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Inaugural
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
Provides
More
Than
$1.1
Million
to Local
Nonprofits
DETROIT
– The
Rocket
Giving
Fund,
the
501(c)(3)
that
manages
the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic,
today
announced
more
than
$1.2
million
in
disbursements
to its
seven
primary
beneficiaries,
Birdies
for
Charity
recipients
and
other
nonprofits.
More
than
$1.1
million
was
directed
to
nonprofits
based in
the city
of
Detroit.
The
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic,
the
first-ever
PGA TOUR
event in
the city
of
Detroit,
achieved
unprecedented
success
through
numerous
sold-out
days,
dramatic
play and
sustained
excitement
throughout
the
region
during
tournament
season.
Today,
the
inaugural
event
continued
its
impact
by
announcing
disbursements
that
will
allow
primarily
local
organizations
to
increase
programming,
enhance
neighborhoods
and
benefit
Detroiters.
At
an event
held by
the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
and
Rocket
Giving
Fund,
donations
totaling
$912,340
to the
tournament’s
primary
beneficiaries
were
announced.
These
include:
•
$225,000
to
Midnight
Golf,
which
helps
under-served
young
people
transition
from
high
school
to
college
and into
a
professional
career
•
$200,000
to the
Detroit
Children’s
Fund,
which
makes
high-potential
investments
to
expand
successful
schools,
greatly
improve
lower-performing
schools,
and
discover
and
develop
talented
educators
so that
every
child in
Detroit
has the
opportunity
to
receive
an
excellent
education
•
$150,000
to the
Greater
Palmer
Park
Community,
a
collection
of seven
neighborhoods
around
Palmer
Park and
the
Detroit
Golf
Club
dedicated
to the
holistic
improvement
and
advancement
of the
entire
area
•
$125,000
to First
Tee of
Greater
Detroit,
which
impacts
the
lives of
young
people
by
providing
educational
programs
that
build
character,
instill
life-enhancing
values
and
promote
healthy
choices
through
the game
of golf
•
$100,000
to the
Rickie
Fowler
Foundation,
which
handles
the
philanthropic
work of
Rocket
Mortgage
spokesman
Rickie
Fowler
•
$92,340
to the
Detroit
Police
Athletic
League
(Detroit
PAL), a
Rocket
Mortgage
partner
that
builds
character
in young
people
through
athletic,
academic,
and
leadership
development
programs
•
$20,000
to the
Detroit
Golf
Club
Caddie
Scholarship
Foundation,
which
help
their
caddies
achieve
their
higher
educational
dreams
“The
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
gives us
the
opportunity
to
highlight
the city
we call
home. We
are
especially
proud of
how the
tournament
is a
vehicle
to
engage
and
benefit
many
local
organizations
and
their
ability
to
impact
the
residents
of
Detroit,”
said
Rocket
Giving
Fund
Board
Chairman
Jay
Farner,
CEO of
Quicken
Loans.
“We are
thankful
to all
the fans
and
sponsors
who
supported
the
event
and
helped
us
maximize
our work
through
the
Rocket
Giving
Fund,
which
will
benefit
thousands
of
Detroiters.”
(Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us USA)
In
addition
to the
$900,000+
donated
to
primary
beneficiaries,
$310,204
was
provided
to
Birdies
for
Charity
and
other
nonprofits.
The
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic’s
Birdies
for
Charity
program
supported
more
than 170
verified
nonprofit
organizations,
a
turnkey
program
that
allowed
them to
use the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
as a
vehicle
to raise
awareness
of their
organizations
and
funds to
support
their
missions.
“Beyond
the
exciting
play,
awards,
and
attendance
that
punctuated
the
inaugural
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic,
today we
recognize
the
success
of the
tournament
through
its
impact
on
organizations
across
Detroit,”
said
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
Executive
Director
Jason
Langwell.
“There
are
amazing
things
happening
in our
city,
and to
be able
to
meaningfully
contribute
to
nonprofits
that are
doing
such
valuable
work in
our own
neighborhoods
is
incredibly
rewarding.”
One
beneficiary,
Midnight
Golf,
uses
golf
education
as a
platform
to
connect
Detroit
students
to
committed
mentors,
build
life and
career
skills
training
and
provide
social-emotional
support.
This
commitment
starts
in the
students’
senior
year of
high
school
and
lasts
throughout
their
college
careers.
Midnight
Golf’s
industry-leading
program
is
designed
to serve
and
empower
students
every
step of
the way
and has
impacted
nearly
3,000
students.
Their
$225,000
disbursement
from the
Rocket
Giving
Fund
will
allow
them to
take on
more
high
school
students
in 2020
and
provide
more
resources
to
graduates
of the
Midnight
Golf
program
who need
support
throughout
their
college
career.
"These
funds
will
allow us
to
continue
to
provide
our
students
resources
and
expanded
opportunities
that
will
enhance
their
foundation
for a
successful
future
in
college,
their
careers
and
beyond,”
said
Reneé
Fluker,
Founder
and
President
of the
Midnight
Golf
Program.
"As a
primary
beneficiary
of the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic,
our
students
received
access
to a
world-class
event in
their
hometown
which
included
career
and
networking
opportunities.
We are
grateful
to the
Rocket
Giving
Fund,
Quicken
Loans
and the
entire
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
team for
their
support,
leadership
and
generosity."
The
Rocket
Giving
Fund
engaged
seven
community
groups
from in
and
around
Palmer
Park
throughout
the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
planning
process.
This
community
engagement
was
critical
in order
to make
the
event
itself a
positive
experience
for the
community
and
ensure
that the
Rocket
Mortgage
Class is
directly
investing
in the
lives of
local
residents.
In 2019,
Palmer
Park was
the site
of a
KaBOOM!
playground
build
sponsored
in part
by the
Quicken
Loans
Community
Fund,
the
philanthropic
arm of
Quicken
Loans,
which
also
provided
dozens
of
volunteers.
Their
$150,000
donation
will
allow
the
Greater
Palmer
Park
community
to
improve
facilities
and
infrastructure
in
Palmer
Park
that
will
benefit
Detroiters
from
around
the
city.
“The
way the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
and the
entire
team at
Rocket
Mortgage
involved
the
Palmer
Park
Community
really
made
this
feel
like the
collaborative
partnership
it is,”
said
Nancy
Varner
of the
Greater
Palmer
Park
Community.
“We are
all so
appreciative
of the
Rocket
Giving
Fund for
this
significant
donation,
which
will
benefit
the
residents
of this
community
as well
as those
who
experience
what
these
amazing
neighborhoods
have to
offer.”
The
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
is a
continuation
of the
“For
More
Than
Profit”
philosophy
of its
title
sponsor,
Rocket
Mortgage
by
Quicken
Loans.
Believing
in doing
well by
doing
good,
the
company’s
philanthropic
arm, the
Quicken
Loans
Community
Fund,
has
invested
$200
million
into
Detroit-based
organizations
and
programming
since
2010.
Additionally,
its
volunteers
have
provided
400,000
volunteer
hours in
its
hometown
of
Detroit.
In 2019,
the
Quicken
Loans
Community
Fund
organized
volunteers
from
Quicken
Loans
and the
Rock
Family
of
Companies,
who came
together
with
neighborhood
residents
to
paint,
plant
flowers,
weed and
mow in
areas
surrounding
Palmer
Park.
“Through
the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic,
we are
able to
showcase
Detroit
to the
world,”
said
Rocket
Giving
Fund
Board
Member
Laura
Grannemann,
Vice
President
of the
Quicken
Loans
Community
Fund.
“These
beneficiaries
and
nonprofits
work
tirelessly
to make
Detroit
an
inclusive,
thriving
and
resilient
city. We
are
grateful
that one
week of
exciting
tournament
play can
provide
a
lasting,
year-round
impact
here in
our
hometown.”
In
addition
to the
Rocket
Giving
Fund
disbursements,
national
nonprofit
Community
Solutions
received
$200,000
through
the Shot
for
Heroes
activation
at the
inaugural
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic.
Community
Solutions
founded
the
acclaimed
Built
for Zero
program,
which
seeks to
reduce
the
number
of
veterans
and
individuals
chronically
experiencing
homelessness,
The
tournament’s
title
sponsor,
Rocket
Mortgage,
recently
launched
a
national
marketing
campaign
to drive
awareness
around
Built
for
Zero.
The Shot
for
Heroes
activation
has
raised
over
$1.2
million
in the
last
five
years at
the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
and
Quicken
Loans
National.
The
second
playing
of the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
is
scheduled
for May
25-31 at
Detroit
Golf
Club,
with a
new
Memorial
Day
start.
Tickets
and more
information
are
available
at
www.RocketMortgageClassic.com.
###
About
the
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
The
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
made
history
in 2019
as the
first
PGA TOUR
event
ever
held in
the city
of
Detroit,
and Nate
Lashley
added to
the
historic
feel of
the week
by
winning
for the
first
time on
the PGA
TOUR and
becoming
the
tournament’s
inaugural
champion.
Embodying
the
spirit
of
Detroit,
the
week-long
event
featured
great
entertainment,
cuisine
and
social
activities
on and
off the
course.
The
Rocket
Mortgage
Classic
was the
most
awarded
event
during
the
2018-19
PGA TOUR
season,
being
recognized
for
“Best
Special
Event”
(the
AREA 313
Celebrity
Challenge)
and
“Best
Tournament
Sales”
as well
as being
honored
with the
first
“Fair
Way
Award”
for its
diversity
and
inclusion
initiatives.
The
Rocket
Giving
Fund is
the
primary
charitable
beneficiary
of the
tournament
and will
support
many
local
charities.
More
information
is
available
at
RocketMortgageClassic.com
and on
Facebook,
Twitter
and
Instagram
(@RocketClassic).
About
Quicken
Loans /
Rocket
Mortgage
Detroit-based
Quicken
Loans is
the
nation’s
largest
home
mortgage
lender.
The
company
closed
nearly
half a
trillion
dollars
of
mortgage
volume
across
all 50
states
from
2013
through
2019. In
late
2015
Quicken
Loans
introduced
Rocket
Mortgage,
the
first
fully
digital
mortgage
experience.
Today,
98% of
all home
loans
originated
by
Quicken
Loans
utilize
Rocket
Mortgage
Technology.
Quicken
Loans
moved
its
headquarters
to
downtown
Detroit
in 2010.
Today,
Quicken
Loans
and its
Family
of
Companies
employ
more
than
18,000
full-time
team
members
in
Detroit’s
urban
core.
The
company
generates
loan
production
from web
centers
located
in
Detroit,
Cleveland
and
Phoenix.
Quicken
Loans
also
operates
a
centralized
loan
processing
facility
in
Detroit,
as well
as its
San
Diego-based
One
Reverse
Mortgage
unit.
Quicken
Loans
ranked
highest
in the
country
for
customer
satisfaction
for
primary
mortgage
origination
by J.D.
Power
for the
past ten
consecutive
years,
2010 –
2019,
and also
ranked
highest
in the
country
for
customer
satisfaction
among
all
mortgage
servicers
the past
six
consecutive
years,
2014 –
2019.
Quicken
Loans
was once
again
named to
FORTUNE
magazine’s
“100
Best
Companies
to Work
For”
list in
2019 and
has been
included
in the
magazine’s
top
1/3rd of
companies
named to
the list
for the
past 16
consecutive
years.
In
addition,
Essence
Magazine
named
Quicken
Loans
“#1
Place to
Work in
the
Country
for
African
Americans.”
For
more
information
and
company
news
visit
QuickenLoans.com/press-room
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