Food City officials recently presented a $12,000 check to the Gamma Pi Boule Foundation, continuing a partnership aimed at supporting scholarships and community-focused initiatives.
The presentation, held inside a local Food City store, brought together company leadership and representatives of the foundation to mark the latest contribution.
The funds will support the foundation’s mission of providing scholarships and financial assistance to organizations that foster leadership, academic excellence and community engagement among young people in Southeast Tennessee.
Rooted in service
The Gamma Pi Boule Foundation traces its origins to 1986, when it was established by the Chattanooga chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, also known as Gamma Pi Boule.
The fraternity itself, founded in 1904 in Philadelphia, is the oldest Black Greek letter fraternity in the United States and is composed of professionals across a range of fields including medicine, law, education, business and government.
The Chattanooga chapter was formed after Jerome Page relocated from Washington, D.C., to lead the Chattanooga Urban League. Drawing on his connections and experience as a member of Sigma Pi Phi, Page brought together a group of local professionals to charter Gamma Pi Boule in July 1986.
Recognizing the need for a dedicated philanthropic arm, members later established the Gamma Pi Boule Foundation to serve as the primary funding source for the organization’s social action initiatives. The foundation received nonprofit status in 2013.
Today, the foundation is recognized in the Chattanooga area for its efforts to support programs that inspire and develop future leaders. In addition to awarding scholarships, it provides funding to organizations that promote mentorship, education and long-term professional growth.
Among the groups supported are the Chattanooga Chapter of The Links, The Boys Leadership Academy and the Urban League of Chattanooga.
Scholarship program
At the center of the foundation’s work is the Paul A. McDaniel Boule Scholarship, named in honor of the late McDaniel, a prominent pastor, civil rights leader and public servant whose influence extended across Chattanooga and beyond.
The scholarship provides financial assistance to academically accomplished male high school seniors in Southeast Tennessee who have been accepted to four-year colleges or universities. Recipients are selected through a competitive process that evaluates academic achievement, leadership, character and commitment to community service.
The awards are renewable for up to four years, provided recipients meet academic criteria, and are funded primarily through the foundation’s signature fundraising event, the Paul A. McDaniel Boule Scholarship Golf Classic.
Since the program’s inception in 2013, nearly $200,000 in scholarships has been awarded. Organizers say the initiative continues to grow, both in financial impact and in the number of students it serves.
The annual golf tournament, which began at Brown Acres Golf Course, has expanded significantly in recent years and is now held at Council Fire Golf Club. The 2025 event alone raised close to $100,000.
Sources: Food City; Gamma Pi Boule Foundation