down and fall gearing up, I've found myself thinking about what I wanted to accomplish this year.

For me, that keeps coming back to one thing: giving back to this city. Giving back isn't a checkbox. It's not something you do once and move on from. It's a decision to keep showing up for the people and places that shaped you, long after you've gotten what you needed from them.

Memphis runs on that kind of giving. Always has. The neighbor who mentors a kid that isn't theirs. The business owner who hires local before it's convenient. The company that could sponsor anything in this city and chooses teachers instead. None of that happens because someone required it. It happens because people decide Memphis is worth investing in, over and over, in ways big and small.

Teachers Feel It Most Right Now

Right now, that giving matters more than usual. We're a few weeks into the new school year, and Memphis teachers are standing in front of 25-30 kids all day, every day, trying to make this the year every student gets what they need.

That's exactly why Teach901 throws the Back to School Bash every year. Before the grind of the semester really sets in, we get to pause and say thank you to the people doing that work. This year's Bash is August 20th at Old Dominick Rooftop, a night for Memphis teachers to be celebrated instead of stretched thin for once.

But here's the thing about the Bash: it doesn't happen because Teach901 wishes it into existence. It happens because Memphis businesses decide teachers are worth investing in. Real investment. Real dollars. Real belief that the people shaping this city's kids deserve a night that says so.

Mempho Presents Gets It

Mempho Presents brings Memphis some of the best live music in the country: Mempho Music Festival, RiverBeat, SmokeSlam, Shell Daze. They know how to throw a party.

But when we talked to them about why they signed on as a title sponsor of the Bash, they said something that stuck with us:

"Teachers are doing some of the hardest, most important work in this city, often with the least recognition for it. At Mempho, we spend our time trying to create moments people remember. Teachers are doing that every single day in a classroom, usually with a lot less budget and a lot more patience than we need for a festival weekend.” 

That's a Memphis company looking at Memphis teachers and deciding to show up.

Orion Financial Was Built By Teachers

And then there's Orion Financial, another incredible title sponsor of the bash, whose story might be one of my favorites yet.

In 1957, a group of Memphis City Schools teachers pooled their money and stored it inside a piano bench at East High School, with a simple goal: to help fellow educators access the financial support they needed. That fund became Memphis Area Teachers Credit Union and, ultimately, Orion Financial. 

So when Orion sponsors the Back to School Bash, it's a return to the organization's roots and an extension of its commitment to the people shaping the next generation of Memphians.

As they put it: "Supporting Memphis teachers is personal because Orion Financial would not exist without them. Our organization began when local educators recognized a financial need among their colleagues and created a solution together. That history gives us a responsibility to serve today's educators in meaningful and practical ways."

Orion recently introduced financial solutions designed specifically for educators and school employees with free checking with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements, high-yield savings options, competitive auto financing, and a home loan requiring a low down payment with no private mortgage insurance. 

That's what showing up looks like for Orion. It's not just a sponsorship once a year, but a company still finding new ways to invest in the people who started it all.

This Is What Memphis Does

Mempho Presents and Orion Financial didn't wait for someone to ask them twice. They looked at what Memphis teachers need and decided to be part of the answer.

That's the whole model. Somebody in this city sees a need, and instead of waiting for it to get fixed, they get in the game.

So here's my question for you: what if your name was on that list? Not because you have to. Because Memphis works when the people who can show up, do.

If you run a business, lead a team, or know somebody who does, this is your invitation. The Back to School Bash always needs sponsors, and there's still room for one more Memphis company willing to say teachers matter here.

Let's Choose901 together.