The Phoenix Club of Jackson, a collection of young professionals, works to provide support in the Metro region
In 2007, a group of young Jackson metropolitan area businessmen saw the need for a men’s only non-profit social club that could serve as a philanthropic platform to build relationships in the business community, as well as serve the greater good of Jackson. The Phoenix Club of Jackson was born, committed to “renewal and resurrection” of disadvantaged youngsters in the greater Jackson community. Young professional men are invited to join when they can meet two basic requirements—a sincere interest in furthering the mission of the Phoenix Club, and potential for future leadership in the community.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi became the organization’s linchpin, with the organization’s focus being on helping uplift underserved children in the Jackson area.
With various yearly fundraising functions in the past 18 years, the 100-member club has contributed over $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, according to current Phoenix Club of Jackson President Drew Johnson.
“Phoenix Clubs are mostly regional, unlike service organizations such as Kiwanis clubs which are national.” said Johnson. “Since 2022, we have contributed $325,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi,” he said.
The Phoenix Club of Jackson hosts three to four major social events annually to benefit the local Boys & Girls Clubs.
For instance, “Backpacks & Brews,” which was held this year at The District in northeast Jackson on July 12, entails not only raising money, but also incorporates a school supply drive for the children. A more formal annual event by the club is “Speakeasy Soiree” featuring club members dressing in 1920s-era Prohibition fashion.
“Back in the spring, we held ‘Seersucker & Sombreros,’ a sort of Cinco de Mayo and Kentucky Derby hybrid event,” said Johnson. “It was extremely successful and a lot of fun at the same time for our membership.”
The history of the Phoenix Club dates back to September 1955 when nine college graduates and Korean War veterans established the 20-30 Club in the basement of Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis. The club’s goal was to perform service to the community and work closely with Memphis youth. However, the 20-30 Club was declared defunct by the fall of 1958 and the group chose to start over with a new moniker.
The Phoenix Club of Memphis was selected as the new name, evolving from the mythological Phoenix bird, which after being destroyed, arose again from its own ashes.
One of the highlights for Phoenix Club of Jackson members is visiting the individual units of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi for ice cream socials with the kids and staff, said Johnson. “Getting to interact with the children and getting to know the people we are supporting is an important facet of what we do. There are times we participate in career and development days for the kids, letting them know about who we are personally but also professionally, and how they might attain their dream job one day.
“We also help out the Boys & Girls clubs with their own fundraising events, such as volunteering as bartenders and waiters. We want to do all that we can to support them and maximize our impact.”
Membership recruitment events attract potential members to the Phoenix Club of Jackson, which has an established age limit of 35. Once a member reaches his 36th birthday, he can still participate as an alumnus of the organization to fulfill the club’s philanthropic mission.
The club is represented by a variety of professions—from medicine to law to accounting to public relations professionals, among others.
“We do capitalize on people’s career experiences to fill roles within the club but it’s not a requirement,” said Johnson, a Louisiana native who served as Chairman on the Phoenix Club of Jackson’s events and fundraising committees before becoming President last March. “But, our members don’t have to match-up with a role that’s necessarily connected to their profession or expertise.”
Phoenix Club board member, Hunt Coleman, takes pride in his membership and the opportunity to serve the community. His favorite moments are the summer ice cream socials at the Boys & Girls Clubs units in the Jackson area.
“To have that interaction with kids while serving them ice cream or playing basketball is very powerful to me,” said Coleman, a former personal finance manager who is now pursuing a law degree at Mississippi College School of Law. “I also enjoy delivering the school supplies we collect and watch the reactions on the children and their parents’ faces.”
Many of the dollars raised for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi have sustained permanent programs such as a garden/culinary arts program and allowed the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi to fund and host all-expenses paid educational trips for the youth.
“The money we’ve raised has been used to fund taking a group of kids to Washington, D.C. to meet with Mississippi Congressional leaders on local issues, and to provide a kind of a civics lesson to learn about our nation and its history,” said Johnson. “I would guess that many of the children have never traveled out of Jackson, much less out of the state.”
For Johnson, the Phoenix Club’s most important mission is making sure the next generation is positioned to become Jackson’s future leadership. “The capital city’s success hinges on our youth,” said Johnson. “Our goal as a club is to provide opportunities for children to overcome whatever obstacles they might face that would prevent success in life.”