E2 Program

The Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama (CFNEA) champions thriving communities and strives to improve lives through collaborative partnerships by awarding grants and scholarships. The 2015 Community Needs Assessment strongly indicated the need for breaking the cycle of poverty.  Working with our partners throughout northeast Alabama, CFNEA created the E2 Program. Funded through the Stringfellow Health Fund, the E2 Program focuses on education, employment and a two-generational strategy to reduce the number of people living below the poverty level.  

The E2 Program provides opportunities for continued education programs: Associate Degrees, Short- or Long-Term Certificates, and Skills Training through Gadsden State Community College. The E2 Program will also provide employment opportunities upon the completion of the education program through East AlabamaWorks and the Gadsden Career Center. Participating students are 18 years or older and have at least one five-year-old or less child.

Contact Information:

Fred Smith, MPA, CAP
Vice President of Community Partnerships
Phone: (256) 231-5160 ext. 26
1701 Henry Road, Anniston, AL 36207
email

Our E2 Program students have invested the time and preparation to “sharpen their axe” by pursuing their associate degrees and certifications.

E2 student Britnee Crozier was accepted into the LPN nursing school at Gadsden State Community College. She started in January 2024 and graduated with a practical nursing (LPN) certificate in December 2024. Britnee is continuing her education to become a Registered Nurse (RN) at Gadsden State Community College in Fall 2025.

In 2024 Andrea Johnson Fitzpatrick, earned the Electronic Engineering Technology – Associate in
Applied Science degree (A.A.S); Dakota S. Johnson,  earned the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
– Associate in Applied Science degree (A.A.S), and Eulalia Diego Francisco, earned the
Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and Associate of Science in General Studies degree (A.S).

CFNEA hosted the graduation exercise for E2 student Samantha Hill on May 9, 2023. Family, friends, and program partners gathered to celebrate Samantha’s graduation from Gadsden State Community College. Samantha completed her degree with a 4.0 GPA in her computer science major.

On May 10, 2023, E2 student Andrea Fitzpatrick was awarded a $500.00 scholarship from the Family Success Center and a $500.00 scholarship for academic excellence from Gadsden State Community College for achieving honors in her electrical engineering major. Andrea is scheduled to graduate in December.

It is estimated that the average return on investment (ROI) for an associate's degree in high-demand fields has a starting salary of approximately $39,990 with lifetime earnings of $3.02 million. The E2 program is helping to change the economic trajectory of families in our region.

Since the inception of the E2 program, the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama is proud to partner with various organizations in Etowah County, including:

• Gadsden State Community College – postsecondary education
• East AlabamaWorks – employment pathways
• Gadsden-Etowah County Head Start – early childhood education
• Family Success Center – early childhood education, counseling, and economic support
• United Way of Etowah County – social capital (volunteering)
• Etowah County Rural Transportation – transportation
• Gadsden Career Center – employment pathways
• YMCA of Coosa Valley – health & well-being
• Gadsden City Schools – student participants