Smyrna-Vinings Resident Awarded $25K Grant For Nonprofit That Honors Late Wife

SMYRNA, GA — A local nonprofit has received a $25,000 grant from Northwestern Mutual.

Chad Harlan, who is an advisor for Northwestern Mutual, received the donation as part of a 2022 Community Service award, according to a news release.

In 2018, Harlan, a Vinings resident, founded Julie’s Dream in honor of his wife Julie Harlan who lost her life to cancer, according to the release. He will use funds from this grant to support the organization’s mission to provide youth in underserved communities in Atlanta with “awe-inspiring wilderness experiences,” the release stated.

“Julie's Dream seeks to overcome the systemic barriers that inhibit youth from experiencing the power of the outdoors by providing programming for elementary through high school aged children,” according to the website. As the founder of Julie's Dream, Harlan has been involved in every aspect of the organization and its growth over the past four years, and has helped the organization raise over $1M from individual donors and corporations.

“Julie’s faith inspired many, and this foundation is to honor that inspiration she still gives to many, even after her passing in 2017,” Harlan said in the release.

Each year, Northwestern Mutual recognizes the leadership of its financial advisors who are making a difference in their own communities through exemplary volunteerism, according to the release. As part of these efforts, the company, through its Foundation, is awarding $310,000 in grants to nonprofits nationwide through its 2022 Community Service Awards.

"Making a positive impact in the community is what our advisors do every day while they serve their clients,” said Steve Radke, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation in the release. “Their passion for giving back is demonstrated by their dedication to incredible causes that are making a real difference in their own backyards.

"At Northwestern Mutual, we're proud to have a network of advisors who are committed to bettering the lives of those around them."

The company has donated more than $6.6 million to nonprofits nationwide through the Community Service Awards program since the program’s inception in 1995, according to the release.

The 2022 winners will present the grants to the nonprofit organizations they are involved with throughout the country this spring.